Dictation session time limits on Android

Android (5-minute limit)

• 4-minute warning: A toast notification appears on screen ("1 minute left before you reach the 5-minute limit.") with haptic feedback, letting you know you have 1 minute remaining.

• Auto-submit at 5 minutes: Flow automatically submits your transcription when the session limit is reached — you don't need to do anything.

• At the limit: A toast message ("Session ended, 5-minute limit reached") and a system notification confirm the session has ended.

• Automatic server selection: After each session ends, Flow checks available servers in the background and routes future requests to the fastest one. This happens silently and helps improve transcription speed, especially outside the US.

iOS (5-minute limit)

Dictation sessions have a 5-minute maximum duration. No advance warning is shown — Flow auto-submits your transcription when time is up.

Mac and Windows (20-minute limit)

• 19-minute warning: A notification appears with a sound ("You have <1 minute left before you reach the 20 minute limit!"), letting you know you have 1 minute remaining.

• Auto-submit at 20 minutes: Flow automatically submits your transcription when the session limit is reached — you don't need to do anything.

• At the limit: A notification appears ("Transcription session ended.") with a "Recover text" button you can click to re-insert your transcript if the original paste didn't work. This notification stays on screen longer than the warning to give you time to click it.

Why did Flow submit my transcription before I finished speaking?

Your session reached its time limit — 5 minutes on Android and iOS, or 20 minutes on Mac and Windows. Flow automatically submits the transcription at that point. You receive a warning shortly before (except on iOS, which does not show an advance warning).

Is my transcription saved after auto-submit?

Yes. The transcription is submitted just as if you had ended the session manually.

Can I start a new session immediately after one ends?

Yes. Once a session is submitted — whether by you or by auto-submit — you can start a new dictation session right away. On desktop, there may be a brief delay while your transcription is processed and pasted. A notification appears if you try to start too soon.

Why is there a session time limit?

The session limit keeps dictation reliable and ensures transcriptions are processed correctly. Very long sessions can affect transcription quality and system performance.

I didn't feel the haptic warning on Android. Why?

Haptic feedback relies on your device's vibration settings. If your phone is in silent or vibration-off mode, you won't feel it. The on-screen toast notification still appears at 4 minutes regardless of vibration settings.