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

Woman sitting on couch using laptop

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. 

An image of how voice to text software works

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

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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.

Microsoft Word document

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.

Toolbar in Microsoft Word

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.

Supported languages and preview languages screen

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.

Phrase and output screen in Microsoft Word

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. 

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speech to text in word 2021

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

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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.

Go to Home

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…”. 

Listening activated

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

Click on Dictate

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

Convert speech to text in word

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.

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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: 

Click on Settings

  • 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. 

Select enable auto-punctuation

  • 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. 

Type using other languages

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.

Commands

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.

Using Voice Commands

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”.

Bold the text

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.

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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!

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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.

speech to text in word 2021

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.

speech to text in word 2021

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Dictate text using Speech Recognition

On Windows 11 22H2 and later, Windows Speech Recognition (WSR) will be replaced by voice access starting in September 2024. Older versions of Windows will continue to have WSR available. To learn more about voice access, go to Use voice access to control your PC & author text with your voice .

Speech-to-text can be used with other input modalities to type using your voice. Additionally, your operating system may have built-in solutions for additional voice input and control with speech recognition.

If you are a Microsoft 365 subscriber, see  Dictate in Microsoft 365  or one of the following topics:

Available Help Articles by App 

Windows voice solutions .

Customers who aren't Microsoft 365 subscribers or want to control their PC with voice may be looking for: 

Windows Dictation

Use dictation to talk instead of type on your PC

Windows Speech Recognition

To set up Windows Speech Recognition, go to the instructions for your version of Windows:

Windows 8 and 8.1

Looking for Text-to-Speech instead?

If you are looking for speech output instead, check out: 

Listen to your Word documents with Read Aloud

Converting text to speech in Excel

Download voices for Immersive Reader, Read Mode, and Read Aloud

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How to Dictate Documents in Microsoft Word

Great for writing speeches or your autobiography

Author avatar

Most people can speak faster than they can type. Take advantage of this superpower by dictating your documents! Using speech-to-text is a great way to quickly get your thoughts down in writing. We’ll show you how to dictate documents in Microsoft Word on a computer or your smartphone.

If you use the Mac or Windows desktop version of Word, you won’t find the dictate button unless you subscribe to Microsoft 365. However, you can use the free Microsoft Word web app or smartphone apps to dictate to your heart’s desire. We’ll assume you have a good internet connection and a device with a microphone enabled. 

How to Dictate Documents in Microsoft Word image 1

How to Use Dictation in Word on Macs, PCs, or the Web

The steps for dictating documents in Word are largely the same, no matter whether you’re using the desktop app or the browser-based version.  

  • Launch the Word app, either the desktop app on your Mac or PC or the web app in Chrome, Firefox, or Edge.

How to Dictate Documents in Microsoft Word image 2

  • In the Home menu, select the microphone icon.

How to Dictate Documents in Microsoft Word image 3

  • If prompted, select the button to Allow the use of your microphone.

How to Dictate Documents in Microsoft Word image 4

  • Web app users will see a toolbar with controls for your microphone. Select the microphone icon to begin dictating.

How to Dictate Documents in Microsoft Word image 5

  • Once the microphone icon is activated, you can begin speaking, and you’ll see your words appear in the Word document.

How to Dictate Documents in Microsoft Word image 6

  • Web users can select the gear icon on the dictation toolbar to choose the spoken language, select which microphone device they want to use, and toggle auto-punctuation and the profanity filter on or off.

How to Dictate Documents in Microsoft Word image 7

  • You can use your keyboard or Word’s suggestions to edit your document without needing to turn the microphone off. 
  • When you’re finished, you can exit dictation by selecting Close ( X ) in the dictation toolbar or pressing the microphone button on the ribbon again. 

That’s enough to get started with dictating a Word document on a computer. But keep reading for some expert tips and tricks.

How to Use Dictation on Your Smartphone’s Word App

Smartphones are made for dictation. You might feel strange talking to yourself, but it’s certainly faster than using your phone’s tiny keyboard.

How to Dictate Documents in Microsoft Word image 8

Start with a new Word document or open an existing one. Tap the screen where you want to start dictating, and then select the microphone icon. You can choose the microphone icon inside the Word app itself or the icon on your soft keyboard. Either one will work. 

How to Dictate Documents in Microsoft Word image 9

The benefit of using the Word app’s microphone icon is that you’ll have access to some other dictation tools. You’ll see a toolbar with standard punctuation, a spacebar, and a carriage return (new line) button. Sometimes it’s easier to tap those buttons than it is to use voice commands. 

How to Dictate Documents in Microsoft Word image 10

You’ll also have access to the gear icon to adjust the settings like the spoken language, auto punctuation, and the profanity filter.  

How to Dictate Documents in Microsoft Word image 11

The first time you select the microphone icon in the Word app, you may be prompted to grant Word permission to record audio on your phone. You can choose to either allow it every time you use the app or only this time.

How to Dictate Documents in Microsoft Word image 12

At any point, you can always select the Help button, where you’ll find information on all the voice commands you can use. 

Tips and Tricks for Dictating in Microsoft Word

Sure, you can dictate the text of a Word document, but did you know about all the other things you can do in Word with voice commands? You can use your voice to edit, format, create lists, and add a comment. 

Punctuation Tips & Tricks

You’ll get used to saying the names of punctuation marks and symbols when you dictate.

How to Dictate Documents in Microsoft Word image 13

  • Add punctuation simply by saying the name of the punctuation mark you want to insert. You can say things like period , comma , new line , and apostrophe . 
  • Say open quotes and close quotes .
  • You can say ellipsis or dot dot dot … it’s up to you!
  • For punctuation like parentheses, brackets, and braces, you can say either left or open bracket (or parentheses or brace) and either right or close bracket (or parentheses or brace). 
  • If it’s a character, you can probably dictate it. Try commands like asterisk , m-dash , copyright sign , and degree symbol . 

Editing Tips & Tricks

Think of it this way. You’re the boss and Word is your employee. Just tell Word what you want it to do. 

How to Dictate Documents in Microsoft Word image 14

  • If you say delete , Word will delete the last word or punctuation mark that appears before the cursor.
  • If you say delete that , it’ll remove the last thing you said.
  • You can tell Word to delete a specific word in the middle of a sentence. For example, let’s say you dictated, “You can’t judge a book by its awful cover.” You could say delete awful , and then you’d be left with “You can’t judge a book by its cover.”
  • Rather than saying backspace repeatedly to go back several spaces, you can just say backspace [1-100] . In other words, you can say backspace twenty . 
  • If you make a mistake, you can always say undo .

Formatting Tips & Tricks

Like the editing tips, you can use voice commands to add formatting to specific words or phrases.

How to Dictate Documents in Microsoft Word image 15

  • For simple formatting like bold , italics , underline , and strikethrough , you can pair those commands with words or phrases in your document. For example, in the screencap below, we said, “ bold phrases ,” and it did!
  • To undo all the formatting from the document, say clear all formatting . 
  • Use the align command to align your text left, right, or center.
  • If you’re not sure a particular command exists, try it and find out. For example, you can say, underline last sentence , and Word will know exactly what you mean.
  • Creating lists is easy with commands like start list , start numbered list , and exit list .

Bonus Dictation Tips & Tricks

Before you go, check out these final dictation tips and tricks.

How to Dictate Documents in Microsoft Word image 16

  • Say add comment to create a blank comment box that you can type into.
  • Even better, say something like add comment I love this paragraph period , and it will insert a comment with the text “I love this paragraph.”
  • Dictate currency symbols. You can say dollar sign , pound sterling sign (don’t forget the “sterling” or it will insert the # sign), euro sign , or yen sign .
  • Insert common emojis like smiley face , winky face , heart emoji , or frowny face . 

 If you know of any more dictation commands in Microsoft Word, leave them in the comments!

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Maggie Marystone is a freelance technology writer, human rights worker, and storyteller based in Chicago. Read Maggie's Full Bio

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How-To Geek

How to transcribe audio in microsoft word.

Microsoft recently rolled out a new feature for Word online that allows you to transcribe audio. Here's how to use it.

Quick Links

Record and transcribe live audio, upload and transcribe an audio file.

Microsoft  debuted in August 2020  an audio transcription feature for the online version of Word that converts audio (recorded or uploaded from a file) directly to text, and even separates the text based on the speaker. Here's how to use the feature.

To transcribe audio with Word, you must be a Microsoft 365 premium subscriber . If you have the free version and you try to use the feature, you'll be met with a message asking you to subscribe.

You can have Word transcribe audio that you record directly within Word. Sign in to Microsoft 365, and open Word. In the "Home" tab, click the arrow next to "Dictate" and then select "Transcribe" from the menu that appears.

If this is your first time using the feature, you'll need to give Microsoft permission to access your microphone .

The "Transcribe" pane will open in the right-hand side of the window. Select "Start Recording."

Once selected, the timer will start. Now, you'll want to begin speaking. You won't see the transcription happen live as you're speaking because Microsoft found that to be a bit too distracting during its testing.

After you're finished, click the "Pause" button and then select "Save and Transcribe Now."

It may take a few minutes for Word to finish transcribing the audio recording and uploading it to OneDrive .

Once this is done, you'll see the transcription appear in the same pane you recorded the audio. Each section will have a timestamp, the speaker's name, and the transcribed text. Microsoft automatically separates the text by the speaker.

If Word detects multiple speakers, you'll see "Speaker 1," Speaker 2," and so on. If Word can't detect multiple speakers, you'll just see "Speaker."

You might notice that the transcript doesn't perfectly reflect the recorded audio accurately. You can edit a section of the transcript by hovering your mouse over the incorrect text and then selecting the pen icon.

Now you can edit the transcription found in this section. You can also edit the name of the speaker, as well as every instance where the speaker (i.e., Speaker 1 or Speaker 2) appears by ticking the box next to "Change All Speaker." When you're finished, click the checkmark.

If necessary, you can use the playback controls to revisit the audio recording. This is necessary if the transcript is long, and you can't remember exactly who said what. Here's the function of each button, from left to right:

  • Playback speed
  • Fast forward

When you're finished editing the transcript, you can add it to the document by selecting the "Add All To Document" button at the bottom of the pane.

Once selected, the audio recording and the content of the transcript will appear in the document.

If you already have an audio file that you want to transcribe, you can upload it to Word.  Sign in to Microsoft 365, and open Word. In the "Home" tab, click the arrow next to "Dictate" and then select "Transcribe" from the menu that appears.

The "Transcribe" pane will open in the right-hand side of the window. Select "Upload Audio." You can upload these audio file types:

File Explorer (Finder for Mac) will open. Navigate to the location of the audio file, select it, and then click "Open."

Microsoft will begin transcribing the audio file. Depending on the size of the file, this could take quite a bit of time.

Once Microsoft finishes transcribing the audio file, the text will appear in the pane.

If you face the same issue with your audio file, you can edit the text by hovering over the section and clicking the "Pen" icon. If you need to hear the audio again, you can do so by using the audio controls.

Next, edit the name of the speaker (and each instance that the speaker appears by ticking the "Change All Speaker" box) and the text from that section. When finished, click the "Checkmark."

Once you've edited the content of the transcript, click "Add All To Document."

The audio file and text of the transcript will be added to the Word document.

While not perfect, this feature can potentially save you a lot of time, especially if the speaker in the audio is speaking clearly.

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How To Use Speech To Text In Microsoft Word?

Users are often required to write a long document by typing words into the software which takes a lot of time. Instead of that, users can use the Speech Recognition feature of Microsoft Word that enables typing with voice in Microsoft Word. Let us try to learn and review some easy steps for how to use speech-to-text in MS Word .

How-To-Use-Speech-To-Text-In-Microsoft-Word

Note: Requirements for Microsoft’s speech-to-text software Valid  Microsoft 365  subscription Stable Internet Connection

If you have both, then you are ready to Use Speech To Text Feature in Microsoft Word! Let’s Come to the steps.

Steps To Use Speech-To-Text Microsoft Word

Step 1: At first, open the Control Panel in the machine. Now, click on Speech Recognition.

Steps To Use Speech-To-Text Microsoft Word - step 1

Step 2: Then click on Start Speech Recognition to convert the speech to the word in the Microsoft Document. It will open a new window.

Steps To Use Speech-To-Text Microsoft Word - step 2

Step 3: Click on Next to move ahead in the process of how to voice type in MS Word .

Steps To Use Speech-To-Text Microsoft Word - step 3

Step 4: In the next window, click on the Headset Microphone and click the Next button to move ahead in the process.

Steps To Use Speech-To-Text Microsoft Word - step 4

Step 5: Now, in the next window, find a line written to read it loudly. It will help to mark the voice on the device. After reading the line loudly, click on the Next button present there.

Steps To Use Speech-To-Text Microsoft Word - step 5

Step 6: In the next window, click on the Enable Document Review option. It will help in typing words by listening to the speech & reviewing paragraphs the document if necessary. After that, click on the Next button.

Steps To Use Speech-To-Text Microsoft Word - step 6

Step 7: Now click on the Manual Activation method. In this case, you should start the Speech Commanding operation on your own. It will reduce issues while writing documents. After that, click on the Next button.

Steps To Use Speech-To-Text Microsoft Word - step 7

Step 8: At the end of the process, a tutorial is available to understand the process. If needed, it can be viewed. In this case, click on Skip Tutorial . And the window will be closed.

Steps To Use Speech-To-Text Microsoft Word - step 8

Step 9: At the end, find a button that is now available on the screen. Click on the Mic symbol to enable the speech commanding operation. When it is ready to use, it will say Listening . Now, you can say anything & it will be written down in Microsoft Word.

Steps To Use Speech-To-Text Microsoft Word - step 9

Hence, we have successfully converted the speech to text in Microsoft Word. Now you can use the speech-to-text feature of Microsoft Word that enables typing with voice for typing long paragraphs time-saving . We hope you this time saving guide and helped you, teaches you something useful that you can apply and increase your speed by saving time.

FAQs To Use Speech Text Feature in Microsoft Word

1. What’s the shortcut for speech-to-text on Windows?

Press Win + H to start speaking. It opens speech recognition for typing.

2. Can I use speech-to-text in any application or window?

Yes, you can use speech-to-text in any application or window that takes text input. For example Notepad , , word processing apps etc.

3. Can I use speech recognition in multiple languages?

Yes, Windows supports various languages for speech recognition. You can switch between languages and dictate in the language you’re comfortable with.

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Brazil Supreme Court justice orders investigation of Elon Musk over fake news and obstruction

Elon Musk.

RIO DE JANEIRO — A crusading Brazilian Supreme Court justice included Elon Musk as a target in an ongoing investigation over the dissemination of fake news and opened a separate investigation late Sunday into the executive for alleged obstruction.

In his decision, Justice Alexandre de Moraes noted that Musk on Saturday began waging a public “disinformation campaign” regarding the top court’s actions, and that Musk continued the following day — most notably with comments that his social media company X would cease to comply with the court’s orders to block certain accounts.

“The flagrant conduct of obstruction of Brazilian justice, incitement of crime, the public threat of disobedience of court orders and future lack of cooperation from the platform are facts that disrespect the sovereignty of Brazil,” de Moraes wrote.

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Musk will be investigated for alleged intentional criminal instrumentalization of X as part of an investigation into a network of people known as digital militias who allegedly spread defamatory fake news and threats against Supreme Court justices, according to the text of the decision. The new investigation will look into whether Musk engaged in obstruction, criminal organization and incitement.

Musk has not commented on X about the latest development as of late Sunday.

Brazil’s political right has long characterized de Moraes as overstepping his bounds to clamp down on free speech and engage in political persecution. In the digital militias investigation, lawmakers from former President Jair Bolsonaro’s circle have been imprisoned and his supporters’ homes raided. Bolsonaro himself became a target of the investigation in 2021.

De Moraes’ defenders have said his decisions, although extraordinary, are legally sound and necessary to purge social media of fake news as well as extinguish threats to Brazilian democracy — notoriously underscored by the Jan. 8, 2023, uprising in Brazil’s capital that resembled the Jan. 6, 2021 insurrection in the US Capitol.

On Saturday, Musk — a self-declared free speech absolutist — wrote on X that the platform would lift all restrictions on blocked accounts and predicted that the move was likely to dry up revenue in Brazil and force the company to shutter its local office.

“But principles matter more than profit,” he wrote.

He later instructed users in Brazil to download a VPN to retain access if X was shut down and wrote that X would publish all of de Moraes’ demands, claiming they violate Brazilian law.

“These are the most draconian demands of any country on Earth!” he later wrote.

Musk had not published de Moraes’ demands as of late Sunday and prominent blocked accounts remained so, indicating X had yet to act based on Musk’s previous pledges.

Moraes’ decision warned against doing so, saying each blocked account that X eventually reactivates will entail a fine of 100,000 reais ($20,000) per day, and that those responsible will be held legally to account for disobeying a court order.

Brazil’s attorney general wrote Saturday night that it was urgent for Brazil to regulate social media platforms. “We cannot live in a society in which billionaires domiciled abroad have control of social networks and put themselves in a position to violate the rule of law, failing to comply with court orders and threatening our authorities. Social peace is non-negotiable,” Jorge Messias wrote on X.

Brazil’s constitution was drafted after the 1964-1985 military dictatorship and contains a long list of aspirational goals and prohibitions against specific crimes such as racism and, more recently, homophobia. But freedom of speech is not absolute.

speech to text in word 2021

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April 9, 2024

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Voice to text (Dictate) in Word 2019

I have Office 2019 and I have looked for the "Dictate" button in Word - but do not have it. I want to speak and the words appear in Word or Onenote for |Windows 10 - I can't find it in OneNote either

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DaveM121

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Thank you Dave, I thought it was available in 2019, what about OneNote. I have One Note for Windows 10, but strangely I do not have it from Office 2019 - unless it is called that.

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  1. Dictate your documents in Word

    It's a quick and easy way to get your thoughts out, create drafts or outlines, and capture notes. Windows Mac. Open a new or existing document and go to Home > Dictate while signed into Microsoft 365 on a mic-enabled device. Wait for the Dictate button to turn on and start listening. Start speaking to see text appear on the screen.

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    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 ...

  3. How to Enable & Use SPEECH-TO-TEXT (Dictate) in WORD

    Want to use your voice to type in Microsoft Word rather than your keyboard? Using dictation, or commonly known as "speech-to-text", is a simple feature offe...

  4. How to Dictate a Document in Microsoft Word

    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.

  5. Dictate in Microsoft 365

    Dictate in Microsoft 365. Word for Microsoft 365 Outlook for Microsoft 365 More... 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.

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

    You can also see the dictate icon in the main menu changes. Click on Dictate. As you speak, Microsoft Word converts the speech into text. The text appears on the screen as you speak. Convert speech to text in word. You can exit the Dictate mode by clicking on the close button in the top right corner of the dialog box.

  7. How to Use Speech-to-Text on Word to Write and Edit

    1. In Microsoft Word, make sure you're in the "Home" tab at the top of the screen, and then click "Dictate." Click "Dictate" to start Word's speech-to-text feature. Dave Johnson/Business Insider ...

  8. Dictate text using Speech Recognition

    Customers who aren't Microsoft 365 subscribers or want to control their PC with voice may be looking for: Windows Dictation. Use dictation to talk instead of type on your PC. Windows Speech Recognition. To set up Windows Speech Recognition, go to the instructions for your version of Windows: Windows 10. Windows 8 and 8.1.

  9. How to Dictate Documents in Microsoft Word

    Launch the Word app, either the desktop app on your Mac or PC or the web app in Chrome, Firefox, or Edge. In the Home menu, select the microphone icon. If prompted, select the button to Allow the use of your microphone. Web app users will see a toolbar with controls for your microphone. Select the microphone icon to begin dictating.

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    Microsoft debuted in August 2020 an audio transcription feature for the online version of Word that converts audio (recorded or uploaded from a file) directly to text, and even separates the text based on the speaker. Here's how to use the feature. To transcribe audio with Word, you must be a Microsoft 365 premium subscriber.If you have the free version and you try to use the feature, you'll ...

  12. How to Transcribe Audio to Text in Microsoft Word

    In this step-by-step tutorial video, learn how you can transcribe speech in Word. Transcribe converts speech (recorded directly in Word or from an uploaded a...

  13. How to Dictate Text in Microsoft Office

    Dictate in Word for the Web. To use Microsoft Office on the web, sign in with your Microsoft Account. At the main Office screen, click the icon for Word. Open a document and click the Dictate icon ...

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    Use Dictation. After clicking the Dictate button: Start speaking immediately to dictate your words. You'll see the small Dictation Toolbar appear. To pause, click the microphone icon in the ...

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    Accessible across various platforms, integrating speech-to-text within Microsoft Word is designed for simplicity. From microphone setup to effective punctuation, this guide covers all aspects of a smooth transition. Seamless Integration of Speech-to-Text in Microsoft Word. Before you start, make sure to have: An active Microsoft 365 subscription

  16. How To Use Speech To Text In Microsoft Word?

    Step 1: At first, open the Control Panel in the machine. Now, click on Speech Recognition. Step 2: Then click on Start Speech Recognition to convert the speech to the word in the Microsoft Document. It will open a new window. Step 3: Click on Next to move ahead in the process of how to voice type in MS Word. Step 4: In the next window, click on ...

  17. Dictation and Voice Commands in Microsoft Word 2021

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    Harassment is any behavior intended to disturb or upset a person or group of people. Threats include any threat of suicide, violence, or harm to another.