How to Dictate in Word on Windows, Mac and the Web
To dictate in Word, open a document, go to Home > Dictate, wait for the button to start listening and speak. On a Mac, Option + F1 starts it too. Microsoft makes Dictate available to Microsoft 365 subscribers and needs an internet connection. This guide covers the steps, the voice commands, the settings and the fixes when it does not work.
- Home > Dictate
- Mac: Option + F1
- 15 languages plus previews
- Microsoft 365 and internet
Word already has voice typing built in
Word's speech to text feature is called Dictate. It sits on the Home tab of Word for Microsoft 365 on Windows and Mac and of Word for the web. You click it, the button turns on and listens, and what you say appears at the cursor. You can speak punctuation, and in English you can also delete, select and format text by voice.
There are two conditions that trip most people up. Microsoft states that dictation is only available to Microsoft 365 subscribers, and that it is not available in Office 2016 or 2019 for Windows without Microsoft 365. It also needs a microphone and a reliable internet connection, because your speech is sent to Microsoft to be turned into text.
Below are the steps for each version of Word, the most useful voice commands, the settings worth changing and Microsoft's own troubleshooting. At the end you will find where Word dictation stops and what to use when you need dictation outside Word.
How to dictate in Word, step by step
Everything below is taken from Microsoft's support pages, checked on 29 September 2026.
Check the requirements
You need to be signed in to Word with an active Microsoft 365 subscription, on a device with a working microphone and a reliable internet connection. On a PC, Microsoft asks for Windows 10 or above.
Turn on Dictate: Home > Dictate
Open a new or existing document, go to the Home tab and select Dictate. Wait for the button to turn on and start listening, then speak. Text appears at the cursor as you talk. Say "stop dictation" when you are done.
Use the keyboard shortcut
Microsoft names Option + F1 to start dictation in Word for Mac. To resume dictation, it names Alt + ` (the grave accent key) or the microphone icon in the floating dictation menu.
Speak punctuation and commands
Say "period" or "full stop", "comma", "question mark", "exclamation mark", "colon", "semicolon", "new line", "open quotes" and "close quotes". To edit: "delete" removes the last word or punctuation mark, "delete that" or "scratch that" removes what you last said, "undo" reverses it. To format: "bold that", "underline last sentence", "create numbered list", "exit list", "add comment". Say "show commands" to see the list inside Word.
Adjust the settings
Select the gear icon on the dictation toolbar. You can change the spoken language (by default it follows your document language), pick another microphone, switch auto punctuation on or off where the language supports it, and filter sensitive phrases so they are masked with ***.
Word for Mac and Word for the web
On the Mac it works the same way from Home > Dictate, with Option + F1 as the shortcut. In Word for the web you select Dictate, speak, and select it again to stop; saying "show more commands" opens a help pane, and the English command list adds navigation such as "go to the next paragraph". In the browser you have to allow microphone access the first time.
Dictate button missing or greyed out
If you cannot see Dictate, Microsoft says to check that you are signed in with an active Microsoft 365 subscription and that you are on Windows 10 or later; Office 2016 or 2019 for Windows without Microsoft 365 does not have it. If the button is greyed out, make sure the document is not read-only.
Dictation not working or not hearing you
"We don't have access to your microphone": close other apps or pages using the microphone, refresh, select Dictate and allow access. On Windows 11, also check Start > Settings > Privacy & security > Microphone, including Let desktop apps access your microphone. "Dictation can't hear you": check the microphone is not muted, raise its input level (Start > Settings > System > Sound), move somewhere quieter or try a headset. Many wrong words: Microsoft points to a fast, reliable internet connection and less background noise.
When Word dictation is not enough
You want to dictate outside Word
Microsoft's dictation lives inside Microsoft 365 apps: Word, Outlook, OneNote and PowerPoint. Mr.Speech is a desktop app that types into any application with a cursor: Outlook, Teams, Slack, your browser, a PDF form, VS Code or a terminal, as well as Word. One hotkey, the same result everywhere.
You want finished text, not a transcript
Word dictation offers automatic punctuation and voice commands; Microsoft does not describe removing filler words. Mr.Speech removes fillers, understands self-corrections (say dinner at seven, actually never mind, let's do eight, and you get Dinner at 8) and builds paragraphs and lists. Nine cleanup styles work in every language, not only English.
Names and jargon keep coming out wrong
Microsoft's page describes no personal word list for Dictate. Mr.Speech keeps names, acronyms and technical terms in a personal dictionary, spots the corrections you make and offers them back as one-click suggestions.
You need to work offline or keep audio on your machine
Word sends your speech to Microsoft and needs a reliable connection. Mr.Speech has a local mode that runs speech recognition on your computer in 40 languages, with no internet and no audio leaving the machine. It can be slower than the cloud mode, which covers around 100 languages and is processed in Europe.
You work on Linux, or you also record meetings
Mr.Speech runs natively on Windows 11 and 10, macOS and Linux. The same app records Teams, Zoom and in-person meetings without a bot joining the call, labels who said what, and gives you a summary and action items.
Word Dictate and Mr.Speech side by side
Word Dictate is a good tool if you write mainly in Word and have Microsoft 365. The differences show up once you leave Word.
| Mr.Speech | Word Dictate | |
|---|---|---|
| Where it types | Any app with a cursor, Word included | Word, plus Outlook, OneNote and PowerPoint |
| What you need | The desktop app; free for local use | An active Microsoft 365 subscription |
| Works offline | Local mode, 40 languages | Needs a reliable internet connection |
| Filler words removed | Fillers and false starts cleaned up | Auto punctuation; filler removal not described |
| Personal dictionary | Your terms plus one-click suggestions | Not described on Microsoft's page |
| Formatting by voice | Paragraphs and lists built for you; bold or comments by voice are Word's own | Bold, lists, comments, selection (full list in English) |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux | Windows, Mac, web, mobile; no Linux |
Word details checked on Microsoft's own support pages on 29 September 2026.
Questions
How do I turn on dictation in Word?
Open a document, go to Home > Dictate while signed in to Microsoft 365, wait for the button to start listening and speak. On a Mac you can also press Option + F1. Say "stop dictation" to finish.
Why can't I find the Dictate button in Word?
Microsoft states that dictation is only available to Microsoft 365 subscribers. Check that you are signed in with an active subscription and on Windows 10 or later. Office 2016 or 2019 for Windows without Microsoft 365 does not include it.
Why is Dictate greyed out in Word?
Microsoft's advice is to make sure the document is not in a read-only state. Open an editable copy or turn off read-only, then try Dictate again.
Can I dictate in Word without Microsoft 365?
Not with Word's own Dictate button, which Microsoft reserves for Microsoft 365 subscribers. On Windows 11 you can press Windows key + H to use Windows voice typing in any text box, including Word; it also needs an internet connection. A separate dictation app such as Mr.Speech types into Word like into any other program.
Does Word dictation work offline?
No. Microsoft says dictation needs a microphone and a reliable internet connection, because your speech is sent to Microsoft to produce the text. If you need offline dictation, Mr.Speech's local mode runs on your computer with no connection.
What is the keyboard shortcut for dictation in Word?
In Word for Mac, Microsoft names Option + F1 to start dictation. To resume dictation it names Alt + ` (grave accent) or the microphone icon on the floating toolbar.
How do I add punctuation and a new line when dictating in Word?
Say the mark: "period", "comma", "question mark", "colon" and so on. Say "new line" to break the line. You can also turn on auto punctuation in the dictation settings (gear icon) if it is available for your language.
Which languages does Word dictation support?
Microsoft lists 15 supported languages, including English (UK, US, Australia, Canada, India), French (France, Canada) and German (Germany), plus 36 preview languages that may have lower accuracy or limited punctuation. Dictation uses your document language by default; change it in the settings.
Does Microsoft store what I dictate in Word?
Microsoft states that your speech is sent to Microsoft and used only to give you the text, and that the service does not store your audio data or transcribed text.
Dictation in Word is not working. What should I check?
Work through Microsoft's list: another app using the microphone, browser or Windows microphone permission, a muted microphone or low input level, background noise, and a slow connection. On Windows 11 the permission switches are in Settings > Privacy & security > Microphone.
