If you’re looking for ways to increase your productivity, you might want to consider using the speech-to-text or dictate feature in Microsoft Office. This feature is available in Word, PowerPoint, Outlook, and other Microsoft Office apps, and it can be a game-changer for those who find it easier to speak their minds instead of typing out their thoughts.
Whether you’re looking to write a creative document, improve your workflow, or need to use this feature for accessibility, it’s worth exploring. In this post, we’ll take a closer look at how to dictate in Word and some of its features.
Getting Started with Dictation in Word
To get started with dictation in Word, go to the ribbon and click on the “Dictate” button. You can also use the shortcut key Alt + tilde. Once you click on this button, a menu will appear, and Word will start listening to what you’re saying.
Before you start dictating, you might want to change some of the settings. For example, you can choose your spoken language, change your microphone, or enable/disable punctuation. You can also filter out sensitive phrases that you don’t want to be picked up by the microphone.
Using Voice Actions to Control Your Document
One of the most interesting aspects of dictation in Word is that you can use voice actions to control the document. For example, you can pause dictation, create new paragraphs, delete text, or create bullet-pointed lists. To see all the different actions you can take, go to the “Help” section.
Testing Dictation in Word
To test dictation in Word, try creating a draft email using the dictate feature. Here’s an example:
“Hi team, as discussed in our last meeting, I just want to share what I think the agenda should be for our next team meeting. Introductions, discuss the awesome new Microsoft 365 features, and anything else top of mind for the team. Let me know if you have any other items that you want to add to the agenda. Cheers.”
As you can see, dictation in Word can be a powerful tool for boosting your productivity and getting your thoughts down on paper quickly. So why not give it a try and see how it can help you work more efficiently?