Before installing the new update dictation was working fine. Now not at all. I checked the settings and all is correct for dictation.
Any suggestions?
MacBook Air 13″, macOS 14.7
My customers have been running into this also. While I will admit that I don't have a clear reason why, we seem to have figured a work around. Try following these steps:
1: Go into System Settings > Keyboard and disable Dictation. Slide the slider to the left.
2: Reboot the Mac
3: After the reboot, go to an app that you want to dictate to. I commonly have users use something simple like TextEdit or Messages.
4: Press the F5 key (if you have a keyboard with the microphone icon on it) or hit the Fn key twice (if you have a Touch Bar) to trigger Dictation. You should see this window:
5: Press OK which should prompt for:
6: Press Enable.
This process appears to be working to get Dictation running again. We've seen this across a wide variety of devices, users, and customers. Again, not 100% sure of the cause but I suspect a Transparency, Consent, and Control (TCC) setting change happened in 14.7. Can't prove it. Just suspect it.
Hope this works for you.
Dear Enver, I have tried every combination one can think of, including "Force Quit Messages, and relaunch". It DOES NOT WORK. I appreciate your attempts to offer help, but please stop offering ineffective advice. DOES NOT WORK.
I just received the following email from Apple. Not exactly what I would call encouraging.
"I am C___ and I am a co-worker of S___.
I am letting you know that the engineers have the required information.
Once they have next steps I will follow up with you.
Thank you for your patience and understanding."
I discovered the same thing using an inexpensive, wired, external microphone connected directly to the MacBook. In fact, I am dictating this right now.
I believe this is the fifth or six time in a row when Apple has failed to find resolve a problem and I had to either fix it on my own or through these forms. Power to the people!!
Hi everyone here and THANK YOU!! okclem & curveball99 for your solution.
The last month has been an absolute nightmare! Finally, thanks to you, not Apple I have a solution. I can't tell you how appreciative I am.
In addition to having suffered physically with extreme pain the last month through not being able to dictate, Apple also locked me out of this chat! Maybe they were fed up of me complaining! Finally, after what seems like a week, I've been let back in. Overjoyed at what I found! Using my AirPods connected to my computer to dictate this. Literally life changing
It has now been eight days since I've heard from anyone at Apple. Early in this process, I would hear from my senior advisor almost daily. Since I have limited experience dealing with Mac iOS issues and Apple's Engineering department, some questions come to mind:
1. Is it normal for Apple to go silent like this for several days?
2. Should I assume that Apple will eventually get back to me?
3. What is the likelihood that Apple will find a solution to this problem?
"after I updated my MacBook Air to Sequoia" Hmmmm. THIS is EXACTLY what had me concerned from the VERY beginning. Is Apple intentionally dragging their feet, or avoiding a solution altogether, thus forcing customers (like myself) to buy new that are unable to "upgrade" to Sequoia on my current 2018 MacBook Air? A company could sell lots of new laptops by creating dysfunctional older versions
So, now it's been about three weeks since I've heard from anyone at Apple. The last correspondence was just to tell me that "engineering has all the necessary information and we will get back to you". Right.
I'm getting the feeling that Apple intends to ignore this problem. I hope I am wrong. I still want to like this company since Steve Jobs passed away, but Apple is making this difficult.
Out of curiosity, I decided to stop by an Apple retail store and an apparently competent young man suggested I upgrade to Sequoia. I responded that Apple states Sequoia is not compatible with the MacBook Air prior to 2020 to which he disagreed. Hmmm. Am I starting to sense some classic big company 'silo-ism' here?
What do you smart people think of his suggestion? Should I risk upgrading to Sequoia? What could go wrong?
Well, everyone, I have some disappointing news to report. After waiting over a month, I finally heard back from my senior advisor who, after corresponding with Apple engineering, informed me yesterday that Apple does NOT plan any fix or software update to resolve the dictation issue we are all experiencing.
Question: has anyone tried any third-party dictation app that they are particularly fond of as a back-up resolution?
I am surprised that the facility is not working 100 %, and they have released an update with it not working.
I understand that is why we have updates but you expect the basic features to be tested it's been a long time now.
I've got a disability and I really struggle without this facility not working 100%
Possibly we'll get a Christmas surprise :)
I was wondering if the updates solved this issue. From your reply it seems not. I have avoided installing any updates as I don't want to lose the dictation ability I have using my airpods. I feel that will be the next thing to go and as I have limited movement in my one shoulder typing everything is not an option.
I am also having this issue. Have tried turning dictation of, restarting and turning on again but dictation will just flash on and off and won’t stay on. Desperately would love a fix for this!
Hi Enver,
Thanks for your replies. Unfortunately these don't work either.
That is exactly the issue I am facing. It is infuriating!
Really hope @apple resolves this ASAP
I have just tried emailing accessibility@apple.com to report the apparent problem with Sonoma 14.7.
Thank you! Let's hope that persuades them to take this issue seriously!
Dictation not working after installing Sonoma 14.7
