How to dictate on Windows with voice typing
Windows has voice typing built in: put the cursor in a text box, press Windows key + H, and talk. Getting good results takes a little more than that, though. This guide covers the setup, the spoken commands Microsoft lists for English, practice sentences that expose weak spots quickly, and what to check when nothing appears on screen.
Before you start: three things voice typing needs
- An internet connection. Microsoft states that voice typing uses online speech recognition powered by Azure Speech services. Offline, it will not work.
- A working microphone. A laptop's built-in mic is fine to start; a headset near your mouth is better in an open office.
- A text field with the cursor in it. Voice typing writes wherever the cursor is: Word, Outlook, a browser form, Notepad.
Start and stop voice typing
- Click into the place where you want the text to go.
- Press Windows key + H on a keyboard, or tap the microphone button on the touch keyboard on a tablet.
- Wait until the bar shows “Listening...”. Words spoken before that are not captured.
- Speak in full sentences at a normal pace.
- To finish, say “Stop listening” (or “Stop voice typing”, “Pause voice typing”, “Stop dictation”), or click the microphone button on the voice typing bar.
A practical habit: press Win+H, glance at the bar for “Listening...”, then start. Most “it missed my first words” complaints come from talking before that appears.
Settings worth changing first
Open voice typing with Win+H and click the gear icon on the bar. Three options matter:
- Automatic punctuation: inserts punctuation based on how you speak. Turn it on if you do not want to say “comma” and “period” all day.
- Voice typing launcher: shows a small button in text boxes so you can start dictation without the shortcut.
- Default microphone: choose which microphone voice typing uses. Set this explicitly if you switch between a headset and the laptop mic.
On a Copilot+ PC in an English locale you will also find fluid dictation, which tidies grammar, punctuation and filler words using on-device small language models. It is on by default, can be turned off in voice typing settings, and switches itself off in password and PIN fields.
Commands for punctuation and editing (English)
| Say | Result |
|---|---|
| “period” or “full stop” | . |
| “comma” | , |
| “question mark” | ? |
| “new line” | Line break |
| “new paragraph” | Paragraph break |
| “open quotes” ... “close quotes” | Quotation marks around the words |
| “delete that” or “scratch that” | Removes what you just said |
| “select that” | Selects the last dictated text |
| “undo that” | Undoes the last action |
| “press Enter”, “press Tab”, “press Backspace” | Presses that key |
Commands depend on the language you dictate in. On Windows 10, the older dictation feature supports voice commands in US English only.
Practise with real sentences
Open Notepad and say these exactly as written, including the spoken commands. Each one tests something different.
- Commands and structure: “Hi Anna comma new line thanks for the quick reply period new paragraph I will send the draft tomorrow period”. You should see a greeting line, a sentence, a blank line and another sentence.
- Numbers and names: “Please book two rooms at the Harbour Hotel in Rotterdam from June 12 to June 15 for Kenji and Laura.” Dates and surnames are the usual weak spots; note which ones need fixing.
- Correction on the fly: say “The total is 400 dollars”, then “scratch that”, then “The total is 450 dollars period”. Only the second sentence should remain.
- Keys by voice: in a chat app, dictate a short message and finish with “press Enter” to send it.
If one category fails every time (for example, all surnames), that tells you what to type by hand and what to keep dictating. It is a better guide than trying to dictate everything perfectly.
Using another language
Windows 11 voice typing supports several English variants, Spanish (Mexico and Spain), French, German, Japanese, Korean and other languages. Add a language in Settings > Time & language > Language & region, then switch the input language from the taskbar or with Windows key + Space before you press Win+H. Remember that voice commands vary by language, so “new line” may not work once you switch.
Troubleshooting voice typing
| Problem | Check this |
|---|---|
| Win+H opens the bar but it never says “Listening...” | Internet connection. Voice typing is online only. |
| “Listening...” shows, but no text appears | The default microphone in the gear menu; pick your actual device. |
| First words are missing | Wait for “Listening...” before you speak. |
| Commands are typed as words | Your input language. Commands depend on language, and on Windows 10 they work in US English only. |
| No grammar cleanup in a password or PIN box | Expected: fluid dictation is disabled in those fields. Type secrets by hand anyway. |
| Punctuation everywhere or nowhere | Toggle Automatic punctuation in the gear menu. |
Still stuck? Test the microphone in a voice recorder app. If it records nothing there, the problem is the device or its permissions, not voice typing.
When built-in voice typing is not enough
The common reasons people move on are working without internet, needing languages or commands that are not supported, or wanting one key that works the same in every app. Our Windows dictation app guide compares the alternatives, including what to expect from new installers, and the overview of dictation apps covers every platform.
Voice Monkeys is one of those alternatives. You hold right Alt, speak and release; the text appears at the cursor, a quick tap keeps listening until the next tap, and Esc cancels. It recognises 25 languages by ear, mixed in one sentence, and offers an optional offline model (about 640 MB). It is a subscription on Windows ($12 a month or $96 a year, 7-day trial with a card), and because the Windows build is new, SmartScreen may warn when you install it. If you are happy with Win+H, there is no reason to switch. Otherwise, download it and run the same practice sentences. Mac users can follow our Mac dictation steps instead.
Questions and answers
What is the shortcut for dictation on Windows?
Windows key + H. On a touch device you can also tap the microphone button on the touch keyboard.
Does Windows voice typing work offline?
No. Microsoft says it uses online speech recognition, so you need an internet connection.
How do I add punctuation when dictating on Windows?
Turn on Automatic punctuation in the gear menu of the voice typing bar, or say marks such as “comma”, “period” and “question mark”.
How do I stop voice typing?
Say “Stop listening” or click the microphone button on the voice typing bar.
Why do voice commands not work on my PC?
Commands depend on the dictation language. On Windows 10 they work in US English only.
Sources
- Microsoft: Use voice typing to talk instead of type on your PC (checked November 6, 2026)