How to Use Microsoft Office by Talking Instead of Typing

Last Updated: October 3, 2018

Whether it's a broken keyboard or a broken finger, you can still produce that document using these steps and Microsoft Office.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Mac

{"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/2\/26\/Use-Microsoft-Office-by-Talking-Instead-of-Typing-Step-1-Version-3.jpg\/v4-460px-Use-Microsoft-Office-by-Talking-Instead-of-Typing-Step-1-Version-3.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/2\/26\/Use-Microsoft-Office-by-Talking-Instead-of-Typing-Step-1-Version-3.jpg\/aid2440590-v4-728px-Use-Microsoft-Office-by-Talking-Instead-of-Typing-Step-1-Version-3.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Fair_use\">Fair Use<\/a> (screenshot)<br>\n<\/p><\/div>"}
{"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/d\/d6\/Use-Microsoft-Office-by-Talking-Instead-of-Typing-Step-2-Version-3.jpg\/v4-460px-Use-Microsoft-Office-by-Talking-Instead-of-Typing-Step-2-Version-3.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/d\/d6\/Use-Microsoft-Office-by-Talking-Instead-of-Typing-Step-2-Version-3.jpg\/aid2440590-v4-728px-Use-Microsoft-Office-by-Talking-Instead-of-Typing-Step-2-Version-3.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Fair_use\">Fair Use<\/a> (screenshot)<br>\n<\/p><\/div>"}

Advertisement
{"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/4\/42\/Use-Microsoft-Office-by-Talking-Instead-of-Typing-Step-3-Version-3.jpg\/v4-460px-Use-Microsoft-Office-by-Talking-Instead-of-Typing-Step-3-Version-3.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/4\/42\/Use-Microsoft-Office-by-Talking-Instead-of-Typing-Step-3-Version-3.jpg\/aid2440590-v4-728px-Use-Microsoft-Office-by-Talking-Instead-of-Typing-Step-3-Version-3.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Fair_use\">Fair Use<\/a> (screenshot)<br>\n<\/p><\/div>"}
{"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/2\/2f\/Use-Microsoft-Office-by-Talking-Instead-of-Typing-Step-4-Version-3.jpg\/v4-460px-Use-Microsoft-Office-by-Talking-Instead-of-Typing-Step-4-Version-3.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/2\/2f\/Use-Microsoft-Office-by-Talking-Instead-of-Typing-Step-4-Version-3.jpg\/aid2440590-v4-728px-Use-Microsoft-Office-by-Talking-Instead-of-Typing-Step-4-Version-3.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Fair_use\">Fair Use<\/a> (screenshot)<br>\n<\/p><\/div>"}
{"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/7\/73\/Use-Microsoft-Office-by-Talking-Instead-of-Typing-Step-5-Version-3.jpg\/v4-460px-Use-Microsoft-Office-by-Talking-Instead-of-Typing-Step-5-Version-3.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/7\/73\/Use-Microsoft-Office-by-Talking-Instead-of-Typing-Step-5-Version-3.jpg\/aid2440590-v4-728px-Use-Microsoft-Office-by-Talking-Instead-of-Typing-Step-5-Version-3.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Fair_use\">Fair Use<\/a> (screenshot)<br>\n<\/p><\/div>"}
{"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/5\/59\/Use-Microsoft-Office-by-Talking-Instead-of-Typing-Step-6-Version-2.jpg\/v4-460px-Use-Microsoft-Office-by-Talking-Instead-of-Typing-Step-6-Version-2.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/5\/59\/Use-Microsoft-Office-by-Talking-Instead-of-Typing-Step-6-Version-2.jpg\/aid2440590-v4-728px-Use-Microsoft-Office-by-Talking-Instead-of-Typing-Step-6-Version-2.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Fair_use\">Fair Use<\/a> (screenshot)<br>\n<\/p><\/div>"}

Advertisement

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Windows

{"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/5\/51\/Use-Microsoft-Office-by-Talking-Instead-of-Typing-Step-7-Version-2.jpg\/v4-460px-Use-Microsoft-Office-by-Talking-Instead-of-Typing-Step-7-Version-2.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/5\/51\/Use-Microsoft-Office-by-Talking-Instead-of-Typing-Step-7-Version-2.jpg\/aid2440590-v4-728px-Use-Microsoft-Office-by-Talking-Instead-of-Typing-Step-7-Version-2.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Fair_use\">Fair Use<\/a> (screenshot)<br>\n<\/p><\/div>"}
{"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/e\/ee\/Use-Microsoft-Office-by-Talking-Instead-of-Typing-Step-8-Version-2.jpg\/v4-460px-Use-Microsoft-Office-by-Talking-Instead-of-Typing-Step-8-Version-2.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/e\/ee\/Use-Microsoft-Office-by-Talking-Instead-of-Typing-Step-8-Version-2.jpg\/aid2440590-v4-728px-Use-Microsoft-Office-by-Talking-Instead-of-Typing-Step-8-Version-2.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Fair_use\">Fair Use<\/a> (screenshot)<br>\n<\/p><\/div>"}
{"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/5\/5d\/Use-Microsoft-Office-by-Talking-Instead-of-Typing-Step-9-Version-2.jpg\/v4-460px-Use-Microsoft-Office-by-Talking-Instead-of-Typing-Step-9-Version-2.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/5\/5d\/Use-Microsoft-Office-by-Talking-Instead-of-Typing-Step-9-Version-2.jpg\/aid2440590-v4-728px-Use-Microsoft-Office-by-Talking-Instead-of-Typing-Step-9-Version-2.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Fair_use\">Fair Use<\/a> (screenshot)<br>\n<\/p><\/div>"}
{"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/6\/67\/Use-Microsoft-Office-by-Talking-Instead-of-Typing-Step-10-Version-2.jpg\/v4-460px-Use-Microsoft-Office-by-Talking-Instead-of-Typing-Step-10-Version-2.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/6\/67\/Use-Microsoft-Office-by-Talking-Instead-of-Typing-Step-10-Version-2.jpg\/aid2440590-v4-728px-Use-Microsoft-Office-by-Talking-Instead-of-Typing-Step-10-Version-2.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Fair_use\">Fair Use<\/a> (screenshot)<br>\n<\/p><\/div>"}
{"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/2\/28\/Use-Microsoft-Office-by-Talking-Instead-of-Typing-Step-11-Version-2.jpg\/v4-460px-Use-Microsoft-Office-by-Talking-Instead-of-Typing-Step-11-Version-2.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/2\/28\/Use-Microsoft-Office-by-Talking-Instead-of-Typing-Step-11-Version-2.jpg\/aid2440590-v4-728px-Use-Microsoft-Office-by-Talking-Instead-of-Typing-Step-11-Version-2.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Fair_use\">Fair Use<\/a> (screenshot)<br>\n<\/p><\/div>"}

After you've finished, open Microsoft Word
{"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/8\/8e\/Use-Microsoft-Office-by-Talking-Instead-of-Typing-Step-12-Version-2.jpg\/v4-460px-Use-Microsoft-Office-by-Talking-Instead-of-Typing-Step-12-Version-2.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/8\/8e\/Use-Microsoft-Office-by-Talking-Instead-of-Typing-Step-12-Version-2.jpg\/aid2440590-v4-728px-Use-Microsoft-Office-by-Talking-Instead-of-Typing-Step-12-Version-2.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Fair_use\">Fair Use<\/a> (screenshot)<br>\n<\/p><\/div>"}

Start speaking

Advertisement

Community Q&A

Search

Add New Question

Question

How do I get my speech recognition box back?

Community Answer

Go to "insert," then "speech recognition box."

Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
Thank you for your feedback.
If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
Yes No

Not Helpful 6 Helpful 0

Ask a Question

200 characters left

Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.

Submit

Tips

Speak loudly and clearly.

Thanks
Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
Macs only: Dictation automatically gets used to your voice.

Thanks
Helpful 1 Not Helpful 1

Things You'll Need

OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion or Windows 7/8
Microphone attached to computer (laptops and notepads may have one)
Microsoft Office (Any Version)

How to Use Microsoft Office by Talking Instead of Typing

Steps

Mac

Windows

Community Q&A

Tips

Things You'll Need

You Might Also Like

About this article

Is this article up to date?

About this article

You Might Also Like

Explore Categories