How To Use Speech To Text On Windows

How to use speech to text in Microsoft Word

Oral communication to text software: a hidden gem in the Microsoft 365 suite

(Paradigm: © Microsoft)

For many years, Microsoft has been at the cutting border of both hardware and software solutions for businesses. In the rapidly growing marketplace of speech to text software, it's no different, and Microsoft has been developing its speech recognition and voice typing technology for many years. Today, we're confident that Microsoft has some of the best speech to text software available.

In this commodity, we explicate exactly how to utilise speech to text in Microsoft Discussion, and assist you lot amend your vocalization typing game.

How to utilize speech to text in Microsoft Discussion: Preparation

The most important thing to check is whether yous take a valid Microsoft 365 subscription, as voice typing is only available to paying customers. If y'all're reading this article, it'south likely your business organization already has a Microsoft 365 enterprise subscription. If you don't, nevertheless, observe out more than near Microsoft 365 for business organisation via this link.

The second thing y'all'll demand before yous start voice typing is a stable internet connection. This is because Microsoft Word'south dictation software processes your speech on external servers. These huge servers and lighting-fast processors use vast amounts of speech data to transcribe your text. In fact, they brand use of advanced neural networks and deep learning technology, which enables the software to learn about human spoken communication and continuously improve its accuracy.

These two technologies are the cardinal reason why vocalism typing engineering has improved then much in recent years, and why you should be happy that Microsoft dictation software requires an internet connection.

How to use speech to text in Microsoft Word 1 — *A simple visualization of how voice to text software works.* (Image credit: Adam Geitgey)

Once you've got a valid Microsoft 365 subscription and an cyberspace connection, you're ready to go!

Step 1: Open Microsoft Give-and-take

Simple but crucial. Open the Microsoft Word application on your device and create a new, blank document. Nosotros named our examination certificate "How to use spoken language to text in Microsoft Word - Test" and saved it to the desktop so nosotros could easily observe it subsequently.

How to use speech to text in Microsoft Word 2 — *Open a bare certificate and salve information technology somewhere information technology won't get lost.* (Image credit: Microsoft)

Step 2: Click on the Dictate push

In one case you've created a blank certificate, yous'll run into a Dictate button and drop-down bill of fare on the summit right-hand corner of the Domicile carte du jour. It has a microphone symbol above information technology. From here, open the driblet-down carte and double-check that the language is set to English.

How to use speech to text in Microsoft Word 3 — *The Dictate button is found in the top right-manus corner of the Home menu.* (Epitome credit: Darcy French)

I of the best parts of Microsoft Word's speech to text software is its support for multiple languages. At the time of writing, nine languages were supported, with several others listed as preview languages. Preview languages accept lower accuracy and limited punctuation support.

How to use speech to text in Microsoft Word 4 — *Microsoft Give-and-take'southward dictation software supports several languages.* (Image credit: Microsoft)

Step 3: Let Microsoft Word admission to the Microphone

If you haven't used Microsoft Give-and-take's speech to text software earlier, you'll need to grant the application access to your microphone. This can exist done at the click of a button when prompted.

It'due south worth considering using an external microphone for your dictation, particularly if you plan on regularly using voice to text software within your organization. While built-in microphones will suffice for well-nigh general purposes, an external microphone tin improve accuracy due to higher quality components and optimized placement of the microphone itself.

Step 4: Begin vocalisation typing

Now nosotros become to the fun stuff. After completing all of the higher up steps, click one time over again on the dictate button. The blue symbol will modify to white, and a ruby-red recording symbol will appear. This ways Microsoft Word has begun listening for your vocalism. If you have your sound turned upwardly, a chime will also indicate that transcription has started.

Using vocalism typing is as simple as proverb aloud the words you would like Microsoft to transcribe. It might seem a piddling strange at first, just you'll presently develop a bit of flow, and everyone finds their strategies and style for getting the most out of the software.

These four steps solitary will allow you to begin transcribing your voice to text. Nevertheless, if you want to drag your speech to text software skills, our fifth pace is for you.

Step v: Comprise punctuation commands

Microsoft Word's speech to text software goes well beyond simply converting spoken words to text. With the introduction and improvement of artificial neural networks, Microsoft's vocalization typing technology listens non but to single words just to the phrase as a whole. This has enabled the company to introduce an extensive list of voice commands that allow you to insert punctuation marks and other formatting furnishings while speaking.

We can't mention all of the punctuation commands here, just we'll proper name some of the nearly useful. Saying the command "period" will insert a period, while the command "comma" will insert, unsurprisingly, a comma. The aforementioned rule applies for exclamation marks, colons, and quotations. If you'd like to finish a paragraph and leave a line break, you lot can say the control "new line."

These tools are easy to apply. In our testing, the software was consistently accurate in discerning words versus punctuation commands.

How to use speech to text in Microsoft Word 5 — *Spoken communication commands in Microsoft Word.* (Image credit: Microsoft)

Summary

Microsoft's voice communication to text software is powerful. Having tested most of the major platforms, we can say that Microsoft offers arguably the all-time product when balancing cost versus performance. This is considering the software is built straight into Microsoft 365, which many businesses already utilize. If this applies to your business, you lot can begin using Microsoft's voice typing technology straight away, with no additional costs.

Nosotros promise this article has taught you how to employ spoken language to text software in Microsoft Word, and that you lot'll now be able to employ these skills within your organization.