If you are a slow typist, or if you simply think better when speaking out loud, typing a long document in Microsoft Word can feel tedious. Fortunately, modern versions of Word (including Microsoft 365) have a highly accurate, built-in speech-to-text tool that allows you to talk to your computer and watch the words appear on the screen.
Here is how to use the Dictate feature in Microsoft Word.
How to Start Dictating
- Open your Microsoft Word document.
- Make sure your computer’s microphone is turned on and working. (Using a headset or a dedicated external microphone will yield the most accurate results).
- Click anywhere on the page where you want the text to begin.
- Go to the Home tab on the ribbon menu.
- Look toward the far right side of the ribbon and click the Dictate button (it has a microphone icon).
As soon as you click the button, a small recording toolbar will appear on the screen, and you will hear a chime. The microphone icon on the toolbar will turn blue with a red recording dot, indicating that Word is actively listening.
Begin speaking naturally and clearly. You will see the text appear on the screen almost instantly.
How to Add Punctuation
The dictation tool is smart, but it cannot read your mind regarding grammar. To add punctuation, you must speak the punctuation marks out loud as you talk.
For example, if you want the document to say: “Hello, how are you today? I am fine.”
You must say: “Hello comma how are you today question mark I am fine period”
Common punctuation commands include:
- “Period”
- “Comma”
- “Question mark”
- “Exclamation point”
- “New line” (moves to the next line)
- “New paragraph” (creates a double-spaced paragraph break)
How to Stop Dictating
When you are finished talking, or if you need to cough or answer a phone call, simply click the Microphone icon on the small floating toolbar to pause the dictation. Click it again when you are ready to resume.