Open Gmail
Go to mail.google.com — the tab where you want to dictate. Microphone permission in Chrome is per-site, so it has to be changed on the Gmail tab itself.
Microphone access
Allow your microphone for Gmail
Dictation for Gmail is a Chrome extension that lets you dictate your emails instead of typing them. To turn your speech into text, the extension needs one thing: microphone access for mail.google.com. If you blocked it — or never got asked — here is how to turn it on. Takes under a minute.
Click the lock icon next to the address
On the left side of the address bar you'll see a lock (in newer Chrome versions — a tune icon ⩨). Click it — a small site panel opens.
↑ click here
Turn the Microphone toggle on
In the panel, find Microphone and switch the toggle on (Allow). Don't see it? Click Site settings at the bottom of the panel, find Microphone in the list and choose Allow.
mail.google.com
Microphone
⚙ Site settings
← switch it on
Reload Gmail and start dictating
Reload the tab (⌘R / Ctrl+R) — the new permission applies after a reload. Open a compose window, click the purple mic and just speak: your words appear in the draft.
New Message
Hi Anna, let's move our call to Thursday
Microphone works — you're all set
Alternative: through Chrome settings
If the panel route doesn't work, go directly to the microphone settings page. Copy this into the address bar:
chrome://settings/content/microphone
Under “Not allowed to use your microphone” find https://mail.google.com, click it and change Microphone to Allow. Then reload Gmail.
Same steps work in Edge, Brave, Opera and Arc — every Chromium browser uses this per-site permission model.
Microphone access — FAQ
Why does Dictation for Gmail need microphone access?
The extension turns your speech into text, so the browser must be allowed to use your microphone on mail.google.com. Without this permission Chrome blocks all audio input and dictation cannot work.
Does the extension listen in the background?
No. The microphone is only active while you are dictating — after you click the mic button. Stop dictation and the microphone turns off.
Why doesn't Chrome ask me for the microphone again?
Once you choose Block (“Never allow”), Chrome remembers that decision and never shows the permission prompt again for that site. The only way to change it is manually — exactly the steps on this page.
I allowed the microphone but dictation still doesn't start. What do I check?
First, reload the Gmail tab — permissions apply after a reload. Then check your system settings: on macOS, System Settings → Privacy & Security → Microphone → make sure Chrome is allowed; on Windows, Settings → Privacy & security → Microphone. Finally, check that the right input device is selected at chrome://settings/content/microphone.
Does this work in Edge, Brave, Opera or Arc?
Yes. All Chromium browsers use the same per-site permission model. The icon next to the address bar may look slightly different, but the steps are the same: open the site panel, set Microphone to Allow, reload.