Longer dictation sessions — now up to 20 minutes

Last updated: April 14, 2026

Available on: Mac, Windows

Dictation sessions now go up to 20 minutes — over 3x the previous limit. Whether you're drafting a long email, recording meeting notes, or thinking through an essay out loud, Flow keeps up with you the entire time.

What it is

The maximum length of a single dictation session has increased from 6 minutes to 20 minutes. This applies to all dictation sessions on Mac and Windows.

There's no setting to configure — start dictating and Flow handles the rest.

How it works in Flow

Key behaviors

  • Heads-up before time runs out: At 19 minutes, an in-app status overlay lets you know you have less than 1 minute left. This gives you time to wrap up your thought naturally.

  • Automatic submission: When the session reaches 20 minutes, Flow automatically submits your transcription and pastes it into your active text field. A notification confirms the session has ended, with a "Recover text" option to re-paste if needed.

Best practices

  • Speak naturally. Flow handles pauses, filler words, and corrections. No need to rush.

  • Use voice commands. Say "new line" or "new paragraph" to structure your text as you go.

  • Start a new session anytime. If you need more than 20 minutes, start another dictation once the first one finishes processing (usually a few seconds). There's no cooldown.

FAQs

Does this apply to all plans?

Yes. The 20-minute session limit applies to both Basic (free) and Pro plans on Mac and Windows.

What about iOS and Android?

On iOS, the current session limit is 5 minutes. Android does not currently enforce a maximum recording session duration. This update applies to the desktop apps only.

Can I dictate for longer than 20 minutes?

Yes. Start a new session immediately after one ends. Press your dictation hotkey again once the previous session finishes processing (usually a few seconds). There's no cooldown.

Limitations and notes

  • This update applies to Mac and Windows only. Mobile session limits remain unchanged.

  • Basic (free) plan customers still have a weekly word limit, independent of session length. Limits are 2,000 words per week on desktop and 1,000 words per week on iOS, resetting weekly. After reaching the weekly word limit, dictation may slow down. A hard cap (5,000 words on desktop, 1,500 on iOS) blocks dictation entirely until the limit resets.