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Slow Processing

Symptom​

After you release the Fn key, there is a long delay (several seconds or more) before your text appears. The pill may show a loading indicator.

Quick Fix​

Check your internet speed at fast.com. You need at least 5 Mbps upload for smooth dictation.

Step-by-Step Diagnostic​

✅ Step 1: Check Internet Speed​

TalkWriter streams audio to remote servers for processing. A slow connection causes delays.

  1. Open your browser and go to fast.com
  2. Note the upload speed
  3. Requirements:
Upload SpeedExperience
10+ Mbps⚡ Excellent — instant results
5-10 Mbps✅ Good — minimal delay
2-5 Mbps⚠️ Usable — noticeable delay
Below 2 Mbps❌ Poor — significant delays or timeouts
  1. If your speed is low, switch to a faster Wi-Fi network or use Ethernet

✅ Step 2: Check TalkTone Intensity​

AI polishing (TalkTone) adds processing time because your text is sent through an additional AI step after transcription.

  1. Open TalkWriter Settings → TalkTone
  2. If you need faster results, try:
    • Setting TalkTone to Off (raw transcription, fastest)
    • Using Concise mode (lighter processing)
  3. Heavier TalkTone styles (Professional, Custom) take slightly longer

✅ Step 3: Check for Network Restrictions​

Corporate networks may throttle or block TalkWriter traffic:

  1. Try dictating on a personal Wi-Fi network or phone hotspot
  2. If it works faster, your corporate network may be restricting access
  3. Ask your IT team to allowlist: api.talkwriter.ai and auth.talkwriter.ai

✅ Step 4: Check Dictation Length​

Very long dictations (over 60 seconds) take longer to process because there is more audio to transcribe.

  • For the fastest experience, dictate in shorter bursts (15-30 seconds)
  • Release Fn, let the text paste, then start another dictation

✅ Step 5: Check Server Status​

Rarely, our servers may be experiencing high load:

  1. Visit status.talkwriter.ai
  2. Check for any ongoing incidents
  3. If there is an incident, wait for resolution

✅ Step 6: Restart TalkWriter​

A stuck connection can cause persistent slowness:

  1. Quit TalkWriter from the menu bar
  2. Reopen it
  3. Try dictating again

Still Not Working?​

  • Try dictating at a different time of day to rule out network congestion
  • Contact support@talkwriter.ai with your internet speed and approximate delay time

FAQ​

How fast should dictation be? Typically, text appears within 1-2 seconds after you release Fn. With TalkTone enabled, add 1-2 more seconds for AI processing.

Does TalkWriter work offline? No. TalkWriter requires an internet connection for speech processing. Offline mode is not currently available.

Will faster internet always help? Beyond 10 Mbps upload, additional speed does not improve performance. The bottleneck at that point is server processing time, which is already very fast.