Issues with voice control/dictation in Sonoma OS

I have exactly the same issues using a high spec 2020 MacBook Pro. I recently upgraded the OS and on Catalina it was quite bad, now it’s terrible. It bombs out after a few seconds. I have to keep re-pressing the function key that I have programmed for it. It Randomly pastes text from a previous part into the text or underneath it. There seems to be no rhyme or reason or consistency to what it does.

It stops working really quickly usually and when it does work for a couple of lines, it will suddenly rub half of it out for seemingly no reason. 

It’s rubbish.

Sort it out. It’s a disgrace in these days of AI accessible tools.

[Edited by Moderator]

I noticed your question and there's no other replies or answers this issue has been going on for a very long time in Sonoma is not helping it mine deletes what I just typed it won't turn off when you turn it off there's many others capitalizing it or put the same thing twice did you get an answer I wiped my Mac and reinstalled my stuff does the exact same thing so and there's a lot of people these issues it's not the computer and I don't think it's us and we have the same model and processing chip I'm just trying to get this I'm so tired of trying to fix it I just stop using my lapt the dictation quality that it gets from the iPhone when you speak is so bad I'm running out of options at this point there's so many glitches sometimes I'm I'd like to get a different kind of computer or different company and that's a shame because I stay with Apple long time because they're so reliable but the last couple years of just been to you just you spend more time fixing stuff and getting it to work right then you do getting to use it I'm sorry for the thing I'm just curious there's not many recent post about this

Hi - I have had the same/similar issue on my MacBook Air M1 chip running Sonoma 14.5 for a while. The usual fix is to restart, which is not ideal - but I have noticed that the issue has been more frequent over the last few weeks. In other words, the bug reappears more persistently after restarting.

It is a nuisance to have to restart every time it occurs. I use the microphone a lot to dictate into emails, Pages documents, Notes, WhatsApps etc., as it saves mistakes from my rather clumsy typing.

It is clearly a bug of some description, so I would urge all users affected in the same way to post a bug report using Apple Feedback (search online for Apple Feedback and you will find the right page). That way, the reports from multiple users will reach the engineers and maybe something will be done about it.

Hi, and welcome to the Apple (user-to-user) Community!

Re: Issues with voice control/dictation in Sonoma OS

Commiserations on the difficulties you are experiencing, and have shared here with the community .

Am no expert in this area, yet your post surely deserves some response.

Wondering if you have checked out the latest articles on using Voice Control in Sonoma: maybe they can help.

Eg: Use Voice Control commands to interact with your Mac - Apple Support

Customise Voice Control on Mac

Use a custom vocabulary with Voice Control on Mac

If Dictation on Mac doesn’t work as expected

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If you wish: You can also send feedback to Apple, to reach those who work behind-the-scenes at Apple.

They will likely not reply, yet your feedback will reach those who can make changes.

If others are also sending feedback, it may help provide an overview for the different Mac models.

Web-form: MacBook Pro feedback: Feedback - MacBook Pro - Apple /

Any other Macs: See Product Feedback - Apple

______________________________________________________________________

More support if needed: Apple's "Accessibility Support" Website : info / support / contact options etc:

(NB: You can "Get Support" from the link at the bottom of their website:)

Accessibility Support - Official Apple Support

All the best :-)

Hi DCMacfan

Welcome to the Apple (user-to-user) Community, and thank you or joining this discussion

Re: 2020 MacBook Pro : bombs out after a few seconds.

If your Mac is not working as expected, you can try re-starting it. (Apple Menu > Restart) and log back in.

(Deletes temporary files, re-establishes connections, may update recent setting changes, and often restores order when something is not working).

Also check you are not so short on memory / storage space that Mac has to struggle to carry out the tasks you give it to do. Eg: A Mac generally needs at least 8Gb free in order to operate smoothly.

Eg: See: System Settings > General > Storage

If you have any virus-checkers, cleaners and the like, VPN etc, installed try turning them off, or uninstall using the uninstallers available from their developers. Older non-Apple (third-party) software that is no longer compatible with the newer MacOS versions can also cause issues ... update, turn off, or uninstall.

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Re: Issues with voice control/dictation in Sonoma OS : I have exactly the same issues

There are links above to MacOS Sonoma articles that may help you regain control when using dictation. Try browsing them for Apple's latest updated methods. Eg: Seems there are now commands, like "dictation mode" "spelling mode" and "command mode" to use in order to obtain correct results ... if you are not already using them, the finer points are given in the above articles.

Eg: "Spelling mode" is helpful when you need to enter a password, a web address or another sequence of characters that wouldn’t be recognised as a word in Dictation mode

"Command mode" is helpful when you need to say a series of commands and don’t want them inadvertently entered in a text input area.

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Re: Sort it out.

We are all Apple users, like yourself, in this community. No-one here can make changes to Apple's software. (Am no expert in this area; some of us are volunteering our time and suggestions in order to assist each other with answers to questions or suggestions to help solve issues.)

You can send feedback to Apple, (eg: using the link given earlier in this discussion), if you want to see changes to Macs, devices, or software. They will likely not reply, yet your feedback will be read by those. who can make changes if others are also requesting them.

If more help / info / support is needed:

Links for help with Accessibity features by Apple's Accessibility Team, are given at the top

All the best :-)

Hi

I am having iMac Intel i9 27 inch and iMac M1 24 inch 

Voice control dictation stops working after sometime , most of the time command works. Dictation start working after turning it off and then on.

I am facing since this issue since last eight months I had upgraded MAC to all the latest Versions including Mac OS Sequoia

The problem was escalated to Apple at the highest level multiple times. Several tickets were also raised

I got the response obefore three months. The problem was demonstrated online to APPLE and and the screen recordings were also sent subsequently

However Apple he is not resolved the problem so far

I had a 'phone session with a senior tech support person last week about this very problem, he said that his level of customer technical support is the last line before it goes to the engineers.

He said the engineers are aware of it - but I don't understand why they haven't fixed it.

I am going to monitor the problem and report back to him if/when it reoccurs and he will then submit any test results undertaken directly to the engineers.

In the mean time, if you can get hold of a senior technical customer support person, please report this to them - and also leave a 'bug' report on Apple's Product Feedback page.

In response to my escalation to the accessibility team for the following issue 

“Voice control dictation stops working after sometime , most of the time command works. Dictation start working after turning it off and then on”

They reported that the engineering team is aware and working, but they are working since last six months on the same issue, this is ridiculous !!

Leave a bug report on the Apple Feedback page. Also call Apple (there is normally a freephone number in most countries) and try to speak with a Senior Tech Support adviser - they are often in a position to escalate to the engineers.

The more people that take the above two steps, the more likely it is that Apple will prioritise fixing this.

I've had a lot of difficulty with dictation in cinema 14.5.1 with my macOS. So in desperation –

So in desperation I listened to all of the advice and went into repair and then following that I reinserted Sonoma. Now, most of the time things have been significantly improved and I have tried many aspects before this. Don't know if this helps but it does help me.

Tony Murray

Hi Danovf14. Thank you joining the discussion.

Re: "mine deletes what I just typed

it won't turn off when you turn it off

there's many others capitalizing it or put the same thing twice"

As well the links provided to help and support given above: you may also want to send feedback:

To provide feedback about an accessibility feature on an Apple product, email the Accessibility team: accessibility@apple.com.

Tony: Mine started in mid dictation last night, I have rebooted 3 times and it doesn't work. You mention "went into repair and then following that I reinserted Sonoma."

Can you explain the process, or point me to where that information is.

Thanks

John Wilson

Greetings John, I must say first of all I am not an expert, far from it so treat my advice with caution and I am still having some interruptions, but it's much better than it was.

In Mac iOS Somama 15.5

Shut down your computer

Restart and immediately press command R, keep pressing for two or three minutes.

Then on your screen click restart

Enter your password for your computer

Then click on disk utility

Then on this page run first-aid on both Mac HD and macOS base system.

Click red button on the top left

Reinstall macOS Sonoma

Then your computer should restart itself but it takes quite a long time it took me 1 3/4 hours but it says it could take far longer than that

Then I had a much improved dictation, but it's not yet perfect

Just to repeat I am not particularly tackie but it just worked for me. Take care.

Tony

I agree, this is quite shocking And has been reported to cup Apple by several people and nothing happens. I’m having awful problems with this. I’m in all Apple person but I think we need more support with this as so many people are having severe problems.

Am no expert with Voice Control, yet as technology keeps improving, the changes may take some effort to keep up with. Seems the latest features work as they are set up to do. Apple support's articles seem to keep up with chelatest features.

Here are a couple of the videos online which give a good demonstration:

This one is from Apple:.

https://www.iaccessibility.com/videos/apple-support/index.cgi/video?ID=326

This one is a third=party (non-Apple) video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0YZ6mEb-vJs