iPhone Tips for Seniors: How to Use Dictation

[@pattismithurs9023]

Thanks very much. I'm another senior who hates teensy weensy keyboards. I have been using Siri (British male!) to do my messages, and so far I've been very impressed...he spelled correctly and even capitalized "Makita" for me the other day.. but will definitely use this for emails!

[@barbaraorr953]

I use dictation quite often when texting. A word of caution... make sure to PROOF READ! Sometimes what you say and what gets typed are not even close. Thanks for the tips on using the dictation feature for calendar and notes. Good video!

[@RichBowlin]

Great point. Dictation is not perfect. Different dialects and accents can cause problems. But it's way better than it used to be. I hope everyone sees your post. I should have said this in the video. Thanks!

[@swimfit57]

I love the dictation feature. In fact, I’m doing it right now and I’m on my iPad which is a lot easier to type on and I liked the commercial about the cable and we have to go looking for that. Thanks again Steve.

[@RichBowlin]

You're Welcome!

[@ben.knapp9]

Hey Rich. I noticed that sometimes you struggle to open the Notification Center/lock screen while your phone is unlocked. You seem to be swiping down from the bottom middle, which means the Dynamic Island interrupts your swipe. Try swiping down from the top left rather than the top middle, and see if that works better for you 😁

[@RichBowlin]

Thanks for sharing!

[@ralphmarrone3130]

Hi Rich, As a fellow senior. I find your videos very helpful. I’m using dictation now to enter this response. Thanks so much this is great!

[@RichBowlin]

Perfect! Thanks so much for watching!

[@mebythesea5]

This is great! Thanks so much for this and for taking it slow. It’s easy to keep up with what you are saying and demonstrating. Best senior site ever! 😊

[@RichBowlin]

You are so welcome!

[@Teresa-K]

Hi Rich! Dictation makes adding messages/notes/ reminders in an efficient manner. I’ll have to use it a lot more. Thanks for the video to remind me to use the microphone for dictation. Kindness, Teresa

[@RichBowlin]

Hi Teresa! Hope you're doing well. I've decided I'm going to start using dictation more too. I'd gotten so used to typing stuff that I keep forgetting this option is available. Now that I've made this video I hope maybe I'll remember!

[@Jimwilloz]

Thanks. At 80, I am finally feeling benefits of owning an Ipad and Iphone due to your videos. Thanks for being so patient with us more mature types. Attempting to inventory my entire house using the Ipad. Slow going. Have you had experience with home inventory apps? If so, maybe your next project could focus on apps to inventory homes for us over the folks needing to pass down our STUFF. Appreciate you. JW

[@leosigman7239]

Yes, dictation is good and getting better. But when it gets creative, it is very difficult to figure out what I had originally said and correct it to that. I do need to practice dictation more, because my iPad does not work as well with an external keyboard as it does with the on screen keyboard. I have read a number of comments about that which are independent of which external keyboard is being used. when I say it doesn’t work as well, I mean that everything is slower and screen displays are sometimes a little weird. I think I have learned from your video that I cannot use natural speech in dictation. I have to speak more slowly, and one word at a time, not in a normal speech pattern, even though I have been complimented on my enunciation. I guess this may still be better than typing. We shall see. Thank you very much for this very useful video.

[@dalecaldwell8382]

Just so you know on my iPad to get a link to copy, I have to go to the share icon first. Also, on the ipad the microphone symbol is on the popup keyboard. Love your videos; recommend them to all my senior friends. Warmest Regards

[@RichBowlin]

Thanks for that!

[@hanserikkratholmrasmussen6623]

Thank you for the informative vids. I will start using dictations more. It's really just a matter of laying aside your "fears" and start doing it. 😊

[@RichBowlin]

It is. Strange how being so concerned with what's showing up in dictation inhibits using this great tool.

[@HistoryNut-1701]

It is built into the iPad also but is more useful on the phone. Also, bear in mind that if you use third-party keyboards and have the extensions plugged in, they will change the way Voice Dictation works. I use Grammarly, and I have to deal with this. The built-in IOS/iPadOS voice dictation is processed right on your device, but 3rd party keyboards that also use dictation will override the native protocol and run dictation through the internet to a cloud processor. This makes dication using 3rd party keyboards spotty and even sketchy if you are using something that is not reputable like Grammerly, for example. I often find it necessary to switch my keyboard using the Gl;obe icon over to the native iOS Keyboard to use dictation, then switch back to Grammerly to check my text for errors.

[@RichBowlin]

All good points. The way you use dictation is a lot more sophisticated than the way most people use it. However, I'm glad you made this comment for others to see. I'm getting ready to jump on the Grammerly bandwagon too!

[@brianbrino4310]

Excellent videos by you Rich and so useful to all of us!

[@RichBowlin]

Glad you think so!

[@carolj561]

I found your video on YT. Thank God. I lost my microphone on the bottom right hand side on my iPhone. Can you please help me to get it back so I can talk text for dictation. Thank you.

[@avimango46]

Perhaps for the first time I could perform on my phone while listening what you said ❤

[@RichBowlin]

Well that worked out pretty good. Glad the video was helpful.

[@katheringardening7093]

Thanks for sharing great information

[@RichBowlin]

Glad it was helpful!

[@russellpeters21]

Do you know how to turn off the annoying beeping?

[@skipferguson3421]

Thanks for another useful and easy follow video. I only wish iPhone would provide a way to dictate the time and date when setting a calendar appointment. BTW I ordered an X-cool cable- a great idea.

[@RichBowlin]

Thanks so much for watching. And yes, that xCool cable is great!

[@marymaryquitecontrary]

When speaking the title for an appointment, tack on time (for example, "Lunch with Tom 12pm to 2pm"). Calendar will/should set Time and drop that phrase from the title.

[@skipferguson3421]

@@marymaryquitecontrarydarn, I tried it but it wouldn't work for me :(

[@chaldon2viewJ84M]

Thanks. Will try that. Have a great weekend👍

[@RichBowlin]

Thanks, you too!

[@mikldude9376]

Thanks for the tips mate , i have big clumsy hands , and i hate typing.

[@RichBowlin]

Well, me too. I guess I don't "hate" typing...but it can be a pain. When I remember I can just dictate, things go much faster. Thanks so much for watching!

[@rickyraymond7601]

Another great Video. Thanks!!

[@RichBowlin]

My pleasure!

[@debasishroy7320]

Today I will start doing today

[@missann0906]

Can you also use Siri to dictate?

[@RichBowlin]

There are ways to use Siri to dictate. But I run into problems when I try to dictate using Siri. So I just tap the little microphone button and go from there.

[@gatocat3336]

Wouldn’t it be nice if this is how it worked in practice. I use dictation on my iPad which is great for everything else but not dictation. My virtual secretary is as deaf as a post. The only thing I dare use it for is my own notes. For example, if I said “For my supper I had cheese on toast with spinach “, what would come up would probably be “For my chopper I had chess on text in Spain”. I can’t be the only person with this problem, so if you have a solution I would be eternally grateful.

[@marymaryquitecontrary]

Enunciation is everything!

[@chetjohnson3335]

Maybe summarize a few more of the recognized action words include New Line, New Paragraph, Semicolon, Exclamation point. Thanks for another informative tutorial

[@gatocat3336]

@@marymaryquitecontrary I have never been accused of mumbling. I have often been asked to give out notices. Everyone else can hear what I say. Just not my virtual secretary.

[@gatocat3336]

When I complained that my dictation is full of mistakes, someone explained that enunciation is important. I agree. I tried pronouncing everything slowly and emphatically and there was a big improvement. Not big enough, however, in my opinion. No boss ever had to dictate to his secretary in such a laboured manner. Also when I used the words “Sikh Temple”, the words “Seek Temple” came up instead. What kind of robot is listening to our dictation?

[@paulditzen2708]

The one problem with your video on dictation was that under appointments you didn't address the whole issue of setting the date and time.

[@RichBowlin]

Should have done that. I hate it when I miss such an obvious thing. I'll do better next time.

[@nthused]

If found when I’ve accidentally clicked on the dictation in whatever app I’ve open, the phone will write everything said in the room…so GREAT for short meetings - but be careful with it! Lol!

[@RichBowlin]

Yes!

[@Figment0908]

How about “hey Siri, make a note” then dictate the note. Same for reminders, and texting. Hey Siri “text Mark” then dictate

[@RichBowlin]

That works when Siri works. And it's faster and easier too. But I've had a devil of a time with Siri properly responding so I decided to show the little mic icon instead. Still, I hope others see your comment so they can try a different way. Thanks so much for watching!

[@mackellar829]

$eriou$ly? We are forced to watch video ads before viewing your tutorial and now we're suffering through a 'sponsor' message too? AND NOT EVEN A DISCOUNT CODE? I'm DONE with you Rich. Good luck.

[@RichBowlin]

Sorry this wasn’t for you. You might have missed it but there is a discount code in the description. I’ve made well over 100 videos with only a handful being sponsored. There’s so much work and effort that goes into each video I make and there are real costs involved. It’s nice to get paid a little extra every now and then.