iOS keyboard guide

What the TapTalk keyboard buttons do.

TapTalk adds a small writing layer to the iPhone keyboard. The bubbles are shortcuts for actions you can use in any app with a text field.

Back to iOS app Keyboard bubbles
TapTalk keyboard in Mail with action bubbles above the iPhone keyboard.
Keyboard bubbles

Shortcuts that follow the text field.

The visible bubbles can change depending on context, selected text, language settings, and the current app. They are designed for quick actions without leaving the place where you write.

Dictate

Start speaking from the keyboard.

TapTalk opens the app recorder, runs local speech recognition, and inserts the result back into the current text field.

Translate

Write in another language.

Use Apple Translation for supported language pairs. With the required language package downloaded, translation can run on device.

Refine

Improve selected text.

Select text in the host app, then make it shorter, clearer, more professional, translated, or rewritten with a saved preset.

Keywords

Insert saved content.

Reuse signatures, addresses, prompts, dates, clipboard values, and saved images without typing them again.

Ideas

Capture without inserting.

Save a thought from the keyboard when it does not belong in the current message yet.

History

Bring back recent text.

Find recent dictations and inserted text, then copy, reuse, save, or delete entries.

More menu

The ellipsis opens the full keyboard menu.

The quick bubbles are not the only way to use TapTalk. Tap the three-dot button on the keyboard to open the full action menu when a bubble is hidden or you want a less frequent command.

...

Open all keyboard actions.

The menu gives you access to Refine, the Keywords sheet, History, Ideas, keyboard minimization, and opening the TapTalk app.

Voice triggers

Trigger actions while dictating.

Keywords can be inserted by speaking their trigger word. Refine can also have its own spoken trigger so you can start a saved rewrite workflow by voice.

RefineRewrite or transform selected text with saved presets.
KeywordsOpen the sheet with saved text, variables, dates, prompts, and images.
HistoryReuse recent dictations and inserted text.
IdeasCapture a thought without inserting it into the current field.
Minimize keyboardTemporarily get the keyboard out of the way.
Open TapTalkJump to the main app for setup, models, settings, and larger workflows.
Status pills

Some pills are actions. Some are status.

TapTalk also uses small status pills to show when the app is ready, recording, processing, waiting for a model, or limited by Free/Pro usage. If a feature needs setup, the pill usually leads you to the right place.

Ready Recording Processing Model needed Pro
Private by design

Keyboard data stays local.

Dictation, history, keywords, ideas, dictionary entries, replacements, and settings are stored in the local iPhone App Group container. TapTalk does not run a cloud transcription pipeline.

Offline dictation Local App Group storage Apple services where enabled
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