How to Use Dictation on Windows 10 and 11
Windows has built-in dictation, called voice typing, that opens with one keyboard shortcut. This guide covers turning it on in Windows 10 and 11, the voice commands, common fixes, and how Spokenly adds free, more accurate dictation when you outgrow the built-in tool.
The 10-second version
Click into any text field and press the Windows logo key plus H. The voice typing toolbar opens and types what you say. Press the same shortcut again to stop. That works in both Windows 10 and Windows 11, with no app to install.
Turn On Voice Typing in Windows 11
Windows 11 calls its dictation feature voice typing. Microsoft documents it in the voice typing guide, and the steps are short.
- 1Click into any text field, such as a document, browser address bar, or chat box.
- 2Press the Windows logo key plus H to open the voice typing toolbar.
- 3Start speaking. Words appear at the cursor as Windows transcribes them.
- 4Say punctuation out loud, for example 'comma' or 'new line', or turn on auto-punctuation from the settings gear on the toolbar.
- 5Press Windows plus H again, or say 'stop listening', to close voice typing.
Windows 11 also includes Voice access, a fuller voice-control feature for moving around the screen as well as dictating. Set it up under Settings, then Accessibility, then Speech.
Turn On Dictation in Windows 10
Windows 10 uses the same shortcut for its dictation bar. One extra step: online speech recognition must be on, since Windows 10 dictation relies on the cloud service.
- 1Click into the text field where you want the text to appear.
- 2Press the Windows logo key plus H to open the dictation bar.
- 3Begin speaking, and the words appear in the field as you talk.
- 4Add punctuation by voice, such as 'period' or 'question mark'.
- 5Pause, or press Windows plus H again, to stop.
To enable the cloud service, open Settings, then Privacy, then Speech, and turn on online speech recognition. The older Windows Speech Recognition tool is a separate, deprecated feature, so voice typing is the one to use.
Voice Commands Cheat Sheet
| Say this | Result |
|---|---|
| comma / period / question mark | Inserts that punctuation mark |
| new line / new paragraph | Moves to a new line or paragraph |
| delete that | Removes the last spoken phrase |
| stop listening | Closes voice typing |
| open / close quotes | Inserts quotation marks |
Fix Common Windows Dictation Problems
Win+H does nothing
Voice typing needs a text field in focus first. Click into a document or text box, then press Windows plus H. If it still fails, check that the microphone is set as the default input device in Settings, Privacy and security, then Microphone.
Dictation is greyed out or unavailable
Open Settings, then Time and language, then Speech, and confirm a speech language is installed. On Windows 10, enable online speech recognition under Settings, Privacy, then Speech, so dictation can reach the cloud service.
Accuracy is poor
Built-in voice typing misreads names, jargon, and accents because it cannot learn a custom vocabulary. Speak clearly, use a decent microphone, and cut background noise. For technical work where the same terms keep recurring, a tool that learns a custom word list helps far more than mic tweaks.
Microphone is not detected
Open the microphone privacy settings (Privacy and security, then Microphone on Windows 11, or Privacy, then Microphone on Windows 10) and allow apps to use the microphone. Run the audio troubleshooter if the device list is empty, and reconnect any USB or Bluetooth microphone.
It stops after a short pause
Windows voice typing closes itself after a stretch of silence, which is by design. Press Windows plus H again to reopen it and keep going. For long, uninterrupted dictation, an app that keeps listening through brief pauses avoids the constant restart.
Where Built-In Voice Typing Falls Short
Voice typing handles quick notes and messages well, and it is free. It has real limits, though. In recent builds it depends on the cloud, it cannot learn a personal word list for names or jargon, it stops after a short silence, and it offers no way to reshape text with AI afterward.
Spokenly for Windows covers all four. It is free with on-device NVIDIA Parakeet, defaults to modern cloud models for accuracy, and lets you bring your own OpenAI, Deepgram, or Groq key.
- +Runs Parakeet on-device, so dictation works offline and privately
- +Custom dictionary and word replacements for names and technical terms
- +Custom AI prompts to clean up or reformat text after dictating
- +The same account also covers the Mac and iPhone apps
Spokenly vs Windows Voice Typing
| Feature | Spokenly | Windows Voice Typing |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free with local models and BYOK | Free, built-in |
| Offline mode | Yes, local Parakeet and Whisper | Cloud-based in recent builds |
| Custom vocabulary | Word replacements and dictionary | None |
| Accuracy on jargon | High with modern models | Basic |
| Works across apps | System-wide | System-wide (Win+H) |
| AI rewriting | Custom prompts | None |
| Also on Mac and iPhone | Yes, one account | Windows only |
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I turn on dictation in Windows?
Click into a text field and press the Windows logo key plus H. The voice typing toolbar opens and types what you say at the cursor. This works the same in Windows 10 and Windows 11, and there is no separate app to install.
What is the dictation shortcut for Windows?
The voice typing shortcut is the Windows logo key plus H. Pressing it again, or saying 'stop listening', closes the toolbar. On Windows 11 you can also open Voice access from Accessibility settings for fuller voice control.
Why is Windows dictation not working?
Usually it is one of four things: no text field is focused, the microphone is not set as the default input, a speech language is missing, or, on Windows 10, online speech recognition is off. Click into a text box first, then check the microphone and speech settings.
Does Windows dictation work offline?
Built-in voice typing is cloud-based in recent Windows builds, so it usually needs an internet connection. Spokenly runs local Parakeet and Whisper models instead, so once a model is downloaded, transcription works with no connection.
What is the best dictation software for Windows?
Built-in voice typing is fine for short, casual dictation. For accuracy on names and jargon, offline use, or a custom vocabulary, Spokenly is a strong free option that runs NVIDIA Parakeet on-device and supports bring-your-own-key cloud models. See the best dictation software guide for the full ranking.
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Spokenly publishes this guide and updates it as Windows changes. Settings paths reflect current Windows 10 and 11 builds and may differ slightly on yours.