Android setup & permissions

The first-run guide asks for three permissions, one at a time. Read each preview before continuing: Bulbul explains what it needs and lets you rehearse the flow.

1. Microphone

Bulbul needs microphone access to record the speech you choose to dictate. You can still open the app without it, but dictation cannot begin until it is allowed.

2. Display over other apps

This permission allows the floating bubble to sit above the keyboard and other apps. Drag the bubble to a comfortable edge; it stays where you put it.

3. Accessibility service

Accessibility is how Bulbul inserts your finished transcript into the field you have focused. It does not use a clipboard round-trip. Android may show a restricted-settings warning for sideloaded apps; follow the system’s app-info flow only if you trust the build you installed.

Test before you leave setup

Use the guided test dictation to confirm that recording, processing, and text insertion all work. If one stage fails, revisit only that permission rather than resetting the entire app.