How do I get the microphone back on my keyboard for texting Android?

What the Microphone Icon Does

The microphone icon on the Android keyboard allows users to use voice input instead of typing when texting or typing in other apps. When the microphone icon is present, tapping on it activates Google’s speech recognition to convert speech into text. This can be useful for quickly entering text without having to type it out manually.

According to Google Support, “On your Android phone or tablet, open the document or message with the word you want to change. Touch and hold the word. At the top of your keyboard, tap the microphone icon. Speak the text you want to add or say ‘delete’ to remove the word.”

So in summary, the microphone icon is a shortcut to turn on speech-to-text conversion within the Android keyboard. It allows dictating text instead of typing, which can save time and effort.

Why the Microphone Disappears

There are a few common reasons the microphone icon may disappear from your Android keyboard:

An app or keyboard update may remove the microphone feature. For example, some Android 12 updates for Pixel phones inadvertently removed the microphone from the Gboard keyboard (1). Updating the app or keyboard could potentially restore the missing microphone.

Your system settings may have changed the default keyboard app, switching you to one without an enabled microphone. You can go into your device’s keyboard settings to change it back or select a different keyboard app that has the microphone enabled (2).

Physical damage or a software glitch could also cause the microphone icon to disappear. In some cases, restarting the device or resetting app preferences may resolve a glitch that is preventing the microphone from being displayed.

Sources:

(1) https://support.google.com/pixelphone/thread/171354828/microphone-missing-from-keyboard-how-do-i-get-it-back?hl=en

(2) https://www.nextpit.com/forum/638406/microphone-suddenly-gone-from-my-keyboard

Enabling Microphone in Keyboard Settings

One of the most common reasons the microphone icon disappears from your Android keyboard is that it has been disabled in the keyboard settings. To re-enable it:

Open your device’s Settings app and select “System” then “Languages & input.” Tap on “Virtual keyboard” and select “Gboard.” In Gboard’s settings, look for the “Voice typing” option and make sure “Use voice typing” is enabled. You may also need to enable permissions for the microphone here.

If you’re using a different keyboard app, the steps may vary slightly but generally you will want to open the keyboard’s settings and look for a “Voice input” or similar option to enable the microphone.

According to Google’s Gboard help documentation, you may need to check app permissions as well to allow Gboard to access the microphone (source). So if the microphone option is missing in your keyboard settings, double check that the keyboard app has microphone permissions enabled.

Switching to a Different Keyboard

If the microphone icon is missing from your current keyboard app, one solution is to try switching to a different keyboard that has microphone capabilities enabled. There are many keyboard apps available for Android that support voice input.

Some of the most popular Android keyboard apps with built-in microphone functions include Gboard, SwiftKey, and Fleksy. These keyboards all allow you to tap a microphone icon to dictate text instead of typing.

To change your keyboard app, go to Settings > System > Languages & input > Virtual keyboard. Tap Manage keyboards and enable the keyboard app you want to use. Then select it as your active keyboard. Open any app where you normally enter text to start using the new keyboard.

Testing out an alternate keyboard app with microphone enabled is a quick troubleshooting step that may restore your ability to dictate text using your voice.

Checking App Permissions

One possible reason the microphone icon is missing from your keyboard is that you have not granted the keyboard app permission to access the microphone. Apps on Android need explicit permission to use certain features like the camera or microphone. If you haven’t enabled the microphone permission, the microphone icon will disappear from the keyboard.

To fix this, open your phone’s Settings app and go to Apps or Application Manager. Find the keyboard app in the list (e.g. Gboard) and select Permissions. Make sure the Microphone permission is enabled. You may need to toggle it on. This grants the keyboard access to the microphone so the microphone icon should reappear.

Additionally, check the permissions for the app you are typing in, such as WhatsApp or Messages. Enable Microphone access in the permissions for those apps as well. Without microphone access, the keyboard’s voice typing feature will not work properly in that app.

As per this Google support thread, enabling microphone permission is required to get voice typing working again if the microphone icon disappears.

Updating the App or Keyboard

One solution that may restore the missing microphone icon is to update your keyboard app or software to the latest version. Over time, updates and bug fixes are released that can resolve problems like this. According to a Lenovo forum post, updating the keyboard input method and language settings resolved the issue for some users.

To update your keyboard app:

Open the Play Store app
Tap the hamburger menu in the top left corner
Select “My Apps & Games”

Check if any updates are available for your keyboard app and install if so

You can also go into your phone’s Settings app, select System > Languages & input > Virtual keyboard, and check if any updates are available for your keyboard. Installing the latest keyboard version may restore the missing microphone icon.

If updating your keyboard app doesn’t work, you can also try switching to a different keyboard app altogether as covered in the next section.

Restarting Your Device

Sometimes the microphone disappearing from your keyboard is just a temporary glitch that can be fixed by restarting your Android device. A quick restart clears out any software issues that may be preventing the microphone icon from loading properly in your keyboard app. It essentially gives your device a fresh start, reloading all the apps and services.

To restart an Android phone or tablet, hold down the power button for a few seconds until the power off prompt appears. Tap “Restart” and let your device complete the process. Once it has fully restarted, open your keyboard app again to see if the microphone icon has returned. The simple restart takes little time but often resolves minor software glitches.

If restarting your Android device doesn’t bring back the microphone icon, you may need to try other troubleshooting steps like updating apps, adjusting permissions, or resetting app preferences. But a quick restart is one of the easiest first steps to try.

Checking for Damage

One potential cause of the microphone disappearing is physical damage to the hardware. If your phone was dropped, got wet, or was otherwise mishandled, the internal microphone could be broken. This would disable voice input across the device.

Inspect your phone closely to check for any signs of external damage near the microphone pinhole. Look for cracks, dents, scratches, or other issues on the phone body. Water damage inside the device can also cause the microphone to malfunction.

Try using a magnifying glass to get a close look at the microphone opening and make sure there is no debris, dust, or other blockages inside. Carefully use a toothpick to clear out any noticeable obstructions if present.

As a test, try recording a voice memo and playing it back to hear if the microphone is picking up any input at all. If the recordings are completely blank, it’s likely a hardware issue.

If you determine the microphone itself is damaged or unresponsive, you will likely need to take the phone to a repair shop to replace the microphone module. Some common replacement parts cost $10-25 plus labor. This should restore microphone and voice input functionality.

To avoid issues in the future, always handle your phone with care and keep it away from moisture to prevent internal hardware damage.

Resetting App Preferences

One solution that may restore the microphone icon is to reset the app preferences for your keyboard app back to default settings. This clears any customized options and restores the app to its original state after installation.

To reset app preferences on Android:

Go to Settings > Apps & notifications > See all apps

Find your keyboard app and tap on it
Tap Storage & cache > Clear storage > OK to confirm

Clearing the app data and cache will reset any customized settings, which may include turning the microphone icon back on if it had been previously disabled. After resetting, reopen your keyboard app and see if the microphone has returned on the main interface.

Resetting app data is a simple troubleshooting step to restore keyboard defaults before trying more invasive options like factory resetting your device. However, any customizations to the app will be lost in the process.

Source: https://thedroidguy.com/reset-android-keyboard-1229863

Factory Resetting Your Device

As a last resort, you can try factory resetting your Android device to restore the microphone icon and functionality on your keyboard. A factory reset will erase all data and settings on your device and restore it to its original state.

Before factory resetting, make sure to backup any important data you want to keep. You can backup photos, videos, contacts, and other files to your Google account, SD card, or cloud storage.

To factory reset, go to Settings > System > Reset options > Erase all data (factory reset). This will delete all apps and data from your device and cannot be undone.

After the reset completes, set up your device again and test if the microphone icon is now present on your keyboard for typing. Factory resetting often resolves software issues like this by fully removing any problematic app data or settings.

Just be prepared to reinstall apps and customize settings after the reset. But with the microphone restored, you can get back to quickly dictating messages hands-free.