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Microsoft Word can turn your speech into text through the Dictate command. It works in the Word desktop app and Word for the web, but it needs an active Microsoft 365 subscription, a microphone, and an internet connection. The basic process is simple: place the cursor in the document, start Dictate, and speak clearly.
Before you start
Check these requirements before troubleshooting the feature:
- You are signed in to Word with an account that has an active Microsoft 365 subscription.
- Your computer has a working microphone. A headset or external microphone can improve recognition.
- You have a reliable internet connection. Word sends speech utterances to Microsoft’s speech service to produce text; Microsoft says it does not store the audio data or transcribed text.
- On Windows, you are running Windows 10 or later.
- For Word on the web, you are using a supported browser such as Microsoft Edge, Chrome, or Firefox.
Dictation is not documented as an offline Word feature. If the connection drops, speech recognition may stop or produce incomplete text.
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How to dictate in Word for Windows or Mac
- Open Word and open an existing document or create a blank document.
- Click where you want the transcribed text to appear.
- On the ribbon, select Home > Dictate.
- Wait for the Dictate control to activate and begin listening.
- Speak naturally. Word inserts the recognized words at the cursor.
- Select Dictate again, or select the Close (X) button on the Dictation toolbar, when you are finished.
On Windows, you can resume dictation with Alt + ` (the backquote key), or select the microphone icon in the floating dictation menu. On a Mac, Microsoft lists Option + F1 as the shortcut for starting dictation.
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Use Dictate in Word for the web
- Open Word for the web and open a document.
- Place the cursor in the document.
- Select Home > Dictate.
- Allow the browser to use your microphone if it asks for permission.
- Wait for Dictate to turn on, then speak.
- Select Dictate again or close the Dictation toolbar to stop.
If you denied microphone access, selecting Dictate again may not be enough. Use the browser’s site-permission controls to allow microphone access for Microsoft 365, then refresh the Word page.
Choose the language and microphone
With the Dictation toolbar open, select the gear icon. Depending on the Word version and selected language, the menu can include:
- Spoken Language: tells Word which language and regional speech variety to recognize.
- Microphone: lets you choose the input device.
- Auto Punctuation: automatically adds punctuation when available for that language.
- Filter sensitive phrases: masks potentially sensitive phrases with
***. - Voice Commands: available in Word for the web for supported languages and enabled by default.
Dictation normally follows the document language in Microsoft 365. Microsoft’s accessibility documentation says changing the dictation language requires the full desktop version of Word; Word for the web exposes language controls through its Dictation settings.
Fully supported spoken languages currently include Chinese (China), English (Australia, Canada, India, the United Kingdom, and the United States), French (Canada and France), German (Germany), Hindi, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese (Brazil), and Spanish (Spain and Mexico). Word also offers preview languages, including Arabic, Dutch, Korean, Polish, Russian, Swedish, Thai, Turkish, Vietnamese, and others. Preview languages may be less accurate and may support fewer punctuation commands.
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Speak punctuation and paragraph breaks
You do not have to dictate punctuation as symbols. Say the command while speaking, and Word inserts the corresponding mark.
| Say | Word inserts |
|---|---|
period or full stop |
. |
comma |
, |
question mark |
? |
exclamation mark or exclamation point |
! |
colon |
: |
semicolon |
; |
open quotes and close quotes |
Quotation marks |
left parenthesis and right parenthesis |
( ) |
left bracket and right bracket |
[ ] |
hyphen |
– |
ellipsis or dot dot dot |
… |
new line |
Starts a new line |
For example, say: Use a quiet room comma new line test the microphone period
. Word should produce two lines with a comma and full stop.
Useful voice commands for editing
Dictation can do more than enter new text. These English commands can edit and format the document while the microphone is active:
| Task | Commands to try |
|---|---|
| Remove text | delete, delete that, scratch that, delete word, delete sentence |
| Remove a specific amount | backspace 3, delete 2, previous 5 words |
| Undo | undo |
| Select text | select phrase, select sentence, select paragraph, select that |
| Move around | previous word, next word, go to the next paragraph |
| Format text | bold that, italicize that, underline phrase, clear formatting |
| Change alignment | align left, align center, align right |
| Change indentation | increase indent, decrease indent |
| Add a comment | add comment This needs a source |
There is an important difference between delete and delete that. By itself, delete removes the last word or punctuation before the cursor. Delete that removes the last utterance Word recognized.
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For precise corrections, use the keyboard or click one of Word’s displayed suggestions while dictation continues. Microsoft states that corrections cannot currently be completed entirely by voice.
In Word for the web, say Show more commands to open the dictation command-help pane. This is useful when you do not remember the exact wording of a command.
Improve Word’s dictation accuracy
- Use a quiet room and move closer to the microphone.
- Speak at a deliberate, steady pace rather than rushing.
- Keep the microphone selected in the gear menu consistent with the device you are actually using.
- Check the input level and make sure the microphone is not muted.
- Use a headset or external microphone if Word frequently misses words.
- Pause briefly between sections and say punctuation explicitly when sentence boundaries matter.
- Proofread names, numbers, technical terms, and words that sound alike.
Underlined or otherwise marked words may have alternative suggestions because Microsoft’s speech service is uncertain about what it heard. If the word is correct, select Ignore.
Fix common Dictate problems
| Problem | Likely cause and fix |
|---|---|
| There is no Dictate button | Sign in to Microsoft 365 and check that the subscription is active. On Windows, confirm that the computer runs Windows 10 or later. Office 2016 and Office 2019 for Windows do not provide Dictate without Microsoft 365. |
| Dictate is gray | The document may be open in a read-only state. Switch to an editable copy or request editing permission. |
| Word cannot access the microphone | Another application or webpage may be using it. Close competing apps, check the operating system’s microphone permissions, and try again. In Word for the web, refresh the page and approve the browser permission prompt. |
| Word says it cannot detect the microphone | Reconnect the microphone and test it in another application. In Windows, check microphone settings in Control Panel. On a Mac, check System Preferences > Sound > Input. |
| Dictation hears nothing | Unmute the microphone, raise its input level, select the correct device in the Dictation gear menu, and reduce background noise. |
| Many words are wrong or missing | Check the internet connection, select the correct spoken language, slow down, and try a headset or external microphone. |
Which Word versions support Dictate?
Microsoft’s current desktop documentation covers Word for Microsoft 365, Word for Microsoft 365 for Mac, Word 2024, Word 2024 for Mac, Word 2021, Word 2021 for Mac, Word 2019, and Word 2016. In practice, the active Microsoft 365 subscription requirement is the key limitation: Microsoft specifically says Dictate is unavailable in Office 2016 or Office 2019 for Windows when Microsoft 365 is not present.
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Do not confuse Word Dictate with Windows Speech Recognition. Microsoft says Voice access replaced Windows Speech Recognition for Windows 11 version 22H2 and later in September 2024. That change does not alter the Word procedure: in Word, use Home > Dictate.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.FAQ
Why can’t I find Dictate in Word?
Sign in with an active Microsoft 365 account and check that your Word installation and Windows version meet Microsoft’s requirements. Office 2016 and Office 2019 for Windows do not include Dictate without Microsoft 365.
Can I use Word Dictate without the internet?
Microsoft’s current documentation requires a reliable internet connection for Word Dictate, so offline use should not be expected.
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How do I stop dictation in Word?
Select the Dictate button again, or select the Close (X) button on the Dictation toolbar.
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How do I add punctuation while dictating?
Say the punctuation name, such as “comma,” “period,” “question mark,” or “new line.” You can also enable Auto Punctuation from the gear menu when it is available for the selected language.
Can Word Dictate correct a mistake entirely by voice?
You can use commands such as “delete that,” but Microsoft says corrections cannot currently be completed fully by voice. Use the keyboard or select one of Word’s suggested alternatives for precise corrections.
Does Word save my dictated audio?
Microsoft says speech utterances are sent to Microsoft to provide text results, but the service does not store the audio data or transcribed text.
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To dictate in Word, open an editable document, select Home > Dictate, allow microphone access, and speak. Use spoken commands such as new line, delete that, and bold that for basic control, then proofread the result. If Dictate is missing or inactive, check the Microsoft 365 subscription, document permissions, microphone access, spoken language, and internet connection first.
Quick Recap
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