How to Voice Type and Dictate on Google Docs

You can easily type and edit documents by speaking in Google Docs. Just speak normally, and Google Docs will transcribe your speech accurately. As of now, this voice typing feature is exclusively available when using the Google Chrome web browser.

How to Voice Type on Google Docs

1. Make sure your computer’s microphone is turned on and working correctly.
2. Open a document in Google Docs using the Google Chrome browser.
3. Go to Tools > Voice typing in the top menu. Alternatively, you can use the keyboard shortcut Control + Shift + S (for Windows) or Command + Shift + S (for Mac).
4. A little microphone box will appear on your screen. You can change the language here if needed. You can also click and drag the microphone window to move it out of your way.
5. To start recording, just click the microphone icon. Speak clearly, at a normal speed and volume.

Editing and Formatting with Voice Commands

• You can add punctuation to your text by using voice commands like “period”, “comma”, “exclamation point”, “question mark”, “new line”, and “new paragraph”.
• You can also use voice commands to edit and format your document. Read the official guide for a complete list of Google Docs voice commands.
• If you make a mistake while voice typing, you can move your cursor to the mistake and correct it manually without having to turn off the microphone.
• If Google’s voice recognition is unsure about a transcribed word, it will underline the word with a dotted grey line. To correct it, right-click on the word and choose the right option from the suggestions.

Once you are done dictating, simply click the microphone icon again to turn off voice typing.