Q: Is anyone having problems with Dictation in Yosemite?

I fixed it by checking "Pause Secure Keyboard Entry" in my Webroot menu.

thanks!   that did it!

I have the same problem on my work computer using the internal microphone. Dictation starts and the microphone level moves but no beep and no text on the screen. I tried installing different languages - I installed UK English - and returning to US English but it did not work. I have tried to dictate into applications like Notes and Reminders, but nothing is working. I've also tried turning Enhanced Dictation on and off nut this does not help.I'm sort of stuck as I have tons of e-mails to send out.

I've been using an enhanced dictation since it came out on the Mac. One of the biggest complaints I have is that it frequently deletes the first word of every sentence and I have to go back and add it in. This occurs whether or not I pause after double tapping the function key to begin dictating.

Hi Chapman60, WHICH VERSION OF MS WORD FOR MAC DID U BUY?  I'm about to buy MS word for the sole purpose of using dictation, + want to get it right. THANKS IN ADVANCE FOR YR HELP!

Thank you so much daleharris541.

Your solution work for me!

Cheers,

Erojohn said: Just got off line with Apple support. My problem was similar as i could not use the dictation feature. Come to find out my problem was with the Webroot antivirus not allowing it. I had to go to the Webroot logo enter then Pause secure keyboard entry. Dictation back up and running well. Third party AV software causes lots of problems with Apples.

I have been trying to solve this dictation problem for some time and could not find a solution. I took it to the Geek Squad and they basically gave up. I have tried LOTS of people's suggestions and none of them worked. After I read this post and did as it said, my dictation problem was completely solved. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!!!!!

First my dictation has always worked fine until just recently. It was Stopped Workinhg ogten now. I ddid a restart and scan disc and it was workung again for a while. I read your solution and it did nothelp at all. I have tried using other solutions to. I use latest edition of Firefox brower, which I like buy it is a memory hog!

When you say it was always working well, maybe you can address this topic?

Any long-term users of voice dictation?

My mileage has varied, but I'm still optimistic. Also, you may be happy to know that I think the MS version is definitely much harder to set up, and so far doesn't work nearly as well, and I'm losing my optimism over there...

I was having issues with not just Dictation but also no FaceTime Audio and No audio when answering calls via my Mac.

In the Sound > Sound Input section of System Preferences, I confirmed that I indeed had the internal Microphone selected. (I also have an external Logitech mice that I use for screen casting) With the internal mic selected, I can tell that it picks up my voice as I see the meter match my speech, yet Dictation, Facetime audio and answering calls do not work. I called Apple and we were unable to find a solution.

What I just discovered is that under Dictation and Speech in System Preferences, the external mic was still selected. As soon as I selected the internal mic here, everything began to work as expected again.

This is my same problem too. Now when I activate dictation, the icon with the mike shows up, it detects my voice, but no text appears. No matter what I do, no text appears though the voice detection meter goes up and down as I speak. Using Yosemite enhanced dictation on 12" Macbook.

Here, there you go. The final solution!

• Locate and delete the file: ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.assistant.plist (Finder’s Go and press and hold Alt option).
• Then restart your Mac, turn off Dictation (Apple > System Preferences, click Dictation & Speech, and then click Dictation)
• Reboot your Mac a second time and try again.
• Enjoy!
  

Hallelujah! The spoken command "spacebar" allows you to insert a space when Apple dictation won't. Thank you! Why isn't this command on the dictation menu?

Thanks. Sounds like an interesting tip and I'm looking forward to trying it.

For what it is worth, I have still been trying to do quite a bit of dictation, and even getting better at using the special commands, but the process still reeks pretty badly. I think the main thing I want is a SIMPLE correction mode. Something like saying the world "correction" and then it will attempt to match the next few words as a corrected version of the previously dictated words right before I said "correction". Maybe with an option for a confirmation step showing what words it has decided to replace after an "okay" or "good correction" response.

Overall, after owning the Mac for many months, I can't feel like I'm getting full value out of it, and the main area for improvement would be better dictation.

The first thing that one should do when launching Dictation is to say, “Show Commands.” From this pop-up list of commands, one can become more adept at flow control of dictation and corrections. The opposite is “Hide Commands.” The commands menu will change depending on the application that is currently front most.

One can “Switch to LibreOffice,” and Dictation now works in LibreOffice v5.1.1.3. It may have worked in other recent releases, but just tried again after several months. You can even tell it to “Click Hightlight Color” and any selected text will get painted (in my case) vivid yellow.

Though the following link may be redundant to some, it may not be to others. Curiosly, “Spacebar” is not among the commands for adding additional spacing. Neither is “Scratch that,” or “Undo that,” and “Undo previous word,” which will remove what you just dictated, or everything, depending on context — so use wisely, and probably only with selected text.

Dictation commands you can use in OS X