Asking Questions by Voice (Dictation) in Perplexity
By Dr. Hernani Costa — Jul 5, 2025
Using speech input to converse with Perplexity hands-free
Good morning,
Tired of typing? Perplexity offers a convenient voice dictation feature so you can ask questions out loud. This is available primarily via Perplexity's mobile apps, and it can be a real productivity booster, especially for busy professionals who need hands-free answers on the go.
How It Works?
- Open the Perplexity app on iOS or Android.
- Tap and hold the microphone icon (🎙️) next to the text input field.
- Speak your question clearly, then release the icon.
- Receive your answer: Perplexity transcribes your speech to text and generates an answer just as if you had typed the query. It's like having a conversation with your AI assistant!
For an even more seamless experience, you can enable the app's hands-free mode. This allows you to continue talking without holding down the button, enabling a more natural back-and-forth dialogue with the AI.
When to Use Voice Dictation?
Voice input is fantastic for times when typing isn't convenient:
- On the go: Ask questions while driving or walking without needing to type.
- Multitasking: Get information while your hands are busy (cooking, exercising, etc.).
- Complex queries: Dictate long or detailed questions more quickly than typing them out.
Important Notes:
- Mobile only: Currently, voice input is only supported in the Perplexity mobile app (the web/desktop version does not have a built-in voice query feature yet).
- Grant microphone access: Make sure to allow the app's microphone permissions, or it won't hear you.
- Speak naturally: Perplexity's speech recognition is quite good at understanding natural language, but speaking clearly will always help.
- Same results as typing: You'll get the same cited, up-to-date answers with voice as you would by typing – you're just saving time by asking aloud.
- Desktop workaround: Some desktop users have used browser extensions as a workaround for voice control, but official support remains focused on mobile for now.
Give It a Try
Give your fingers a rest and try asking Perplexity a question with your voice on the mobile app. Just hold the mic button, speak your query, and experience the convenience of hands-free Q&A wherever you are.
🎙️ Fun Fact: The Origin of Voice Assistants
The first widely adopted speech recognition technology emerged from Bell Laboratories in the 1950s with the "Audrey" system, recognizing numbers spoken aloud. Today, AI voice interaction has evolved exponentially, transforming productivity and accessibility across industries.
Written by Dr Hernani Costa and originally published at First AI Movers. Subscribe to the First AI Movers Newsletter for daily, no‑fluff AI business insights, practical and compliant AI playbooks for EU SME leaders. First AI Movers is part of Core Ventures.
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