Stop Typing and Start Speaking in MS Word

[Sofia Williams]

Technology is developing very fast and has a big hand in changing our lifestyle. Many things that had no existence in the past can be seen done on our fingertips. Achieving such unimaginable goals is nothing new to the world and Microsoft is not behind in this race. It has evolved manifolds since its launch and keeps on improving with rapidly growing technology. One such example of technology being used at the optimum is the ‘Dictate’ feature. This feature is a big time-aver for those whose most of the time get waste in typing a whole lot of documents.

To use this speech-to-text technology, there are certain prerequisites. A user should have a microphone enabled device or he should have a microphone. Along with this, there should be Insider build 16.32 (19120802) or later installed on his device and it should also receive proper Internet connectivity. One of the most important things to initiate the process is to have a Microsoft account. A user should make sure that there is lesser background noise for the best results. If you have specific queries related to Office subscription then visit Office.com/Setup.

Ways to use ‘Dictate’ feature in Word

There are two ways through which you can start speaking and get it typed automatically. The steps vary slightly if you are using Word on Windows or Web.

On Windows

1. Sign in to your Office 365 account at office.com/setup and turn on your microphone.
2. Now, open Word and go home.
3. Further, tap on the ‘Dictate’ button and wait for a few seconds until the red appears on it.
4. Along with this dot on the button, you will also hear a sound. This sound hints that you can start dictating.
5. Now, you can start speaking whatever you wish to appear on the screen.
6. As soon as you start speaking you can notice the text on your screen.
7. Make sure to pronounce the words correctly and clearly.
8. To add any punctuation marks, say its name. For example, if you wish to add (.) then say full-stop.
9. For making any corrections, you can use the keyboard without disabling the microphone.
10. In the end, say “Dictate” to stop using it.

On Web

1. First of all, log in at office.com/setup and open a Word document.
2. After this, select ‘Home’ and go to the next step.
3. From here, select the ‘Dictate’ option.
4. In case you are using this feature for the first time, then allow some permission.
5. Now, wait for a few seconds until the red dot appears on the button.
6. Also, wait for the hint or start sound.
7. Start speaking and say “Dictate” in the end when you are done with your work.

Final note-

Dictate has been specifically designed to save users’ time and to improve their productivity. Whatever you speak during the course of its activities, it is sent to Microsoft. But, it is important to note that, Microsoft neither retains your audio nor the transcription.