Getting text into another application is harder than it looks, and it is the source of most "it works everywhere except…" reports. There are two delivery methods and an automatic mode that picks between them.
| Mode | How it works | Use when |
|---|---|---|
| Auto | Simulated typing for terminals, editors and remote sessions; clipboard paste elsewhere | The default — leave it here unless something misbehaves |
| Clipboard paste | Copies the text and sends the paste shortcut | Fastest, and best for long text in ordinary apps |
| Send keys | Types character by character | Apps that ignore paste, or connections where the clipboard is not shared |
Your clipboard is restored
Clipboard paste backs up whatever you had, uses the clipboard, then puts your content back shortly afterwards. If you copied something new in the meantime, the restore is skipped rather than overwriting your newer content. Concurrent dictations are serialised so two pastes cannot interleave.
Remote desktop
Remote sessions are detected and handled differently, because a simulated Enter often submits a form when you wanted a line break. The Newline Key setting controls what a newline sends — plain text, Return, Shift+Return (the default), or Ctrl/Cmd+Return.
Smart spacing
Optional, off by default. When enabled, InkSpoke inserts a leading space if the character before your cursor needs one, so consecutive dictations do not run together. In apps that expose their contents it inspects the real character; elsewhere it relies on what it typed last, within a short window.
Windows and administrator windows
Windows does not let a normal application send input to one running as administrator. This is an OS security boundary, not a bug — and the injection can even report success while nothing arrives.
InkSpoke detects the case and offers Restart as administrator, also available from the tray menu. Run elevated only if you genuinely need to dictate into elevated windows.
When a field cannot take text
If the focused element cannot accept injected text, the overlay stays open and offers a Copy button instead of discarding your dictation.