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Summary
Voice Typing lets you dictate text instead of typing it — in any text field across Windows. Activate it with a keyboard shortcut, speak naturally, and Windows converts your speech to text in real time. This article explains how to start, use punctuation commands, and configure settings.
Before You Start
- Windows 10 or Windows 11.
- A working microphone (built-in or external).
- An active internet connection (required for voice recognition).
Instructions
1. Start Voice Typing
Activate dictation with a keyboard shortcut.
- Click into any text field where you want to type (e.g., an email, document, or search box).
- Press Win + H.
- A microphone toolbar appears at the top of the screen.
- Start speaking — your words appear as text in real time.
- Press Win + H again or click the microphone icon to stop.
2. Use Punctuation Commands
Speak punctuation marks naturally while dictating.
| Say this... | To insert... |
|---|---|
| "Period" | . |
| "Comma" | , |
| "Question mark" | ? |
| "Exclamation mark" | ! |
| "New line" | Line break |
| "New paragraph" | Paragraph break |
| "Open quotes" / "Close quotes" | " " |
| "Colon" | : |
| "Semicolon" | ; |
| "Hyphen" | - |
3. Use Editing Commands
Correct and format text with voice commands.
| Say this... | To do this... |
|---|---|
| "Delete that" | Delete the last dictated text |
| "Undo that" | Undo the last action |
| "Select that" | Select the last dictated phrase |
| "Select all" | Select all text |
| "Stop dictation" | Turn off Voice Typing |
Note: Voice Typing stops at the edge of the text box — it types words, and that is all. To open apps, click buttons, and move around Windows by voice, you need Voice Access, a separate Windows 11 feature covered in How to Use Voice Access to Control Windows.
4. Enable Auto-Punctuation
Let Windows add punctuation automatically based on your speech patterns.
- Press Win + H to open Voice Typing.
- Click the Settings gear icon on the Voice Typing toolbar.
- Toggle Auto-punctuation on.
- Windows will now automatically insert periods, commas, and question marks based on your tone and pauses.
5. Change the Dictation Language
Switch to a different language for voice recognition.
- Open Settings (Win+I).
- Go to Time & language > Speech.
- Under Speech language, select your preferred language.
- Close Settings and press Win + H to start dictating in the new language.
Note: Speech language controls what Windows listens for, and nothing else. The language of your menus and dialogs, and the way dates and numbers are written, are separate settings on the neighbouring Language & region page — see How to Change the Display Language and Region on Windows.
Troubleshooting
INFO
Voice Typing requires an internet connection because speech recognition is processed in the cloud. If you lose connectivity, dictation will pause until the connection is restored.
| Symptom / Error | Potential Cause | Solution |
|---|---|---|
| Microphone toolbar does not appear | Microphone not connected or disabled | Check that your microphone is plugged in and enabled in Settings > System > Sound > Input. |
| Voice Typing produces incorrect text | Background noise or quiet voice | Move to a quieter environment and speak at a steady pace and normal volume. |
| "Can't hear you" message | Microphone access blocked | Go to Settings > Privacy & security > Microphone and enable microphone access for desktop apps. |