Voice to Text App for Android That Keeps Your Keyboard

LumeVoice is a voice to text app for Android that works alongside your keyboard instead of replacing it. Tap into any text box, tap the Lume bubble and talk: your words land punctuated and cleaned up, without the "ums" and false starts. Here's how it works, how to set it up, and how it compares with the voice typing built into Gboard.

How LumeVoice works on Android#

• Tap any text box. A small Lume bubble appears above your keyboard.
• Tap the bubble, talk, then tap the check mark. LumeVoice inserts your cleaned-up words into the text field.
• Keep your keyboard. Gboard, Samsung Keyboard or anything else stays exactly as it is. LumeVoice adds a voice button rather than taking over your typing.
• One permission, one job. LumeVoice uses Android's Accessibility Service only to find the text field you're in and to insert your words. It's off until you turn it on.

It also works on the cover screen of Galaxy Z Flip phones: open an app there, tap a text box, and the bubble appears above the keyboard.

LumeVoice writes down what you said. It never answers questions or carries out commands, so it won't open apps or send messages for you.

How to set up LumeVoice on Android#

1. Install LumeVoice from Google Play.
2. Open it and follow the short setup. It starts with a quick practice run using your own voice; allow the microphone when asked.
3. Turn on Lume Voice in Accessibility. The app takes you to the right screen. Tap Lume Voice, turn on Use Lume Voice, and tap Allow. Android asks you to confirm because accessibility services are powerful, which is why we spell out exactly what LumeVoice uses it for. The screen looks a little different from one phone maker to another.
4. Sign in to your LumeVoice account.
5. Tap a text box in any app. The bubble appears, and you're ready to talk.

How to dictate with the bubble#

Talking can be a lot quicker than typing with your thumbs. In a lab study, researchers at Stanford and the University of Washington found that people entered English text about three times faster by speaking than with a phone keyboard (Ruan et al.).

• Say the whole thought. LumeVoice adds punctuation, capitals and paragraph breaks from context, so there's no need to say "comma" or "period". Say "new paragraph" when you want one.
• Correct yourself as you go. Say the right version and keep talking; only the correction is kept.
• Say lists as lists. Spoken lists come out as numbered or bulleted lists.

You say: "Um, I'll be there at six, actually six thirty, so, uh, save me a seat."

LumeVoice types: "I'll be there at six thirty, so save me a seat."

Gboard voice typing vs LumeVoice#

Gboard's voice typing is free, and on recent Pixel phones it has become very capable. Here's what Google documents as of October 2026:

• On any phone with Gboard: tap the microphone at the top of the keyboard and talk when you see "Speak now". Say "period", "comma", "question mark", "new line" or "new paragraph" to add punctuation (not available in every language). To replace a word, touch and hold it, tap the microphone and say the new word.
• Advanced voice typing (Pixel 6 and later): punctuation is added automatically, you can add emoji and edit by voice ("Delete last word", "Clear", "Send"), and you can keep typing while the mic is on. It works in English, French, German, Italian, Japanese and Spanish, and Google says the text you speak stays on your device, except when you use Fix it or detailed edits.
• Pixel 8 and later: "Fix it" checks your text for typos, grammar and punctuation (English, in the US, with a connection), and detailed edits let you say things like "Change apples to oranges" (US English). On Pixel 9 and later (not the 9a), you can also ask by voice to proofread or rewrite a message, for example "Make my email more formal", with the processing done on the phone.
• Rambler (Pixel 11 series): a Gemini-powered mode that turns natural speech into clean text. It removes filler words, fixes grammar and punctuation, and lets you rewrite by voice ("Make this shorter and more direct"). It needs Gboard as your default keyboard and an internet connection for its full features; offline, it still does basic cleanup. Google says your audio and text are processed temporarily and not stored, and usage limits apply.

The fair summary: if you own a Pixel 11, Rambler covers much of what LumeVoice does, right inside Gboard, so try it first. On older Pixels, Gboard still does a lot and keeps your words on the phone. LumeVoice is for everyone else: phones beyond the Pixel line, any keyboard (Samsung Keyboard included), your own dictionary and snippets, 100 languages, and the same tool on your iPhone, Mac or PC.

When Gboard voice typing is enough#

• You have a Pixel 11. Try Rambler before anything else. It removes filler words, fixes grammar and rewrites by voice, within Google's usage limits.
• You have a Pixel 6 or newer and mostly send short messages. Advanced voice typing is quick, free and keeps your words on the phone.
• You often have no signal. LumeVoice needs a connection to work at all. On a Pixel 11, Rambler keeps doing basic cleanup offline.
• You like editing by voice, with commands such as "Delete last word" or "Change apples to oranges".
• You'd rather not turn on an accessibility service for a third-party app. That's a reasonable choice, and Gboard doesn't need one.

What LumeVoice does to your words#

Your speech is transcribed in the cloud, then a language model tidies it before it's inserted:

• Filler words and stutters ("um", "uh", "like", "you know") are removed.
• Self-corrections are applied: "let's meet at five, actually six" becomes "Let's meet at six."
• Punctuation, capitals and paragraph breaks are added from context, and spoken punctuation still works.
• Spoken lists become numbered or bulleted lists.
• Grammar and spelling are fixed.
• Custom dictionary: tell Lume the words it gets wrong and how you spell them, and those corrections are applied as your text is cleaned up. (On Mac and Windows, dictionary words are also passed to speech recognition.)
• Snippets: say a short cue and LumeVoice types the full text, such as your address or a link you share often.

Where can you use it on Android?#

Anywhere you write: WhatsApp, Telegram, Messages, Gmail, Outlook, Slack, Notion, Google Docs, ChatGPT and the rest. For tips on specific apps, see dictating in Gmail, in Slack and into ChatGPT.

Languages#

LumeVoice understands 100 languages and works out which one you're speaking, so you don't switch keyboard languages to dictate in another one. You can also set an output language: speak English and get Spanish text.

Is LumeVoice private?#

LumeVoice is cloud-based, so it needs an internet connection and your audio is sent for processing. It isn't stored after processing (zero data retention), nothing you say is used to train models, and your dictation history stays on your phone, not on LumeVoice servers.

The Accessibility Service is used only to find the text field you're in and to insert your words. If you want your speech to stay on the phone entirely, Gboard's advanced voice typing on a recent Pixel is the better choice.

How much does LumeVoice cost on Android?#

Every new account gets 3,000 free words, no card required. After that, Pro is bought through Google Play: $14.99/mo, $79.99/yr, or $249 lifetime. The first time you upgrade, Pro Monthly and Pro Annual start with a 7-day free trial (card required). See the pricing page for what's included.

Students and teachers get 50% off Pro (student discount), and anyone who finds typing hard gets 50% off (accessibility discount). The codes are entered at checkout on a Mac or Windows PC; Google Play purchases can't take discount codes.

Requirements#

• An Android phone that installs apps from Google Play
• An internet connection
• Microphone access, and Lume Voice turned on in Accessibility settings

LumeVoice on your other devices#

On iPhone, LumeVoice works as a keyboard you switch to in any app. On Windows and Mac, you hold a shortcut and talk, and the text lands wherever your cursor is.

The short version#

If you have a recent Pixel, and especially a Pixel 11 with Rambler, Gboard's voice typing is free and may be all you need. If you use another phone or keyboard, want your own dictionary and snippets, or want the same tool on every device you write on, tap the bubble and try LumeVoice with 3,000 free words.