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Texting Problems

R

Rick Burcky

Lurker
I'm hoping someone can help restore my sanity. :D I've been going round and round with a problem with creating text messages for the last few months. I'm not certain, but I think the problem started just after I installed the Facebook messenger app. I have since uninstalled it, but it hasn't helped.

When I create a new text message, I used to be able to "speak" my text messagte and enter the text that way. Now, when I try to do that, as soon as I start speaking, I get the following error message, "Cannot connect to server. Please check your Internet and try again." I have a good connection, I can connect to web sites, etc. HELLLLLPPPPP!!!!! Ha Ha Ha

Phone : LGL84VL
Android Version: 7.0

Thanks in advance for your help!
 
Voice dictation and text messaging are not dependent on each other so this sounds more like an issue with voice dictation.
Does texting work when you're typing? If yes, it's a matter of looking into why voice dictation isn't working, if not, whatever texting app you're now using could part of the problem.

Voice dictation does require a good online connection (WiFi or mobile data) as the transcribing is pretty resource intensive so a lot of it is server based but since you did state that message is popping up even though your connectivity appears to be good, it might be an indicator the voice dictation service on your phone just needs to be reset. Of course the first thing to try is just reboot your phone if you haven't done so in while. This resets everything so it's a good way to eliminate those one-off problems that might occur. But if voice dictation still won't work, what texting app are you now using? If might not have any voice dictation capability. Which texting app were you using when voice dictation was working?

You might also want to try going into your Settings >> Apps menu, find the texting app you use and open it, hit the 'Force stop' button, then tap on 'Storage', the tap on 'Clear cache'. Now start your texting app and see if that made any difference.
If there's an app named 'TalkBack' in your Settings >> Apps menu, try 'Clear cache' on that too.
 
hanks for the quick reply! I am using the default "Messaging" app. The voice dictation has always worked with it... until the last couple of months. I tried the "Force Stop" and "Clear Cache" that you suggested, but no help. I have powered down and restarted my phone many times... but just to be sure, I did it again, just now. No help... unless there is a "Reset" option in the settings somewhere that I don't know about.
 
I just had a thought... playing around in the settings, I saw something somewhere that mentioned that my gmail account was used to sync data. It occurs to me that I changed my gmail password a while back... possibly around the same time that I started having problems. I changed my password in my GMail app, and I can access my GMail fine, but is there somewhere in the settings that I also have to change the password? If so, Google could make the error message a little more specific than the generic "Cannot connect to server" that it gives.
 
OK, that is good thought. Assuming that the Google account that's tied to your phone is the same account you use for Gmail (i.e. some people just use their Google account to authenticate their phone but use a different email service, or a different Gmail account address), go back into your Settings >> Accounts >> Google menu and in the upper right corner tap on the three vertical dots icon, then tap on 'Sync now'. Does some kind of popup appear that asking you to enter your (new) password?

Another thing to check is go to Settings >> Apps >> Messenger and check the Permissions menu, specifically that the 'Microphone' option is enabled.

The last suggestion I can think of would be to go back into your Settings >> Apps menu, find the Messenger app, to the Force stop, tap on Storage, and instead of Clear cache use the Clear data button. This doesn't delete your text messages, that refers to the settings and configuration data for the app itself. The Clear data returns the app to its original, first-time use state so it's important to note that when you start up the app, you'll be going through the process of setting it again (provide your phone number, password, and any changes you make previous to the app's settings menu.)
 
Yeah, a Factory Reset is last resort option. Just be sure all your saved info is backed up, and don't just assume your backup solution is working, check that everything is backed up -- email, calendar, contacts for your Gmail account are all synced (use a browser to log into your account), if you have Google Photos do the same going to htttps://photos.google.com , if you have a big music library be sure you have originals or backups, etc.
 
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