Why can I no longer dictate on my iPhone?

Dictation on your iPhone usually disappears because Enable Dictation got switched off, often after an iOS update, a language change, or a Screen Time restriction.

Go to Settings, General, Keyboard, and turn Enable Dictation back on. If the toggle is missing, check Screen Time under Content and Privacy Restrictions, where dictation can be blocked entirely.

If your iPhone still is not letting you dictate, confirm Siri and Dictation languages match your keyboard language, then restart. Storage matters too: on-device dictation needs the speech model downloaded, and a nearly full phone can silently drop it.

When Apple's dictation keeps vanishing, WriteVoice for iPhone gives you a mic that stays put in every app.