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.
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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.”
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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.
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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.
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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.
