The Voice Dictation feature allows customers to compose Live Chat messages in English by speaking instead of typing. The customer’s browser converts the speech into editable text and adds it to the message composer.

Customers can review and modify the dictated text before sending the message. Voice Dictation is available in both Inline and Popup Live Chat widgets.

Use Cases

Voice Dictation is useful in the following situations:

• Hands-free message composition: Customers can compose messages when typing is inconvenient.
• Accessibility support: Customers who find typing difficult can use voice input to compose messages.
• Faster message entry: Customers can dictate longer questions or descriptions instead of typing them manually.
• Mobile conversations: Customers can compose messages more conveniently from supported mobile browsers and devices.
• Editable voice input: Customers can review and correct the transcribed text before sending it.
• English-language support: Customers can dictate messages in English during Live Chat conversations.

Prerequisites

Before enabling Voice Dictation, make sure the following requirements are met:
Administrator requirements

• The agent configuring the widget must have the Manage Settings permission in the Admin Module.
• The Live Chat widget must already be created and installed.
• The website hosting the widget must allow microphone access through its security configuration.
• If the widget is embedded in an iframe, the iframe must allow microphone access.

For information about assigning administrator permissions, explore Managing Roles and Permissions in BoldDesk.

Customer requirements

• The customer must use a browser, operating system, and device that support browser-native speech recognition.
• The customer must grant the website permission to use the device microphone.
• The device must have a working microphone.
• The customer must speak in English, which is currently the only supported dictation language.

Enable Voice Dictation in the Live Chat widget

An agent with the Manage Settings permission can enable Voice Dictation for an existing Live Chat widget.
To enable Voice Dictation:

1. Go to Admin → Chat → Live Chat.

2. Select the required Live Chat widget, and then click Edit.

3. Open the Preference tab.

4. Select Chat Input Options.

5. Turn on Enable Voice Dictation.

6. Click Update to save the configuration.
   

   
   
   

After Voice Dictation is enabled, a microphone icon appears in the Live Chat message composer on supported browsers and devices.

For information about the other settings available under the Preference tab, explore How to Configure Preference Tab in the Live Chat Widget.

Configure Microphone Access

Voice Dictation requires permission to use the customer’s microphone. Microphone access can be affected by several permission layers:

1. The website’s Permissions-Policy response header
2. The iframe permissions, if the widget is embedded in an iframe
3. The customer’s browser site permissions
4. The customer’s operating-system microphone settings
5. Organizational policies applied to managed devices

Each permission layer must allow microphone access for Voice Dictation to work.

What an administrator needs to configure

The website administrator should review the website’s security headers and iframe configuration.

Configure the Permissions-Policy Header

The website’s Permissions-Policy response header must allow microphone access.
For a same-origin implementation, use:

Permissions-Policy: microphone=(self)

For a cross-origin or iframe-based implementation, allow the trusted widget origin required by your deployment:

Permissions-Policy: microphone=(self "https://trusted-widget-origin.example")

Replace https://trusted-widget-origin.example with the actual trusted origin used by the Live Chat widget.

Allow microphone access in an iframe

If the widget is embedded in an iframe, the iframe may also need to permit microphone access:

<iframe
  src="https://trusted-widget-origin.example"
  allow="microphone">
</iframe>

Verify the Permissions-Policy Header in Chrome or Edge

To verify the response header:

1. Open the webpage on which the Live Chat widget is installed.
2. Press F12, or right-click the webpage and select Inspect.
3. Select the Network tab.
4. Refresh the webpage.
5. Select the main page request. Its type is normally displayed as Document.
6. Open the Headers tab.
7. Locate the Response Headers section.
8. Confirm that the Permissions-Policy header allows microphone access for the required origin.

For a same-origin implementation, the header may appear as follows:

Permissions-Policy: microphone=(self)

For a cross-origin implementation, the header may include the trusted widget origin:

Permissions-Policy: microphone=(self "https://trusted-widget-origin.example")

What an end user needs to enable

When a customer selects the microphone icon for the first time, the browser may display a permission request.
The customer must select Allow to use Voice Dictation.
If microphone access was previously denied:

1. Select the site information or permission icon in the browser’s address bar.
2. Locate the Microphone permission.
3. Change the permission to Allow.
4. Reload the webpage.
5. Open the Live Chat widget.
6. Select the microphone icon and try dictating the message again.

The customer may also need to enable microphone access in the device’s operating-system privacy settings.

How to Use Voice Dictation in the Live Chat Widget

After Voice Dictation is enabled, customers can compose messages using their voice instead of typing manually.

To use Voice Dictation:

1. Open the Live Chat widget.

2. Click the microphone icon in the message composer.

3. Allow microphone access if prompted by the browser.

4. Speak clearly in English.

5. Stop dictation using the available control.

6. Review the transcribed text in the message composer.

7. Edit the text if necessary.

8. Send the message.
   

   
   
   

Voice Dictation uses the speech-recognition capabilities available in the customer’s browser to convert spoken words into text. The transcribed text is automatically added to the message composer, allowing customers to review and modify the message before sending it.

Voice Dictation Behavior

Dictation Controls and Indicators

When a customer starts Voice Dictation, the Live Chat widget displays the controls and indicators supported by the implementation.
These may include:

• A microphone icon in the message composer.
• A dictation or listening-state indicator.
• A voice-activity visualization.
• A control for stopping dictation.

After dictation stops, the recognized text appears in the message composer.

Limitations

Consider the following limitations when using Voice Dictation:

• Voice Dictation currently supports English only.
• Customers must grant microphone permission before using dictation.
• Browser-native speech-recognition availability varies by browser and device.
• Recognition accuracy may vary depending on pronunciation, speech clarity, microphone quality, and background noise.
• Browser settings, operating-system settings, or organizational policies may prevent microphone access.
• The recognized text may take a short time to appear in the message composer.
• Real-time transcription behavior may vary across browsers.
• Translation, summarization, and other message-processing capabilities are not included in Voice Dictation.
• Voice Dictation is unavailable when the customer’s browser does not support the required speech-recognition functionality.

Permission

To configure Voice Dictation in the Live Chat widget, an agent must have the Manage Settings permission in the Admin Module assigned to their role.
For more information, refer to Managing Roles and Permissions in BoldDesk.

Troubleshooting

1. The microphone icon is not displayed

If the microphone icon is not displayed:

• Confirm that Enable Voice Dictation is turned on.
• Confirm that the widget configuration was saved by clicking Update.
• Refresh the website on which the widget is installed.
• Confirm that the correct Live Chat widget is being tested.
• Check whether the browser and device support browser-native speech recognition.
• Try opening the widget in another supported browser or on another supported device.

2. Microphone access is blocked

If microphone access is blocked:

• Select the site-permission icon in the browser’s address bar.
• Allow microphone access for the website.
• Check the browser’s privacy and site-permission settings.
• Check the operating system’s microphone permissions.
• Reload the page after changing the permission.
• Confirm that a working microphone is connected and selected.
• If the device is managed by an organization, check whether an administrative policy is blocking microphone access.

3. Voice Dictation does not start

If Voice Dictation does not start:

• Confirm that microphone permission has been granted.
• Check whether another application is using or restricting the microphone.
• Confirm that the correct microphone is selected in the device settings.
• Reload the page containing the Live Chat widget.
• Close and reopen the widget.
• Try using another supported browser or device.

4. Browser-native Voice Dictation does not work

If browser-native Voice Dictation is unavailable or does not work:

• Confirm that the browser supports native speech recognition.
• Confirm that the browser or device language is set to English.
• Grant microphone permission to the website.
• Check whether browser privacy settings or extensions are blocking microphone access.
• Check whether an operating-system or organizational policy is restricting the microphone.
• Try a different supported browser or device.
• If Voice Dictation remains unavailable, enter the message using the keyboard.

5. The dictated text is inaccurate

To improve recognition accuracy:

• Speak clearly in English and at a steady pace.
• Move closer to the microphone.
• Reduce background noise.
• Confirm that the browser or device input language is set to English.
• Use a working microphone with clear audio input.
• Dictate shorter sentences.
• Review and edit the dictated text before sending the message.
• Try another supported browser or device if recognition remains inconsistent.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is Voice Dictation?
   Voice Dictation allows customers to compose Live Chat messages by speaking in English. The customer’s browser converts the speech into text and adds it to the message composer for review.

2. Is the dictated message sent automatically?
   No. The dictated text is added to the message composer. The customer can review and edit the text before sending the message.

3. How is speech converted into text?
   Voice Dictation uses the speech-recognition functionality provided by the customer’s browser. The browser recognizes the speech and returns the corresponding text to the Live Chat widget.

4. Does Voice Dictation use AI credits?
   No. Browser-native Voice Dictation does not consume BoldDesk AI credits.

5. Does Voice Dictation work in every browser?
   No. Availability depends on whether the customer’s browser, operating system, and device support the required speech-recognition functionality.

6. What happens when the browser does not support Voice Dictation?
   The customer must type the message using the keyboard or use a different supported browser or device.

7. Can customers edit the dictated text?
   Yes. Customers can review and edit the dictated text in the message composer before sending it.

Related Articles

1. How to Configure Preference Tab in the Live Chat Widget
2. How to Set Up a Live Chat Widget in BoldDesk
3. How to Configure User Engagement in the Live Chat Widget
4. How to Configure Notification Settings for BoldDesk Live Chat
5. Managing Roles and Permissions in BoldDesk