Platforms: iPhone and iPad, version 3.0 or later; All Access required
The Transcribe keyboard lets you dictate into Messages, Mail, Notes, or any other app. Tap the keyboard's microphone, talk, and your words are typed where your cursor is. It uses the same private, on-device transcription as your recordings.
The Transcribe keyboard is included with Perspective Intelligence All Access. You can set it up without a subscription, but dictation starts working once you subscribe.
Set up the keyboard
- Add the keyboard. Open the Settings app, then go to General, Keyboard, Keyboards. Choose Add New Keyboard, then choose Transcribe.
- Allow Full Access. In the same Keyboards list, choose Transcribe and turn on Allow Full Access. The keyboard needs it to hand your words over from the app. Your speech is still transcribed on your device.
- Switch to Transcribe. In any text field, tap the globe key until Transcribe appears. With VoiceOver, use the Next keyboard button.
- Start dictating. Tap the microphone. The first time, Perspective Transcribe opens and starts listening. Go back to your app and keep talking.
- Finish. Tap the microphone again. Your words are typed where your cursor is.
There is a shortcut in the app. Open Perspective Transcribe, then Settings, then Transcribe Keyboard, and choose Open Settings. It opens Perspective Transcribe in the Settings app, so you only need to choose Keyboards, then turn on Transcribe and Allow Full Access. A silent guide video plays in a small window over Settings so you can follow along.
The Transcribe Keyboard page also shows whether the keyboard is set up. After you use the keyboard once, it says The Transcribe keyboard is ready.
Start once, then keep dictating
The first time you tap the microphone, the keyboard opens Perspective Transcribe to turn on the microphone. The app shows Swipe back to your app. Swipe back, or use the back link at the top of the screen, to return to where you were typing. After that, the microphone starts and stops dictation right from the keyboard.
The dictation session ends on its own after 10 minutes without dictation. To end it sooner, open Perspective Transcribe and choose End Dictation Session.
Use the keyboard
- Microphone: starts recording. Tap it again to stop and type what you said. With VoiceOver, it is named Dictate while idle and Finish dictation while recording.
- Cancel dictation: stops recording without typing anything.
- Undo dictation: removes the text you just dictated.
- Delete: deletes one character. Hold it to keep deleting. With VoiceOver, the Delete word action removes a whole word.
- Space and Return: work like a normal keyboard. Return changes to Send, Search, Done, or Next when the app asks for it.
- Next keyboard: switches back to your other keyboards.
Say "new line" or "new paragraph" while you talk to start a new line or paragraph.
With VoiceOver, the keyboard announces Recording, Transcribing, and the text it inserted, so you know what was typed without moving focus.
Keep dictations as sessions
By default, keyboard dictations are typed into your app and not kept in Perspective Transcribe. To also keep each one, open Settings, then Transcribe Keyboard, and turn on Save Dictations to Sessions. Saved dictations appear in Sessions as Keyboard Dictation. Only the text is kept, not the audio.
Dictation uses the transcription engine chosen in Settings, Recording & Transcription: Parakeet, unless you picked Whisper.
If dictation does not start
Read the message on the keyboard first. It tells you what is missing.
- Turn on Allow Full Access: go to Settings, General, Keyboard, Keyboards, Transcribe, and turn on Allow Full Access.
- The Transcribe keyboard is part of All Access: open Perspective Transcribe and subscribe, or check Settings, then All Access, and use Restore Purchases.
- Open Transcribe to start dictation: the dictation session has ended. Tap the microphone to start a new one.
- Finish your current recording before dictating with the keyboard: stop the recording in Perspective Transcribe first.
- Microphone access is off: go to Settings, Privacy & Security, Microphone, and turn on Perspective Transcribe.
- No speech was heard, or That was too short: try again and speak a little longer, closer to the microphone.
If Transcribe does not appear when you tap the globe key, check that it is listed in Settings, General, Keyboard, Keyboards. Some text fields, such as password fields, always use the system keyboard.