Obvious/Help Center

Voice Input

Published March 3, 2026 · Last updated March 5, 2026 · 2 min read

This guide walks you through using voice input to talk to your agent instead of typing your message.

Activate voice input

Click the microphone icon in the bottom toolbar of the chat input — next to the mentions and upload buttons.

Your browser asks for microphone permission the first time you use voice input. Click Allow to continue. This permission is saved for future sessions.

Record your message

  1. Click the microphone icon. The icon changes to a stop icon while Obvious connects (this takes about a second).

  2. Start talking. Obvious transcribes your speech in real time — you'll see the text appear in the input field as you speak.

  3. Click the stop icon when you're done. The transcribed text stays in the input field.

  4. Review and edit the text if needed. Add details, fix anything, or keep talking by clicking the microphone again — new speech appends to whatever's already in the input.

  5. Click Send when the message is right.

Tip: Voice input works well alongside typed text. Start typing a prompt, switch to voice for the detailed part, then type the rest. Each recording adds to what's already in the input field rather than replacing it.

When voice input is useful

  • Long or detailed instructions — Describing a complex task is often faster out loud than typing it.

  • Thinking through a problem — Talking helps when you're still forming the request and want to get your thoughts down quickly.

  • Accessibility — Voice input provides a hands-free alternative when typing isn't practical.

Good to know

  • Voice input transcribes your audio using a cloud speech service. Your audio is processed for transcription only and isn't stored.

  • A stable internet connection gives the best real-time transcription results.

  • Voice input is available on desktop browsers that support microphone access (Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Safari).

Next steps

Was this helpful?