speech to text word 2021

How to use speech to text in Microsoft Word

Speech to text in Microsoft Word is a hidden gem that is powerful and easy to use. We show you how to do it in five quick and simple steps

Master the skill of speech to text in Microsoft Word and you'll be dictating documents with ease before you know it. Developed and refined over many years, Microsoft's speech recognition and voice typing technology is an efficient way to get your thoughts out, create drafts and make notes.

Just like the best speech to text apps that make life easier for us when we're using our phones, Microsoft's offering is ideal for those of us who spend a lot of time using Word and don't want to wear out our fingers or the keyboard with all that typing. While speech to text in Microsoft Word used to be prone to errors which you'd then have to go back and correct, the technology has come a long way in recent years and is now amongst the best text-to-speech software .

Regardless of whether you have the best computer or the best Windows laptop , speech to text in Microsoft Word is easy to access and a breeze to use. From connecting your microphone to inserting punctuation, you'll find everything you need to know right here in this guide. Let's take a look...

How to use speech to text in Microsoft Word: Preparation

The most important thing to check is whether you have a valid Microsoft 365 subscription, as voice typing is only available to paying customers. If you’re reading this article, it’s likely your business already has a Microsoft 365 enterprise subscription. If you don’t, however, find out more about Microsoft 365 for business via this link . 

The second thing you’ll need before you start voice typing is a stable internet connection. This is because Microsoft Word’s dictation software processes your speech on external servers. These huge servers and lighting-fast processors use vast amounts of speech data to transcribe your text. In fact, they make use of advanced neural networks and deep learning technology, which enables the software to learn about human speech and continuously improve its accuracy. 

These two technologies are the key reason why voice typing technology has improved so much in recent years, and why you should be happy that Microsoft dictation software requires an internet connection. 

Once you’ve got a valid Microsoft 365 subscription and an internet connection, you’re ready to go!

Are you a pro? Subscribe to our newsletter

Sign up to the TechRadar Pro newsletter to get all the top news, opinion, features and guidance your business needs to succeed!

Step 1: Open Microsoft Word

Simple but crucial. Open the Microsoft Word application on your device and create a new, blank document. We named our test document “How to use speech to text in Microsoft Word - Test” and saved it to the desktop so we could easily find it later.

Step 2: Click on the Dictate button

Once you’ve created a blank document, you’ll see a Dictate button and drop-down menu on the top right-hand corner of the Home menu. It has a microphone symbol above it. From here, open the drop-down menu and double-check that the language is set to English.

One of the best parts of Microsoft Word’s speech to text software is its support for multiple languages. At the time of writing, nine languages were supported, with several others listed as preview languages. Preview languages have lower accuracy and limited punctuation support.

Step 3: Allow Microsoft Word access to the Microphone

If you haven’t used Microsoft Word’s speech to text software before, you’ll need to grant the application access to your microphone. This can be done at the click of a button when prompted.

It’s worth considering using an external microphone for your dictation, particularly if you plan on regularly using voice to text software within your organization. While built-in microphones will suffice for most general purposes, an external microphone can improve accuracy due to higher quality components and optimized placement of the microphone itself.

Step 4: Begin voice typing

Now we get to the fun stuff. After completing all of the above steps, click once again on the dictate button. The blue symbol will change to white, and a red recording symbol will appear. This means Microsoft Word has begun listening for your voice. If you have your sound turned up, a chime will also indicate that transcription has started. 

Using voice typing is as simple as saying aloud the words you would like Microsoft to transcribe. It might seem a little strange at first, but you’ll soon develop a bit of flow, and everyone finds their strategies and style for getting the most out of the software. 

These four steps alone will allow you to begin transcribing your voice to text. However, if you want to elevate your speech to text software skills, our fifth step is for you.

Step 5: Incorporate punctuation commands

Microsoft Word’s speech to text software goes well beyond simply converting spoken words to text. With the introduction and improvement of artificial neural networks, Microsoft’s voice typing technology listens not only to single words but to the phrase as a whole. This has enabled the company to introduce an extensive list of voice commands that allow you to insert punctuation marks and other formatting effects while speaking. 

We can’t mention all of the punctuation commands here, but we’ll name some of the most useful. Saying the command “period” will insert a period, while the command “comma” will insert, unsurprisingly, a comma. The same rule applies for exclamation marks, colons, and quotations. If you’d like to finish a paragraph and leave a line break, you can say the command “new line.” 

These tools are easy to use. In our testing, the software was consistently accurate in discerning words versus punctuation commands.

Microsoft’s speech to text software is powerful. Having tested most of the major platforms, we can say that Microsoft offers arguably the best product when balancing cost versus performance. This is because the software is built directly into Microsoft 365, which many businesses already use. If this applies to your business, you can begin using Microsoft’s voice typing technology straight away, with no additional costs. 

We hope this article has taught you how to use speech to text software in Microsoft Word, and that you’ll now be able to apply these skills within your organization. 

Square Online review 2024: Top ecommerce platform pros, cons, and features tested

Adobe Express (2024) review

Ecosia launches plant-friendly cross-platform browser

Most Popular

• 2 New Google Pixel 9 photos leak – and so does the price of the Pixel 8a
• 3 Looking for a cheap OLED display? LG's highly-rated C2 OLED TV is on sale for $839
• 4 Amazon Prime Video's disappearing act could point to a future without the service
• 5 Discord's updated Terms of Service are exactly the wrong response to its recent data breaches
• 2 The iPhone 16 Plus could be the last Plus model of its kind – here’s why
• 3 Sony dropped OLED for its flagship 2024 TV – here's why
• 4 Meta rolls out new Meta AI website, and it might just bury Microsoft and Google's AI dreams
• 5 3 essential Apple iPhone accessories that are actually worth buying

Dictate in Microsoft 365

Dictation lets you use speech-to-text to author content in Office with a microphone and reliable internet connection. Use your voice to quickly create documents, emails, notes, presentations, or even slide notes. 

Available Help Articles by App 

To get a sense of how it works, see the video below:

Dictation feedback and requests can be sent via in-app feedback or via 'Was this information helpful?' below.

Need more help?

Want more options.

Explore subscription benefits, browse training courses, learn how to secure your device, and more.

Microsoft 365 subscription benefits

Microsoft 365 training

Microsoft security

Accessibility center

Communities help you ask and answer questions, give feedback, and hear from experts with rich knowledge.

Ask the Microsoft Community

Microsoft Tech Community

Windows Insiders

Microsoft 365 Insiders

Was this information helpful?

Thank you for your feedback.

How-To Geek

How to dictate a document in microsoft word.

Rest your fingers and speak your document instead.

Quick Links

Dictate a document on your desktop, dictate a document on the web, dictate a document on your mobile device.

Whether out of necessity or convenience, you can give your keyboard a break and dictate a document in Microsoft Word. You can use the feature in the desktop app, Word for the web, and in the mobile app.

You will need a Microsoft 365 subscription in order to dictate. If you're using Microsoft Office , you may not have the dictation feature. 365 for the web, however, is free for anyone with a Microsoft account.

With your computer's internal microphone, or with a USB microphone in hand, you can dictate your document in Word on both Windows and Mac. Head to the Home tab and click "Dictate."

When the microphone icon appears, you can drag to move it anywhere you like. Click the icon to begin dictating, click again to stop or pause. You can also say "Pause dictation" or "Stop dictation" and can click the icon to resume.

To enable auto-punctuation, change the dialect, or filter sensitive language, click the gear icon to open the Settings.

If you need help with what you can say for things like punctuation, symbols, making corrections, or controlling dictation, click the question mark icon near the microphone to open the Help sidebar.

To stop using dictation , click the "X" in the corner of the icon's window to close it.

Related: How to Use Voice Dictation on Windows 10

The web version of Microsoft Word is free, as long as you have a Microsoft account . The dictation feature is currently available when using Edge, Firefox, Chrome, and Brave  web browsers .

Visit Microsoft Word for the web , sign in, and open your document or create a new one. Go to the Home tab and click the Dictate icon. If it's your first time using the feature, you'll be prompted to allow access to your microphone .

Just like in the desktop application, you'll see a small microphone icon at the bottom. You can move the icon by dragging it. Simply click the icon and begin speaking.

You can pause or stop by clicking the icon again or by saying, "Pause dictation" or "Stop dictation." Then click the icon to continue when you're ready.

To adjust the language, microphone, or other options, click the gear icon near the microphone icon to open the Dictation Settings. Make your changes and click "OK" to save them.

For help with what you can say or specific commands for controlling dictation, click the question mark icon to open the Help panel on the right.

When you finish using dictation, click the "X" in the corner of the icon's window to close it.

Related: How to See Which Apps Are Using Your Microphone on Windows 10

If you use Word on your Android device, iPhone, or iPad, dictation can be handy, especially when you're on-the-go. Open your document and tap the microphone icon.

Begin speaking, tap the icon to pause or stop, or say "Pause dictation" or "Stop dictation" just like the desktop and web applications .

To change the settings, tap the gear icon. Make your adjustments and tap the X to save them and return to your document.

For additional help with dictation on your mobile device , tap the question mark icon.

To stop dictating and type instead, simply tap the keyboard icon.

If you enjoy using the dictation feature in Microsoft Word, be sure to check out how to transcribe audio in Word too.

Related: How to Use Microsoft Word's Hidden Transcription Feature

Simon Sez IT

Online software training and video tutorials for Microsoft, Adobe & more

• Get Started
• Access 2021 Beginners
• Access 2021 Advanced
• Access 2019
• Access 2019 Advanced
• Access 2016
• Copilot Essentials in Microsoft Office
• Microsoft Excel 365 Intermediate
• Excel 365 for Beginners
• The Accountants Excel Toolkit
• Data Analytics in Excel
• Excel 2021 Advanced
• Microsoft 365
• PowerPoint 365 for Beginners
• Microsoft Word 365
• OneNote Desktop and Windows 10
• OneNote 2016
• Outlook 2021
• Outlook 2019
• Outlook 2016
• Outlook 2013
• Outlook 2010
• Introduction to Power Automate
• Power BI Essentials
• Power BI Training
• Power BI Intermediate
• PowerPoint 2021
• PowerPoint 2019
• PowerPoint 2016
• PowerPoint 2013
• Project 2021 Advanced
• Project 2021 Beginners
• Project for the Web
• Project 2019
• Project 2019 Advanced
• Microsoft Publisher 365
• Publisher 2013
• SharePoint Online: The Essential Guide (2023)
• SharePoint Online (2021)
• SharePoint Foundation 2013
• SharePoint Server 2013
• SharePoint Foundation 2010
• Microsoft Teams (2023 Update)
• Macros and VBA for Beginners
• VBA for Excel
• VBA Intermediate Training
• Microsoft Visio 2019
• Microsoft Visio 2010
• Windows 11 Advanced
• Windows 11 (2023 Update)
• Windows 10 (2020 Update)
• Word 2019 Advanced
• Dreamweaver CC
• Dreamweaver CS6
• Dreamweaver CS5
• Dreamweaver CS4
• Adobe Illustrator CC for Beginners
• Adobe InDesign CC for Beginners
• InDesign CS6
• InDesign CS5
• Adobe Photoshop CC Advanced
• Adobe Photoshop CC Intermediate
• Adobe Photoshop CC for Beginners
• Photoshop CS6
• Photoshop CS5
• Photoshop Elements 2022
• Photoshop Elements 2019
• Photoshop Elements 2018
• Photoshop Elements 15
• Photoshop Elements 14
• QuickBooks Desktop 2023
• QuickBooks Desktop Pro 2022
• QuickBooks Pro 2021
• QuickBooks Online Advanced
• QuickBooks Online
• AngularJS Crash Course
• Bootstrap Framework
• HTML/CSS Crash Course
• HTML5 Essentials
• Java for Beginners
• JavaScript for Beginners
• jQuery Crash Course
• MySQL for Beginners
• PHP for Beginners
• Advanced PHP Programming
• Matplotlib, Seaborn, and Plotly Python Libraries for Beginners
• Python Object-Oriented Programming
• Pandas for Beginners
• Introduction to Python
• SQL for Beginners
• SQL Server Integration Services for Beginners
• XML Crash Course
• Alteryx Advanced
• Introduction to Alteryx
• Introduction to Data Visualization and Business Intelligence Principles
• Analytical Methods for Effective Data Analysis
• Introduction to Analytics and Artificial Intelligence
• Financial Risk Management
• Financial Forecasting and Modeling
• Qlik Sense Advanced
• R Programming
• Tableau Desktop Advanced
• Tableau Desktop
• Advanced Agile Scrum
• Agile Scrum Training
• Using Generative AI for Images and Videos
• Generative AI and Cybersecurity
• Introduction to ChatGPT
• Artificial Intelligence Intermediate
• Asana for Employees and Managers
• Introduction to Asana
• Effective Communication Tactics for the Modern Workplace
• Introduction to Confluence
• HubSpot CRM for Beginners
• Introduction to Google Drive
• Gmail for Beginners and Pros
• Google Sheets for Beginners
• Getting Started in Jira
• Getting Started in Monday.com
• Cybersecurity Essentials: Stay Safe and Secure Online
• Cybersecurity Awareness Essentials
• Excel Efficiency and Data Management
• Excel Advanced Features and Customization
• Mastering PivotTables
• Microsoft Suite Productivity

How to Convert Speech to Text in Word? A step-by-Step Guide

(Note: This guide on how to convert speech to text in Word is suitable for all MS Word versions including  Office 365 )

Typing a large document might be hectic sometimes. It is a rigorous process to sit with your keyboard and click key after key. You might wonder if there is an easier way to type. 

Fortunately, an alternate way to ease your efforts in typing is to use the Speech-to-Text feature in Word. 

The speech-to-text feature is particularly useful when you have to type fast. This reduces the additional work you have to do while taking notes for meetings, jotting down quick ideas, or drafting any content. 

Speech-to-Text is the cutting-edge feature adopted by many businesses and technological streams to increase user-friendliness and maintain productivity features. Among them, Microsoft has one of the advanced speech-to-text features. 

If you are planning on a long write-up, this article is for you. In this guide, I’ll explain how to activate the speech-to-text feature in Word and how to make the best out of it.

You’ll Learn

Prerequisites to Know Before Using Speech to Text Feature in Word

How to activate the speech to text feature in word, settings option, help option.

Related Reads:

How to Add Columns in Microsoft Word? All You Need to Know

How to Superscript in Word? 4 Easy Methods

How to Make a Checklist in Word? 3 Simple Steps

Enabling voice typing in Microsoft Word is easy. However, there are some points to bear in mind to make the best of the voice typing feature.

• Make sure you have logged in to the Microsoft official account. Only then you will find the Dictate option in the Home option. But a workaround is to use the built-in Windows speech-to-text function. To activate Windows speech-to-text feature, hold the Windows key and press H. In this way, you can enable the voice typing feature for Word and in all text spaces. But, this feature has some limitations to the language options.
• Speak clearly with proper pronunciation. It is very common for Word to interpret your speech into a relatable word. However, you can change the text through suggestions or manually.
• Try to stay in a silent and noiseless room. It is very easy for microphones to pick up stray noises and convert them into text, which might interfere with your speech.
• The efficiency of speech-to-text conversion relies on the speed of the internet. Make sure you have a stable and reliable internet connection to use the speech-to-text feature with ease. 
• Make sure you allow access to the microphone option for Word. In case the microphone does not have access, the Dictate feature will not be turned on and speech won’t be converted to text. Access to the microphone can be given when activating the Dictate option.
• It is always better to have an external microphone to discern your speech into text in a better way. However, the internal microphone array also does a good job of listening to your speech and converting them to text.

Open a Word document.

In the Main Menu, select Home. Under Voice, select the Dictate option. 

Or, you can use the keyboard shortcut (Alt+`) to enable the voice typing feature in Word.

This opens up a small dialog box. 

To activate the speech-to-text feature, tap on the microphone icon. You will hear a chime and the dialog box shows “Listening…”. 

You can also see the dictate icon in the main menu changes.

As you speak, Microsoft Word converts the speech into text. The text appears on the screen as you speak. 

You can exit the Dictate mode by clicking on the close button in the top right corner of the dialog box. Also, the Dictate mode automatically closes when you open another window or move away from the Word file.

How to Add Page Numbers in Word? 3 Easy Examples

How to Convert PDF to Word

How to Create a Fillable Form in Word

Additional Attributes of Dictate Mode

To the left of the microphone button, you can find the Settings Option. You can customize the Dictate mode by using the Settings button. It shows three options: 

• Enable Auto Punctuation: You can toggle this feature ON to add punctuation marks as you speak. Initially, punctuation marks were entered manually. Now, enabling this option adds punctuation marks like commas, periods, hyphens, and exclamations wherever necessary without being prompted by the user. 

• Filter Sensitive Phrases : Toggling this option ON enables you to cloak any sensitive content inappropriate. When any awkward context arises, Word automatically masks the said word by replacing it with “*****”.
• Languages : This is one of the notable features of the Dictate option in Microsoft Word. This helps you type out the text in the language of your choice. 

For example, if you want to make a Japanese script, select Japanese in the Spoken Language option and start speaking. Microsoft recognizes the uttered word and types out the content in Japanese. 

Microsoft takes great measures to add more languages and increase their compatibility with the feature. Currently, Word supports 15 languages and 36 preview languages. However, preview languages have comparatively less accuracy than the supported language. 

To the right of the microphone button, you can find the Help option. Click on the Help option when faced with any query using the Dictate option. This directs you to Microsoft’s official help page to help solve your queries.

Another most important feature of the speech-to-text conversion in Microsoft Word is its ability to act on verbal commands.

You can add punctuation marks by saying “period”, “comma”, and other such commands. Word will add “.” and “,” in the respective places. For example, in the statement “My favorite colors are red, blue, and green”, you can add the commas “,” by uttering the word comma.

You can edit the text using voice commands like “delete” or “undo” to delete or undo any text after your command. For example, in the command “have a nice day. And a great weekend”, you can utter “delete weekend” to delete the word.

You can also use the “bold”, “strikethrough”, “italics”, and other commands to format the words. Consider the statement, “have a nice day”. To bold the words “nice day”, just utter the words “bold nice day”.

Another one that concerns most people is a breach of privacy. Microsoft has rolled out an official statement saying they don’t store any information. The spoken words are only used to convert your speech into text and provide you with the best results. 

Suggested Reads:

Footnotes in Word and Endnotes in Word

How to do a Mail Merge in Microsoft Word 2013 – Part 2

Using Settings and Preferences in Microsoft Word 2013

Closing Thoughts

In this guide, we saw how to convert speech to text in Word and the additional attributes of the speech-to-text feature.  

Speech-to-Text is one of the golden features of Microsoft. This method of typing is preferred by a majority of common Word users. Initially, you might face a bit of a struggle to properly pronounce the words and make the best of the speech-to-text feature, but as you progress, you will develop a flow for it. 

For more high-quality guides on MS Word or Excel, please visit our  free resources  section.

SimonSezIT has been effectively teaching Excel for 15 years. We have a very comprehensive set of courses with in-depth training modules covering all major business software.

You can access all these  130+ courses  for a low monthly fee. Please visit our courses section for more information about our offers.

Simon Calder

Chris “Simon” Calder was working as a Project Manager in IT for one of Los Angeles’ most prestigious cultural institutions, LACMA.He taught himself to use Microsoft Project from a giant textbook and hated every moment of it. Online learning was in its infancy then, but he spotted an opportunity and made an online MS Project course - the rest, as they say, is history!

Similar Posts

Getting Excited About Outlook 2013 New Features

How to Use the Quick Access Toolbar in Microsoft Word 2013

Inserting Graphics in PowerPoint 2016

How to Use Excel FORECAST Function? 2 Easy Ways

How to Use the Excel IFS Function? – 2 Easy Examples

Excel Conditional Formatting — 9 Best Uses (Bonus Video)

• Privacy Policy

ADVANCE YOUR CAREER

Gain instant access to 200+ courses. Earn a CERTIFICATE each time you complete a course.

How to use speech-to-text on Microsoft Word to write and edit with your voice

• You can use speech-to-text on Microsoft Word through the "Dictate" feature.
• With Microsoft Word's "Dictate" feature, you can write using a microphone and your own voice.
• When you use Dictate, you can say "new line" to create a new paragraph and add punctuation simply by saying the punctuation aloud.
• If you're not satisfied with Word's built-in speech-to-text feature, you can use a third-party program like Dragon Home.
• Visit Business Insider's Tech Reference library for more stories.

While typing is certainly the most common way to create and edit documents in Microsoft Word , you're not limited to using a keyboard. 

Word supports speech-to-text, which lets you dictate your writing using voice recognition. 

Speech-to-text in Word is convenient and surprisingly accurate, and can help anyone who has issues typing with a typical keyboard. 

You can use speech-to-text in Microsoft Word in the same way on both Mac and PC.

Check out the products mentioned in this article:

Apple macbook pro (from $1,299.00 at apple), acer chromebook 15 (from $179.99 at walmart), how to use speech-to-text on word using dictate.

Make sure you have a microphone connected to your computer. This can be built-in, like on a laptop, or a separate mic that you plug into the USB or audio jack. 

It doesn't matter which type you use, though the best kind of mic to use is a headset, as it won't need to compete with as much background noise as a built-in microphone.

1. In Microsoft Word, make sure you're in the "Home" tab at the top of the screen, and then click "Dictate."

2. You should hear a beep, and the dictate button will change to include a red recording light. It's now listening for your dictation. 

3. Speak clearly, and Word should transcribe everything you say in the current document. Speak punctuation aloud as you go. You can also say "New line," which has the same effect as pressing the Enter or Return key on the keyboard. 

4. When you're done dictating, click "Dictate" a second time or turn it off using your voice by saying, "Turn the dictate feature off."

You can still type with the keyboard while Dictate is on, but if you click outside of Word or switch to another program, Dictate will turn itself off.  

Want to change languages? You can click the downward arrow on the Dictate button to choose which of nine or so languages you want to speak. You might also see additional "Preview Languages," which are still in beta and may have lower accuracy.

Speech-to-text alternatives

You're not limited to using the Dictate feature built into Word. While not as popular as they once were, there are several commercial speech-to-text apps available which you can use with Word. 

The most popular of these, Dragon Home , performs the same kind of voice recognition as Word's Dictate, but it also lets you control Word, format text, and make edits to your text using your voice. It works with nearly any program, not just Word.

Related coverage from  Tech Reference :

How to use speech-to-text on a windows computer to quickly dictate text without typing, you can use text-to-speech in the kindle app on an ipad using an accessibility feature— here's how to turn it on, how to use text-to-speech on discord, and have the desktop app read your messages aloud, how to use google text-to-speech on your android phone to hear text instead of reading it, 2 ways to lock a windows computer from your keyboard and quickly secure your data.

Insider Inc. receives a commission when you buy through our links.

Watch: Why Americans throw 'like' in the middle of sentences

• Main content