Windows 10 is constantly evolving in its ability to provide built-in accessibility features for its users, with new accessibility features being added with almost every major update. Recently, Microsoft released the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update, and with it came the new dictation feature, which allows users to speak instead of typing text. Windows dictation is incredibly straightforward and user-friendly, and for users who aren’t able to type because of physical or visual challenges, the dictation tool allows these individuals to nonetheless be highly productive in the Windows 10 environment.
It’s worth noting that a similar tool, called Windows Speech Recognition, has been available for Windows 10 for a while now, and while it does a great job of allowing users to control their PCs using their voice, it’s not necessarily designed as a speech-to-text tool, although it does have some of that functionality. Stay tuned for an upcoming how-to guide that breaks down Windows Speech Recognition step-by-step.
For now, let’s take a look at how the dictation feature works:
1. First, the microphone needs to be set-up. Type “microphone” in the windows search bar and select “set-up a microphone”. Follow the on-screen prompts to connect your mic. Most new laptops come pre-built with microphones, and if that’s the case, the built-in microphone will be detected during this set-up process.
2. To start dictating, press the Windows logo key + H.
3. The dictation tool will now appear on screen. To move the tool, left-click, hold, and drag it to the location of your choosing.
Hint: Placing the tool on top of the task-bar is a great way to keep the tool out of the way while still having access to it.
4. Open the program or app that you wish to dictate into. Microsoft Word is a great example of an app that works well with the dictation tool. To see a list of text-based dictation commands, click here.
5. To start dictating, click on the microphone symbol. The tool might take a moment to initialize. When the tool is ready, the word “listening” will appear on-screen.
6. As you speak in to the mic, your words will appear on-screen. When you are finished speaking, click on the microphone symbol again, or say “stop listening” and the dictation app will stop listening. The tool will also stop listening after 10 seconds of silence.
7. When you are finished dictating and wish to close the tool, click on the “X” found on the far right of the dictation tool.
Dictation is available in US English only. To use it, your PC needs to be connected to the internet.
