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To get ordinary typing back, first select Gboard as your on-screen keyboard; if you want to keep the keyboard but stop dictation, turn off Gboard’s Voice typing setting. These are separate controls. The steps below apply to Motorola phones using Gboard, though menu names can vary by Android version.

First, identify what is happening

  • A microphone or dictation screen appears instead of the keyboard: another keyboard may be selected. Switch to Gboard.
  • The keyboard appears, but you do not want voice input: disable Voice typing in Gboard settings.
  • Gboard or its voice control is missing: check the on-screen keyboard list and, if needed, Gboard’s microphone permission.

Switch back to Gboard

  1. Open an app with a text field and tap the field to display the keyboard.
  2. If another keyboard is active, touch and hold the Globe key, then choose Gboard. Google documents this keyboard-switching option in its Gboard troubleshooting instructions.
  3. If Gboard is not listed, open Android Settings and look for the on-screen keyboard list. Enable Gboard there, then return to the text field and select it.

Motorola menu paths are not established as identical across models and Android versions. If you cannot find the keyboard list or the labels differ, use Settings search for keyboard or Gboard.

Turn off voice typing but keep the keyboard

  1. Open Gboard settings. When the keyboard is visible, tap its settings or toolbar control; if that control is unavailable, search Android Settings for Gboard.
  2. Tap Voice typing.
  3. Turn off the Voice typing setting.

That disables Gboard dictation while leaving Gboard available for normal typing. Google’s steps are in its Gboard troubleshooting guide.

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If Gboard or voice typing is missing or not working

Check that Gboard is enabled

Open Android Settings and find the on-screen keyboard settings; enable Gboard if it is absent or switched off. Because the route varies, search Settings for keyboard or Gboard when the menu labels do not match.

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Review microphone access only if you want dictation

For voice typing, check Settings > Apps > Gboard > Permissions > Microphone. Google recommends allowing microphone access only while using the app for voice typing. Microphone permission is relevant to dictation; it does not mean you must use voice input. See Google’s Gboard troubleshooting instructions.

Try cache clearing before resetting Gboard

If voice input is malfunctioning, Google suggests clearing Gboard’s cache. Clearing the app’s data is a more disruptive later step because it resets Gboard settings. Use Android Settings to locate Gboard’s storage controls; exact labels can vary by version.

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Motorola-specific caveats and privacy

A Motorola G6 community thread published August 26, 2023 describes a route through System > Language & input > On-screen keyboard > Gboard > Voice typing, and a user reported that controls initially appeared grayed out. Treat that as a historical example, not a guaranteed current path for every Motorola. The current Google guidance provides general Gboard steps rather than one Motorola-specific menu route. Read the Motorola G6 community discussion.

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Google states that when you use Gboard talk-to-text, your voice is sent to Google for transcription. This statement applies to that voice-input use case. Google explains Gboard voice typing.

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Google also says its advanced voice typing features require a Pixel 6 or newer, and that voice typing does not support every language. Those advanced features should not be assumed to be available on a Motorola phone. See Google’s advanced voice typing requirements.

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