Universal Dictation types what you say into any app on your iPhone or Mac. Hold your Ring, speak, let go. It's one part of Stream, and it works the same on both devices.
What it's good for
Use it anywhere you'd type.
- Prompts for Claude and ChatGPT: say the whole idea, with context, instead of typing a short version.
- Messages and email: reply without stopping what you're doing.
- Notes and docs: get a first draft down in the docs you already use.
- When your hands are busy: keep your hand on the mouse or your phone in your pocket.
Speak quietly. Stream's private mic only activates when held, and is designed to pick up the wearer's voice and whispers.
Free and Upstream
You get 2,000 dictation words of dictation free every week. With Upstream, dictation is unlimited.
You can check how many words you’ve used in Settings.
For more, see Free and Upstream plans.
Where it works
| Device | How it types |
|---|---|
| iPhone | Stream Keyboard, in any app |
| Mac | Stream Mac, wherever your cursor is |
Set it up once on each device. See Set up Universal Dictation.
Dictate
- iPhone: tap a text field, switch to Stream Keyboard, hold the touchpad and speak.
- Mac: swipe up for Dictation, click a text field, hold the touchpad and speak.
Let go and your words appear. With a Mac connected, swipe up to dictate or down to chat with Stream instead. See Switch between Chat and Dictation.
Preferences
Customize how Stream writes your words and recognizes names or terms you use often.
Tone
Choose how Stream formats your words, from polished and professional to casual and conversational. Here's how the same sentence might look in each tone.
You say: "um hey Dana can you send me the Q4 slides before tomorrow's call I think we still need to review them"
| Tone | Stream types |
|---|---|
| Formal | Hey Dana, can you send me the Q4 slides before tomorrow's call? I think we still need to review them. |
| Casual | hey Dana, can you send me the Q4 slides before tomorrow's call? I think we still need to review them |
| Very casual | hey dana can you send me the q4 slides before tomorrow's call. i think we still need to review them |
To change your tone:
- Stream iOS: Open Stream Keyboard in any text field and select your tone from the keyboard
- Stream Mac: Open Stream Mac → Settings → Dictation on Mac → Tone.
Dictionary
Add names, brands, or terms with special spelling or capitalization to your Dictionary. Stream will recognize them and spell them the way you prefer.
To manage your Dictionary, go to Settings → Dictionary on either Stream Mac or Stream iOS
Dictation history
Every dictation is saved in the Dictations tab in Stream on Mac and Stream on Web. It's not on iPhone.
- Copy a dictation, or add it to your Notes.
- Delete one and it's gone on every device.
Having trouble?
See Dictated text doesn't appear where expected.
Need help?
Email support@sandbar.com, or in Stream iOS:
Settings → Get Support
We usually reply within one business day.