The hotkey does nothing
- Another program may own the combination. Assign a different one on the HOTKEY plate; if Windows refuses it, VoiceKeyboard says "Could not register this hotkey." See the hotkey.
- The microphone calibration window is open. The hotkey is ignored until you close it.
- The app is not running. Look for its icon in the tray; if it is not there, start VoiceKeyboard again.
It records, but nothing is typed
- Watch the INPUT meter and the VOICE lamp while you talk. If they stay still, the app hears nothing: check the microphone below.
- Look at LIVE TRANSCRIPT. If text appears there but not in your window, the window is not accepting typing. A window run as administrator may refuse typing from a regular app; copy the text from HISTORY instead.
- If the screen shows nothing either, look at the status screen. ERROR with a Windows notification names the problem; the tables below cover the common ones. Also check that the lit language key is the language you speak.
- With Google, the first second after the click is not heard. Wait for the quiet tick before you speak.
Text goes to the wrong window
Words go to the window in front at the moment they arrive. If you switch windows during a recording, the rest goes to the new one. When VoiceKeyboard's own window is in front, the text goes to the last window you used. Click into the right field before pressing the hotkey and stay there until the phrase is typed. More on where the text goes.
Microphone errors
| Message | Fix |
|---|---|
| Microphone not found. Check that the device is connected. | Plug it in, or choose another device in the MICROPHONE list. |
| The microphone is in use by another application. | Close the other program that records, such as a call or a recorder. |
| Could not start the microphone. Check the Windows sound settings. | Make sure the device is enabled in Windows and that apps may use the microphone. |
| Microphone “…” is not found — recording from “…” for now. | Nothing to fix: the app uses the Windows default until your microphone returns. |
The Google engine will not start
| Message | Fix |
|---|---|
| Google Speech works through Google Chrome, and it is not installed. Get Chrome at google.com/chrome — or choose a local model or Soniox. | Install Google Chrome. The Google engine listens through it. |
| Google listens to the Windows default microphone: “…” / Chrome could not open the chosen microphone — Google is listening to the default one: “…” | Not an error: dictation goes on with the default microphone. To make Google hear the chosen one, update Chrome to version 135 or newer, or make your microphone the Windows default. See how to set the default microphone. |
| Google Speech: the microphone is blocked in Chrome. | Allow microphone access in Chrome's settings. |
| Google Speech is not receiving sound although Windows sees the microphone. | Check that the INPUT meter moves for the microphone chosen in VoiceKeyboard, and Chrome's access to it. If the app says Google switched to the Windows default, check that microphone in Windows instead. |
| Google Speech: the Chrome companion did not connect. Press Start again. | Press the hotkey again. |
| Google Speech is temporarily unavailable. / too many requests. | Wait and try later, or switch to LOCAL for now. |
The Google engine also needs the internet. Without it, use an offline model.
The words come out in the wrong language
Check which language key is lit. The ENGINE line on the status screen helps: RU ≠ EN means the engine listens for Russian but your last phrase sounded English. Press the right key, or use an engine with AUTO: Soniox, Parakeet v3 or Whisper. See languages.
The recording stops too soon
Auto-stop ends a recording after the set seconds of silence. Raise the value, or with an offline model switch it off; see auto-stop. On the free plan a recording also stops when today's 2,000 words are used up.
Problems with models, downloads and limits are on model and limit errors.