Voice Keyboard on iPhone
The Laxis keyboard is a full keyboard with a mic button. Tap the mic in any app, speak, and Laxis inserts clean, polished text.
Set it up
Open the Laxis app and tap the Keyboard tab. Follow Turn on the Laxis keyboard — a short checklist that ticks itself off as you go:
Add the keyboard
Tap Enable Laxis Keyboard. In iPhone Settings, tap Keyboards, then turn on Laxis and Allow Full Access. (You can also go to Settings → General → Keyboard → Keyboards → Add New Keyboard… → Laxis.)
Switch to the keyboard once
Back in Laxis, tap the text field and switch to the Laxis keyboard: touch and hold the globe key, then choose Laxis. This confirms Full Access is on.
Allow the microphone
Tap Allow Microphone so the Laxis app can hear you.
When everything is checked, tap Start Dictating.
Why Full Access?
Dictation runs in the cloud, so the keyboard needs network access. Audio is sent only while you're dictating. Your keystrokes aren't sent anywhere, with one exception: in Agent mode, the text around your cursor is sent with your instruction as context.
Dictate
- In any app, switch to the Laxis keyboard (touch and hold the globe key → Laxis).
- Tap the mic above the keys. The listening panel shows your words as you speak.
- Tap ✓ to insert the text. To cancel, tap ✕ or swipe down — nothing is inserted.
A single take can be up to 5 minutes long. The mic is disabled in password and number fields, and while Laxis is recording a meeting.
First use: waking up the mic
The first time you dictate (or after the mic has been idle), Laxis briefly opens its app to turn on the microphone — iOS requires this. When you see "Mic warmed up", go back to your app: tap ‹ [app name] in the top-left corner or swipe right along the bottom edge. Dictation starts by itself when you're back.
To avoid this step, keep the mic ready for longer with Settings → Voice Keyboard → Session Duration: 5 minutes (default), 1 hour, or Never (stays ready until you turn it off). While it's ready, the orange mic indicator stays on, and a Live Activity on your Lock Screen and Dynamic Island shows the session — tap the power button there to end it.
Modes
Tap the mode button on the keyboard to choose:
| Mode | What gets inserted | Plan |
|---|---|---|
| Transcribe | Exactly what you said | All plans |
| Polish (default) | Clean text: fillers removed, punctuation fixed, in your style and tone | All plans |
| Translate | Your speech, translated into your Translate To language | Premium |
| Agent | Text written from your instruction, using the text around your cursor as context — "Say what you want written" | Premium |
If Translate or Agent can't complete, nothing is inserted.
Settings
In the Laxis app, open Settings → Voice Keyboard:
- Voice Keyboard Languages — pick up to 5 languages you dictate in for better accuracy, or leave empty for auto-detect. Choose the Translate To language here too.
- Polish — Enable Polish (on by default), Style (Standard or Keep spoken words), and Tone (Formal, Casual, very casual, or Excited!).
- Session Duration — how long the mic stays ready after dictating.
Add names and terms under Settings → General → Dictionary.
History
The Keyboard tab lists your recent dictations from any app (up to 200, stored on your iPhone). Tap to copy, swipe to delete, or Clear All.
Troubleshooting
The mic doesn't start, or "Warming up the mic…" doesn't finish. Open the Laxis app once, then go back. Check that Allow Full Access is on (iPhone Settings → Laxis → Keyboards) and that Laxis has microphone access.
"Laxis Keyboard is turned off or lost a permission". Open the Keyboard tab in Laxis and finish the checklist again.
The mic is greyed out. You're in a password, number, or phone field, or Laxis is recording a meeting.
"Voice Keyboard quota exhausted". You've used this month's transcription minutes. Tap Upgrade, or wait for your minutes to reset.