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Set up TalkWriter on Android

The TalkWriter keyboard lets you dictate and rewrite text in any app on your Android phone — WhatsApp, Gmail, Chrome, anywhere you can type. Unlike iOS, the Android keyboard records your voice directly, so dictation is instant. This guide takes about 2 minutes.

Available on: Android 10 and later

Quick checks​

Before you start, make sure:

  • TalkWriter is installed from Google Play.
  • You're signed in. Open the app once and sign in with Google or email.
  • You're online. Transcription and AI features run in the cloud.

Step 1 — Enable the keyboard​

  1. Open the Settings app.
  2. Go to System → Languages & input → On‑screen keyboard → Manage keyboards.
    • On Samsung: **Settings → General management → Keyboard list and default → ** then enable TalkWriter.
  3. Toggle TalkWriter Keyboard on.
  4. Tap OK on the warning Android shows for every keyboard (see the FAQ below about what it means).

Step 2 — Set it as your input method (when you want it)​

  1. Open any app and tap a text field.
  2. Tap the keyboard switch icon (it appears in the navigation bar or as a small keyboard icon near the bottom‑right), or long‑press the spacebar.
  3. Choose TalkWriter Keyboard.

Step 3 — Grant the microphone​

The first time you tap the mic on the TalkWriter keyboard, Android asks for microphone permission:

  1. Tap While using the app (or Only this time to decide later).
  2. The waveform turns green — you're ready to dictate.

To start dictating, see Dictate with the keyboard on Android →.

Step 4 (recommended) — Exempt TalkWriter from battery optimization​

So dictation and meeting recording keep running reliably in the background:

  1. Go to Settings → Apps → TalkWriter → Battery.
  2. Choose Unrestricted (or Don't optimize).
Skip on stock Android

On Google Pixel and other stock‑Android phones this usually isn't needed. It matters most on heavily customized skins — see device‑specific notes below.

Device-specific notes​

Some manufacturers add extra power management that can stop background apps:

  • Samsung (One UI): Settings → Battery → Background usage limits → make sure TalkWriter is not in "Sleeping apps" or "Deep sleeping apps."
  • Xiaomi / Redmi / POCO (MIUI/HyperOS): Settings → Apps → TalkWriter → Autostart on, and set Battery saver to No restrictions.
  • Oppo / Realme / OnePlus (ColorOS): Settings → Battery → TalkWriter → allow background activity and auto‑launch.
  • Huawei (EMUI): Settings → Apps → TalkWriter → Power usage details → Manage manually, enable all three toggles.

FAQs​

Why does Android warn the keyboard "may collect all the text you type"? Android shows this for every third‑party keyboard. TalkWriter does not store or transmit what you type — it only sends the audio you dictate (and text you choose to Rewrite) to our servers. See Security & Privacy.

Do I have to switch to TalkWriter every time? No — Android remembers your choice per app, and you can set TalkWriter as your default keyboard in Manage keyboards.

The mic does nothing / "no microphone permission." Open Settings → Apps → TalkWriter → Permissions → Microphone and set it to Allow. Then reopen the keyboard.

Dictation stops when the screen locks or I switch apps. That's battery optimization killing the background process — follow Step 4 and the device‑specific note for your brand above.

Does it work in every app? Yes, in any standard text field. Some banking apps disable third‑party keyboards for security; Android falls back to the system keyboard there.

Still stuck?​

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