Dictation accuracy much worse on iPhone 18 Pro (iOS 27.2) - misunderstood on a word or two in most dictations

I have an iPhone 18 Pro on iOS 27.2 and dictation accuracy is significantly worse than on my iPhone 14 and than before iOS 27:


1. I am misunderstood on a word or two in the majority of dictations I complete, and have to correct them. My accuracy was much higher on my iPhone 14. I am a native English speaker and I talk for a living (sales), so this is not an accent issue.

2. Dictation inserts punctuation very aggressively, and there is no Auto-Punctuation toggle in Settings > General > Keyboard. Is there any setting that controls this? Smart Punctuation does not seem to affect it.

3. Roughly 1 time in 4, when I tap the microphone button to stop dictation, it appends a word I did not say - usually "yes" or "yeah" - to the end of the text.


I have already reported these to Apple through iPhone Feedback (September and October). Has anyone found a setting or workaround for any of these, especially the accuracy drop, the missing Auto-Punctuation control, and the extra word when stopping dictation?

iPhone 18 Pro, iOS 27

Posted on Oct 28, 2026 1:55 PM

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4 replies

Oct 28, 2026 11:28 PM in response to kevl888

For example: 


If your iPhone dictation consistently types "Kruse" instead of "cruise," here's how you can correct it:

  1. Train the Dictation System
    1. Use dictation in a text field (like Messages or Notes) and say "cruise."
    2. When it types "Kruse," manually edit it to "cruise."
    3. Repeat this a few times. Over time, the dictation system may learn your preference.
  2. Retrain Siri with your voice. Go to Settings > Siri (or Apple Intelligence & Siri). Tap Talk to Siri, then tap Off. Turn on “Siri” or “Hey Siri” again, then ...Change Siri settings on iPhone
  3. Add a Text Replacement
    1. Go to Settings > General > Keyboard > Text Replacement.
    2. Tap the + button to add a new replacement.
    3. In the Phrase field, type "cruise."
    4. In the Shortcut field, type "Kruse."
    5. Now, whenever "Kruse" is mistakenly typed, it will autocorrect to "cruise."
  4. Check Contact Names
    1. If "Kruse" is a contact in your address book, the system might prioritize it.
    2. Go to Contacts and check for any entries named "Kruse." If it's not needed, consider editing or removing it.
  5. Reset Keyboard Dictionary
    1. If the problem persists, resetting the keyboard dictionary can help:
    2. Go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Reset > Reset Keyboard Dictionary.
    3. Confirm the reset. Note that this will erase all custom words learned by the keyboard.
  6. Enable Siri Pronunciation Feedback
  7. If "Kruse" is related to Siri misunderstanding you, you can provide feedback:
      1. Ask Siri, "Who is Kruse?"
      2. If Siri shows the incorrect suggestion, say, "That's not how you pronounce 'cruise.'"
  8. Follow the prompts to correct the pronunciation.


Oct 28, 2026 11:28 PM in response to kevl888

Choose the correct language where the name is used correclty.


Add a keyboard of the desired language and if the language is supported for dictation then dictation language is automatically added under Settings > General > > Keyboard > Dictation Language


There isn't a strict language division between "Charli" and "Charlie." Both spellings are primarily used in English.


  • Charlie: This is the more common spelling, traditionally used as a masculine name or a nickname for Charles.However, it's becoming increasingly popular as a unisex name.
  • Charli: This is a less common variation, often seen as a more feminine or creative spelling of "Charlie." It can also be a nickname for Charlotte or Charlene.


While some sources suggest a German origin for "Charli," it's not widely recognized and both spellings are considered part of the English language.



Oct 30, 2026 3:05 PM in response to SravanKrA

Appreciate the tips btw. I'll give the Siri retraining a shot, but tbh this goes way beyond a Kruse vs cruise type of problem.


1. I just dictated a text a few minutes ago. I said "No, I'd never do that" and it came out as ", I'd never do that", the No was just gone. Tried it again, way slower and super clear, same result. A whole word I said just got omitted.


2. I get "a" and "the" swapped all the time too.


There are many other words I dictate that come out completely wrong (totally different words). I haven't been saving examples up to now, but I'm gonna start doing that, in case it helps Apple pin this down quicker.

Dictation accuracy much worse on iPhone 18 Pro (iOS 27.2) - misunderstood on a word or two in most dictations

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