Speech to Text and Text to Speech on iPhone: The Built-In Ways
Your iPhone can type what you say and read text back to you, both built in and free. Here's how to turn on Dictation, Speak Selection and Speak Screen, plus the commands worth knowing.
For speech to text on iPhone, go to Settings > General > Keyboard, turn on Enable Dictation, then tap the microphone on the keyboard and talk. For text to speech, go to Settings > Accessibility > Read & Speak and turn on Speak Selection or Speak Screen. Both are free and built in (Apple Support).
Below are the full steps for each direction, the dictation commands that save the most editing, and when an app is worth adding.
How do I turn on speech to text on iPhone?
Open Settings, tap General, tap Keyboard, and turn on Enable Dictation. After that, a microphone appears on the keyboard in any app where you can type.
Then, per Apple's guide:
- Tap in a text field where you want the words to go.
- Tap the microphone on the keyboard.
- Start talking when the microphone icon appears near the cursor.
- To stop, tap the microphone, say "Stop dictation," or stay silent for 30 seconds.
Apple says you can dictate text anywhere you can type it, and the keyboard stays open so you can switch between typing and talking mid-sentence.
Does iPhone dictation work offline?
Often, yes. Apple says Dictation is processed on your iPhone in many languages and no internet connection is required, with one exception: text you dictate into a search field may be sent to the search engine (source).
Apple also notes Dictation may not be available in all languages, countries or regions.
What can I say while dictating?
Punctuation, line breaks, spelling and edits. Apple's examples include saying "exclamation point," "new line" or "new paragraph," spelling a word letter by letter, "select" or "delete" followed by a phrase, and "undo" (Apple).
In supported languages, Dictation adds commas, periods and question marks automatically. If you'd rather control punctuation yourself, turn off Auto-Punctuation in Settings > General > Keyboard.
How do I make my iPhone read text out loud?
Go to Settings > Accessibility > Read & Speak. Turn on Speak Selection to hear text you highlight, or Speak Screen to hear everything on the screen (Apple Support).
Then:
- Speak Selection: select some text and tap Speak.
- Speak Screen: swipe down with two fingers from the top of the screen, or ask Siri to "Speak screen." Controls appear for pausing, changing the speaking rate, and moving forward or back.
You can change the voice, default language and speaking rate in the same Read & Speak settings, and add custom pronunciations for words it gets wrong.
Which built-in option should I use?
It depends on whether you're putting words in or getting them out. Here's the quick version:
| I want to... | Use | Where to turn it on |
|---|---|---|
| Type by talking | Dictation | Settings > General > Keyboard > Enable Dictation |
| Hear text I've selected | Speak Selection | Settings > Accessibility > Read & Speak |
| Hear a whole page or article | Speak Screen | Settings > Accessibility > Read & Speak |
| Read in a cleaner full-screen view | Accessibility Reader | Settings > Accessibility > Read & Speak |
Apple describes Accessibility Reader as a full-screen view for reading or listening to text, with options for fonts, layouts and background colors (source).
When is a dictation app worth it?
When you dictate a lot and want extras the built-in keyboard doesn't have, like polished rewrites, text shortcuts or meeting notes. That's why we built DictaWiz, a voice keyboard that works in any app.
DictaWiz runs speech recognition and AI on the iPhone itself and works offline, with 99+ languages on its comprehensive engine. It adds one-tap rewrites (Proofread, Professional, Concise, Friendly), voice-triggered text shortcuts, and meeting transcription with speaker identification. It's free to start, with Pro at $4.99/month, $49.99/year or $89.99 lifetime. If you're comparing dictation apps more broadly, see our best dictation app for iPhone roundup.
How do I have long documents read to me on iPhone?
Speak Screen works page by page, which is fine for an article but slow for a 40-page PDF. For long documents, open Free Voice Reader in Safari, upload the PDF, Word file or EPUB, pick a voice and press play.
There's no account needed, and the free voices cover dozens of languages. Our guides on reading a PDF out loud and turning an EPUB into an audiobook walk through it.
Frequently asked questions
Is iPhone speech to text free?
Yes. Dictation is built into iOS at no cost.
Why is there no microphone on my iPhone keyboard?
Dictation is probably turned off. Go to Settings > General > Keyboard and turn on Enable Dictation.
How do I make my iPhone read a web page?
Turn on Speak Screen in Settings > Accessibility > Read & Speak, open the page, and swipe down with two fingers from the top of the screen.
Can I change the voice my iPhone uses to read?
Yes. In Settings > Accessibility > Read & Speak, choose a voice and dialect, set the default language, and adjust the speaking rate.
Want natural voices for something longer? Paste or upload it here and press play.
Transparency Notice: This article was written by AI, reviewed by humans. We fact-check all content for accuracy and ensure it provides genuine value to our readers.