In-App Microphone Auto-Submit Breaks Workflow – Found a Temporary Workaround

Just wanted to flag a major usability issue for anyone using the in-app microphone for live transcription inside the ChatGPT mobile app (iOS, in my case).

After a recent update, any interruption—like a phone call, alarm, or switching apps—auto-submits whatever you were transcribing, even if you weren’t done speaking. There’s no way to pause, resume, or cancel—your incomplete thought just gets sent, and ChatGPT starts responding.

Also, you can’t edit the transcription before it’s submitted. So if the mic mishears a name or phrase, there’s no way to correct it. That’s frustrating for those of us who rely on accurate logging or verbal processing.

This has broken a lot of real-world workflows—especially for users like me who use ChatGPT as a thought processor, productivity partner, or digital log. I use it across apps (e.g., switching to Photos to reference blood pressure readings or symptom logs), and that’s no longer possible with the native mic.

Temporary workaround:
Before starting to dictate, type a single character or word into the message box (like “X” or “Note:”). This keeps the input editable and prevents auto-submission if you’re interrupted or need to stop mid-thought.

Would love to see a fix for this—ideally, a transcription mode where we can:
• Pause and resume
• Cancel or confirm before sending
• Edit what was captured
• And keep using the in-app mic even when switching apps

Curious if others have found better workarounds or are running into the same issue.

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Just as a side note for anyone else who used the in-app mic regularly:

I also noticed that the little timer that used to show how long you’ve been speaking is now gone (or no longer visible).

I used that as a personal marker to keep my dictation within a safe range before triggering token issues or bloated threads.

Not a major deal on its own, but combined with the auto-submit, it’s another layer of lost visibility for people who speak in longer chunks.