Dictate in Word

Word has built-in dictation. You dictate, Word immediately writes it down. The speech recognition is present in the following packages:

• Microsoft 365 (Windows and Mac)
• Get online (all devices)
• The Word app for iPad/iPhone
• The Word app for Android

The Office 2019 (or older versions) package therefore does not include dictation options.

Microsoft 365 subscribers will find the dictation feature in the Word program on their device.

• Launch Word.
• In the ‘Home’ tab, click the button Dictate.
• Wait for the function to finish. This may take a few seconds.
• Speak the text. Note that all punctuation marks (period, comma, semicolon, etc) must be pronounced.
• Ready to record? Click the button again Dictate.

Do you want to correct words or type something while recording? That’s possible. Type the words or phrases and then continue dictating.

The online version of Word is free and also has a dictation function.

• Go to www.office.com and click To register.
• Enter your Microsoft account email address and password and click To register or Sign in.
• Click in the menu on the word icon.
• click on New blank document.
• Under the ‘Home’ tab, click the button Dictate.
• The first time, the program asks for permission to use the microphone. click on To allow.
• Speak the text. Note that all punctuation marks (period, comma, semicolon, etc) must be pronounced.
• Ready to dictate? Click the button again Dictate.

Are you recording and do you want to add or correct something in between? That’s possible. Between dictation, type the words or phrases you want to add or correct, then continue talking.

There is a Word app for iPad/iPhone and Android devices. The basic functions are available to everyone for free. Also the dictation function.

• Open the Word app and start a new document (tap the plus sign).
• Tap the microphone icon. (If necessary, tap anywhere in the document to make the microphone visible.)
• Speak the text. Note that all punctuation marks (period, comma, semicolon, etc) must be pronounced.
• Ready to dictate? Tap the button Dictate.

As mentioned, all punctuation must be pronounced. So do you want a question mark, period or exclamation mark in the dictated text? Then say it out loud. So say, for example: “Hello Word comma how nice to dictate a text period” and the following sentence appears in the document: “Hello Word how nice to dictate a text.” The list below contains the most important punctuation marks.

Make sure no one else is talking in the background while dictating, at least not too close to you. So turn off the radio or TV for a while. Otherwise, there is a chance that Word will write down what is said there.