[AC Question]

this happens 10 times a day

[B. Diddy]

Welcome to Android Central! Which device?

[DeimosRising]

I have the same issue on a Samsung Galaxy S5. Phone is about 2 months old from AT&T.

Sometimes,when I hit the microphone icon on the Samsung keyboard (say, for texting), the Tap to Speak screen allows me to, well, tap and speak at first, then it goes inactive (button turns white) and I cannot close it out by any means. All functions on that screen go dead and the screen sits there on top of everything but the lock screen. If I rotate the screen to landscape, the Tap to Speak screen slides off the bottom, but if I rotate back to portrait, the Tap to Speak screen slides back up.

If I restart or power off/on the phone, the Tap to Speak screen is gone.

I am unable to attribute the issue beginning with any updates or changes, but I'm sure I did something.

[francie sorem]

so annoying how do you make this stop?

[francie sorem]

samsung galaxy note 4, it happened after google update

[B. Diddy]

Try wiping the cache partition:

Note 4: https://support.t-mobile.com/docs/DOC-14686
S5: http://support.t-mobile.com/docs/DOC-10404

[DeimosRising]

B. Diddy - Thank you. Wiped the cache and the Tap to Speak was gone, as it is with powering off and restarting. Unfortunately, its still doing it. I have the Samsung keyboard, Swype and Google voice typing (automatic) all selected under 'Languages and input'. Any additional help would be appreciated.

[B. Diddy]

Try booting into Safe Mode, which temporarily disables all 3rd party apps. https://support.t-mobile.com/docs/DOC-10696

If the problem disappears in Safe Mode, then something you installed is causing the problem. You may have to uninstall apps one by one until the problem disappears. If the problem persists in Safe Mode, then it's more likely to be a hardware or firmware problem.

[DeimosRising]

B. Diddy - Thank you. I will try Safe Mode as you've suggested and, once resolved, will report back with what I've found.

[stanleys108]

Same Problem, started just 2 days ago. No new apps installed. If I stop the Messages App (actually stop, not just close), then it seems not to occur. Samsung Galaxy Alpha (SM-G850A) running Android 5.0.2. Looking forward to confirmed solutions.

[Tom Corno]

This is happing everytime I use tap to speak

[mitch Ellis]

Count me in on this one. So frustrating. No recently installed apps. Started a few days ago.

[Bellevue Craig]

I have same issue. Just started about 7 days ago. I may have had some application updates but nothing new installed.I have to restart the phone to access lower part of screen where "Tap to Speak" has frozen up.
Note 3 with Android 5.0
ps. Holding the phone in Landscape usually makes "Tap to Speak" disappear but it reappears in Portrait.

[B. Diddy]

I suspect this has to do with the most recent update to the Google app. Try opening your Google Settings app, tap Search & Now>Voice>"OK Google" detection, and see what happens if you turn it off temporarily.

[DeimosRising]

B. Diddy - While in safe mode (thank you for the link) the problem persisted. I've been able to recreate the issue with consistency by allowing the tap to speak app to go dormant (button turns from green to white) and then accessing the phone's lock screen by depressing the power button. When going back into the phone by swipe or fingerprint, the tap to speak app is frozen. (would be great if others would try this and report back, if possible)

I also noticed that while in landscape, the tap to speak function is accessible and functioning as normal, but when put into the portrait orientation, the frozen screen remains.

I can always disable this function by deselecting the functionality, but would be a shame. Any other thoughts?

Thanks for the help with troubleshooting. Very much appreciated.

[DeimosRising]

B. Diddy - Thank you. My phone's "OK Google" detection has been off since before the issue. Just verified that is is still off.

[B. Diddy]

Running low on ideas here. I'm still suspecting some kind of app conflict, possibly due to the latest Google app update. Try going to the App Manager, select Google App, and Uninstall Updates temporarily. Now see if the problem persists. If it goes away, then I'm right--it was the latest update. Depending on what's more important to you, you could keep it at the original factory version of Google, or re-update it and hope either Google or Samsung sends a patch out soon.

[Rythmicone]

I can recreate this problem by simply pushing the sleep button while the tap to speak screen is up. Upon wake, it is now stuck.

[beckes1]

Hi: Same thing happening here. Just started yesterday and we also have to turn the phone all the way off. Samsung Galaxy 4 on Sprint. Happens in text messaging just like everyone else.

PS, also if the tap to speak screen is open and phone goes to sleep mode, that is when it freezes just like the above examples.

[noamchomsky]

SAME PROBLEM!! SO ANNOYING!!

Just started this week. Please fix it Google!!!

[Donald Palmer1]

I uninstalled the update to the Google app and the problem went away. I have a galaxy s4.

[B. Diddy]

I uninstalled the update to the Google app and the problem went away. I have a galaxy s4.

Welcome to Android Central, and thank you for confirming my suspicions that I discussed a few posts above. It sounds like the latest Google app update is causing some conflicts with Samsung's own Tap to Speak function. For now, everyone here should consider going to the App Manager, selecting Google App, and Uninstall Updates. Then wait for word on when either Samsung or Google corrects this conflict.

[mharp1]

careful anyone who wants to follow Donald's tip. I went to apps > google app > uninstall updates. and now no more microphone on the keyboard and other functionality lost. entire google app disappeared. maybe i'm not aware of how to uninstall just the last update. But just want to warn people, not to do what I did, or you will have to reinstall the Google app from the play store.

What a pain. C'mon Google, fix this pronto please! same issue, S5, just started 2 days ago.

[B. Diddy]

That's odd. The Google app is preinstalled, so the app itself shouldn't disappear from your App Manager. Depending on how old your phone is, some features like Google Now might be affected if you uninstall updates, but you should still be able to place a Google search widget on the homescreen.

It's a pretty quick process to re-update the app--go to the Play Store, search for the Google app, and tap Update.

[momofmany1]

careful anyone who wants to follow Donald's tip. I went to apps > google app > uninstall updates. and now no more microphone on the keyboard and other functionality lost. entire google app disappeared. maybe i'm not aware of how to uninstall just the last update. But just want to warn people, not to do what I did, or you will have to reinstall the Google app from the play store.

What a pain. C'mon Google, fix this pronto please! same issue, S5, just started 2 days ago.

My phone did the same thing. However, if you switch to the swype keyboard the microphone returns.