Turn on your microphone for dictation

Dictation turns your voice into text on notes, scope descriptions, work orders, and estimates. It needs microphone access from your browser to work. If you see a message that your mic is blocked, missing, or busy, use the steps below for your browser or device.

Dictation is never required. Every field it appears on can be typed instead, so nothing blocks your work while you sort out mic access.

What the blocked-mic message looks like

When the browser has denied microphone access, the dictation field shows a message with a Try again button. For the "blocked" case there's also a Show me how button that opens step-by-step instructions for your browser, right there in the app. This page covers the same steps in more detail, browser by browser, for when the in-app version isn't enough.

Chrome (desktop)

1. Look at the left edge of the address bar, right before the web address. You'll see either a padlock icon or a sliders icon.
2. Click it, then find Microphone in the list that appears.
3. Set it to Allow.
4. Come back to the app and click Try again.

If Chrome never asked for permission in the first place, it may have blocked the site by default. Go to chrome://settings/content/microphone, and under Not allowed to use your microphone, remove this site from the list.

Edge (desktop)

Edge uses the same permission model as Chrome. Click the padlock or sliders icon at the left of the address bar, set Microphone to Allow, then click Try again.

Safari (Mac)

1. Click the AA button at the left of the address bar (or the padlock icon on older macOS versions).
2. Choose Website Settings.
3. Set Microphone to Allow.
4. Click Try again.

If the option isn't there, open Safari's main menu, go to Settings → Websites → Microphone, find this site in the list, and set it to Allow.

Firefox (desktop)

1. Click the padlock icon at the left of the address bar.
2. Under Permissions, find Microphone and clear the blocked state (the crossed-out mic icon).
3. Reload the page if Firefox asks you to, then click Try again.

iPhone and iPad

The exact path depends on which app you're using:

• Safari: open the Settings app, tap Safari (on newer iOS versions, tap Apps first, then Safari), scroll to Settings for Websites, tap Microphone, and choose Allow. Safari should also ask you directly the next time you try to dictate.
• Chrome, Edge, or any other browser app: open Settings → Privacy & Security → Microphone, and turn on the toggle for that app.

Then return to the app and tap Try again.

Android

Chrome and most Android browsers ask for microphone access the first time a page needs it. If you tapped Block by mistake, or the site was blocked earlier:

1. Tap the padlock (or the "i" icon) to the left of the address bar.
2. Tap Permissions.
3. Set Microphone to Allow.
4. Tap Try again.

If it's still blocked, check your phone's system settings: Settings → Apps → [your browser] → Permissions → Microphone, and make sure it's allowed.

No microphone on the device

Some laptops, desktops, and kiosks don't have a built-in microphone, and some browsers report a plugged-in headset as unavailable if it's disconnected or muted at the OS level. If dictation says no microphone was found:

• Check that a headset or external mic is plugged in and not muted.
• Try a different input device if you have one.
• Otherwise, type the field instead. Every dictation field on this app works exactly the same whether you speak it or type it.

Microphone in use by another app

Only one app can use the microphone at a time on most devices. If dictation says the mic is busy, close whatever else has it open, usually a video call or another browser tab that's also listening. Then click Try again.

Still stuck?

If you've allowed the permission and dictation still won't start, reload the page once (a permission change sometimes needs a fresh page load to take effect). If that doesn't help, reach out to your team through the feedback button, and mention which browser and device you're on.