Outlook Dictate converts speech into text as you compose an email. In supported Outlook versions, open a new message or reply, select the message body, then choose Message > Dictate. You need a Microsoft 365 sign-in, a microphone, and a reliable internet connection.
This guide covers Windows, Mac, and Outlook on the web, along with language settings, punctuation commands, privacy, and fixes for common microphone problems.
Check whether your Outlook installation supports Dictate
Microsoft documents Dictate for Outlook for Microsoft 365, Outlook for Microsoft 365 for Mac, New Outlook for Windows, Outlook on the web, Outlook.com, and Outlook 2024. Availability can vary by account, license, update channel, and organization policy.
You generally need:
- An active Microsoft 365 sign-in. Microsoft’s current support documentation says Dictate is available only to Microsoft 365 subscribers.
- A microphone-enabled computer or browser.
- A reliable internet connection, because speech is processed by Microsoft’s online dictation service.
Do not assume Dictate is included in every perpetual-license installation. Microsoft specifically states that Dictate is unavailable in Office 2016 and Office 2019 for Windows without Microsoft 365. Outlook 2024 is listed among the applicable products, but eligibility for a particular perpetual-license installation is documentation- and account-dependent.
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Enable and use Dictate in New Outlook for Windows
There is no separate Windows switch that you must turn on first. If your account and Outlook version support the feature, the Dictate control appears when the message editor is active.
- Open New Outlook.
- Select New Email, or open a message and choose Reply.
- Click in the message body. Dictate will not start if focus is still in the To, Cc, Subject, or search field.
- Select the Message tab.
- Select Dictate.
- Wait for Dictate to activate and begin listening.
- Speak normally. The resulting text appears in the message body.
To resume Dictate in New Outlook, press Alt+` (Alt plus the backtick/grave-accent key), or select the microphone icon in the ribbon.
Use Dictate in classic Outlook for Windows
Classic Outlook uses the same current menu path:
- Select New Email, or open a message and select Reply.
- Click inside the message body.
- Select Message on the ribbon.
- Select Dictate.
You must be signed in to Microsoft 365, and the computer must have a microphone that Outlook can access. If Dictate is missing, check the account and license before trying to customize the ribbon.
Use Dictate in Outlook for Mac
On a Mac, open a new message or reply, then choose:
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New Email or Reply > Message > Dictate
- Start Outlook for Mac and select New Email, or open an email and select Reply.
- Click in the message body.
- Open the Message tab.
- Select Dictate.
- Speak after the microphone indicates that dictation is active.
The documented Mac shortcut is Option+F1 (also displayed as ⌥+F1). macOS may require permission for Outlook to use the microphone. If the shortcut does nothing, use the ribbon button and check macOS microphone permissions.
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Use Dictate in Outlook on the web
Sign in to Outlook on the web or Outlook.com, compose a message, and use the same editor path:
New Email or Reply > select the message body > Message > Dictate
Your browser must be allowed to use the microphone. If the browser previously blocked access, select the lock or site-permissions icon beside the address bar and change the microphone permission for the Outlook website. Close and reopen the compose window after changing the permission if the button remains inactive.
Change Dictation settings
While Dictate is active, select the gear icon to open Dictation settings. The available controls are:
| Setting | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Spoken Language | Selects the language and regional variant that Dictate should interpret. |
| Microphone | Chooses which connected microphone Outlook should use. |
| Auto Punctuation | Adds punctuation automatically when the selected language supports the option. |
| Profanity filter | Masks potentially sensitive phrases with ***. |
Supported spoken languages include English variants for Australia, Canada, India, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Microsoft also lists Chinese, French, German, Hindi, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese (Brazil), and Spanish variants for Spain and Mexico. Preview languages may have lower accuracy or limited punctuation support.
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Speak punctuation and symbols
Auto Punctuation is convenient for ordinary prose, but explicit commands are more predictable for addresses, lists, technical text, and email templates. In English, say the following commands aloud:
| Say | Dictate inserts |
|---|---|
| period or full stop | . |
| comma | , |
| question mark | ? |
| exclamation mark or exclamation point | ! |
| new line | A new line |
| colon | : |
| semicolon | ; |
| open quotes / close quotes | " |
| hyphen | – |
| ellipsis or dot dot dot | … |
| begin single quote / end single quote | ‘ |
| left or open parenthesis / right or close parenthesis | ( ) |
| left or open bracket / right or close bracket | [ ] |
| left or open brace / right or close brace | { } |
| asterisk | * |
| backslash | \ |
| forward slash | / |
| vertical bar sign or pipe character | | |
| backquote or backtick | ` |
| underscore | _ |
| m-dash / n-dash | — / – |
| at sign | @ |
| dollar sign | $ |
| percent sign | % |
| number sign or pound sign | # |
| plus sign / minus sign / equal sign | + / – / = |
| smiley face / frowny face / winky face | 🙂 / 🙁 / 😉 |
| heart emoji | <3 |
For example, saying Please review the attached file comma new line thank you period produces text with a comma, a line break, and a full stop. Review the message before sending: names, product codes, URLs, and numbers are especially prone to transcription errors.
Fix a missing Dictate button
- Confirm the account. Select your account or profile menu and make sure Outlook is signed in with the Microsoft 365 account that has the subscription.
- Check the Outlook edition. Dictate is not available in Office 2016 or Office 2019 for Windows without Microsoft 365.
- Open a message editor. The Dictate button may not appear until you select the body of a new email or reply.
- Use the correct tab. In Outlook, look under Message, not Home. Home > Dictate is a commonly repeated Word instruction, not the current Outlook path.
- Update or restart Outlook. Close the compose window and Outlook, reopen the app, and install available Microsoft 365 updates.
- Check organization restrictions. A work or school administrator may restrict connected services, microphone access, or feature availability.
Fix microphone and transcription problems
| Symptom | What to check |
|---|---|
| “Another app is using your mic” | Close applications and browser pages that are recording or requesting microphone access, then start Dictate again. |
| “Mic issue,” “Can’t detect mic,” or “Can’t access mic” | Reconnect the microphone, test it in another application, and check microphone settings in Windows Control Panel or macOS. |
| “Dictation can’t hear you” or no text appears | Check the headset mute switch, raise the input level, move closer to the microphone, reduce background noise, or try an external headset. |
| Words are wrong or missing | Check the spoken-language setting, improve the internet connection, slow down, pronounce words clearly, and use a better microphone. |
For a quick test, record a short clip in your computer’s built-in voice recorder. If the recording is silent or extremely quiet, the problem is outside Outlook. If the recording is clear but Dictate fails, select the correct microphone in the Dictation settings gear and verify that Outlook or the browser has permission.
Privacy and internet requirements
Dictation sends speech utterances to Microsoft to generate text results. Microsoft states that the service does not store the audio data or the transcribed text. Because processing requires an online connection, Dictate may be unreliable or unavailable on a poor network. Organizations with strict data-handling rules should also review their Microsoft 365 and tenant policies before using cloud dictation for confidential content.
What about Outlook Mobile?
Do not treat the old Outlook Mobile microphone instructions as a current, generally available workflow. Microsoft’s Outlook Mobile documentation says the Dictate feature was scheduled for retirement beginning in September 2024.
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The older instructions were New Email or Reply > tap the microphone icon. They may appear in older help pages or app versions, but the feature should not be promised for current Outlook Mobile installations.
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Why is Dictate missing in Outlook?
Make sure you are signed in with an active Microsoft 365 account, have selected the message body, and are checking the Message tab. Dictate is not available in Office 2016 or Office 2019 for Windows without Microsoft 365. A work or school administrator may also restrict the feature.
Is Dictate in Outlook under Home or Message?
The current Outlook path is Message > Dictate after you open a new email or reply and select the message body. Home > Dictate is the commonly cited Word path, not the current Outlook path.
What is the Outlook Dictate shortcut on Windows?
In New Outlook for Windows, press Alt plus the backtick/grave-accent key: Alt+`. You can also select the microphone icon in the ribbon.
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What is the Dictate shortcut in Outlook for Mac?
The documented Mac shortcut is Option+F1, also shown as ⌥+F1.
Can I use Outlook Dictate without internet?
No. Microsoft requires a reliable internet connection because Dictate sends speech utterances to its online service for transcription.
Does Outlook Dictate store my recordings?
Microsoft states that Dictate does not store the audio data or the transcribed text. Speech is nevertheless sent to Microsoft to produce the text result, so follow your organization’s data-handling rules for confidential messages.
Does Dictate still work in Outlook Mobile?
Microsoft announced that Outlook Mobile Dictate was scheduled for retirement beginning in September 2024. The old tap-the-microphone instructions should therefore be treated as legacy instructions, not as a guaranteed current feature.
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For supported Outlook installations, start with New Email or Reply > select the message body > Message > Dictate. If the control is missing, verify the Microsoft 365 sign-in and edition first; if it starts but produces no text, test the microphone, permissions, input level, language, and internet connection. Use explicit punctuation commands when accuracy matters, and proofread names, numbers, links, and technical terms before sending.
For the latest product and language availability, consult Microsoft’s Outlook Dictate support page and its Outlook Mobile Dictate notice.
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