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Jun 4, 2021

Capture voice recordings in Office Mobile for Android

Sanjay Joshi

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Hi, Office Insiders! My name is Sanjay Joshi, and I’m a Program Manager on the Office Mobile team. I’m excited to announce that we’ve added a powerful new feature that allows you to capture and transcribe voice recordings on your Android device, directly from within Office Mobile.

Capture voice recordings

Whether you want to preserve a billion-dollar idea before you forget it or need to record an important discussion, the voice capture feature in Office Mobile has you covered. The feature allows you to go beyond simple voice memos, with live speech-to-text transcription. It also offers synced text highlighting during playback and the ability to share your content by exporting it to other Microsoft 365 apps and services.

If you are a Microsoft 365 subscriber, this feature can also partition and transcribe the input from different speakers based on their identity (also known as speaker diarisation).

How it works

Ready to give it a try? Here’s how to use the feature.

3. Start speaking to record and tap the Done button when finished.

Scenarios to try

• Start the recording and try play/pause.
• Observe the live speech-to-text process.
• Finish and play back the recording.
• Access recordings from Voice captures screen and Home tab.
• Rename recording.
• Delete recording.
• Edit the transcribed text.
• Change speaker name.
• Export/share the text and recordings.

Availability

We will be rolling this feature out to users of the Office Mobile app for Android running Build 16.0.14026.20096 or later with “English (United States)” selected as their language and country/region.

Features are released over some time to ensure things are working smoothly. We highlight features that you may not have because they’re slowly releasing to larger numbers of Insiders. Sometimes we remove elements to further improve them based on your feedback. Though this is rare, we also reserve the option to pull a feature entirely out of the product, even if you, as an Insider, have had the opportunity to try it.

We want to hear from you! Please share your feedback with us right from the app by tapping your profile icon on the Home tab, then selecting Send Feedback .

Learn what  other information you should include in your feedback  to ensure  it’s actionable and reaches the right people. We’re excited to hear from you!

Sign up for the Office Insider newsletter and get the latest information about Insider features in your inbox once a month!

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How to Use Voice-Typing on Microsoft Word and Get More Done

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While many of us use both Siri and Alexa, the keyboard still reigns supreme when writing. Even if we usually speak faster than type, we think better with keys on our fingers.

However, when Google Doc's voice typing feature came out, many were curious if Word offered the same innovation. We checked it out: we opened Word, and there it was in the top right corner of the ribbon.

So to help you eke out the most out of Word, we'll share how to get started with Dictate , the most common English commands you should know, and the languages the speech-to-text feature supports.

How to Use Dictation on Microsoft Word

Microsoft Word is available in five different platforms—Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, and Web. Whatever platform you're using, you have to either log in or create a free Microsoft account to use the dictate feature.

If you're planning to use this feature on your computer, make sure you have a microphone installed on your computer. If you don't have one yet, you can check out our guide to the best microphones . Alternatively, you can also use your Android device as a mic.

Using Dictate on Windows, macOS, and Web

Once logged in, all you have to do is to press the Dictate button on the ribbon, and voila! You're good to go! You should see a small recording window with a Settings button, a Mic icon , and a question mark for Help . When Dictate starts, you should either see a "Listening" prompt or a red Mic icon.

Using Dictate on iOS and Android

If you're using the Dictate feature on your iOS or Android device, the procedure is a bit different. Instead of looking for the dictate button on the ribbon, you'll spot it right on the screen at the upper right of the formatting menu.

As soon as you click the button, it will start recording your input immediately.

Using Dictate on iPad

On your iPad, the dictate feature is embedded directly in your on-screen keyboard. You'll find the microphone icon to the left of your spacebar. As soon as you press that, you'll get a spectrogram view of your voice recording.

Before you start speaking, allow the Microsoft Word app to use the microphone when you're using it for the first time!

Writing with Your Voice: Essential Commands

Using Microsoft Word's dictate feature is as simple as speaking into your mic. However, it cannot read intonation, punctuation, and intent (yet), so we have to say it out loud.

Here's a list of some commands that you can give while dictating.

Basic Commands

• Next line:  enter
• undo:  reverses the last action or command
• delete:  removes the last word or punctuation
• delete that:  removes the last spoken phrase
• delete [word/phrase]:  removes the latest instance of [word/phrase]

Punctuations

• period/full stop:  " . "
• comma:  " , "
• question mark:  " ? "
• exclamation mark/point:  " ! "
• apostrophe:  " 's "
• colon:  " : "
• semicolon:  " ; "
• strikethrough
• superscript

You can use the above commands on any word or phrase you've previously dictated. For example, if you say "the quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog", then you can follow it up by saying "underline jumps" to get the same sentence with the word "jumps" underlined.

The following formatting commands are also available, although you cannot apply them to specific words or phrases.

• decrease indent
• alight [left/center/right]
• clear all formatting

Making Lists

If you want to dictate a bulleted or numbered list, you can use the following commands:

• start numbered list

Mathematics and Finance

If you want to do some heavy writing, Microsoft Word allows you to insert math and currency symbols using dictate.

• plus sign:  " + "
• minus sign:  " - "
• multiplication sign:  " x "
• division sign:  " ÷ "
• equal sign:  " = "
• percent sign:  " % "
• number/pound sign:  " # "
• plus or minus sign:  " ± "
• less than sign/left angle bracket:  " < "
• greater than sign/right angle bracket:  " > "

Other Symbols

Microsoft Word also allows you to use other signs and symbols for dictation. These make it easier for you to dictate email addresses, website URLs, and others.

• asterisk:  " * "
• forward slash:  " / "
• backslash  - " \ "
• vertical bar sign/pipe character:  " | "
• underscore:  " _ "
• em-dash:  " --"
• en-dash:  " - "
• at-sign:  " @ "
• ampersand/and sign:  " & "

You can also have a little bit of fun with Word's emoji commands.

• smiley face:  " :) "
• frowny face:  " :( "
• winky face:  " ;) "
• heart emoji:  " <3 "

Dictation Commands

You can use these commands if you want to access the menu icons on the dictation window without using your mouse.

• pause dictation
• exit dictation

How to Change Word's Dictation Settings

You can change Word's dictation settings by selecting the gear icon on the dictation window. Here, you can change the following options:

• Auto punctuation : It allows Word to automatically place punctuation in your document if supported in your dictation language.
• Profanity filter : Marks offensive words and phrases with **** instead of the spoken word.
• Spoken language : This lets you choose the dictation language in the drop-down menu.

Supported Languages

Aside from English, Microsoft Word also supports the following languages for dictation:

Each of these languages has its own set of commands you can use to dictate in the app effectively. Visit Microsoft Support for the complete list.

Related:  Yes, Get Microsoft Word for Free: Here's How

Microsoft Word Dictation: More Than Just a Nifty Feature

Although the most common use of voice-typing is for taking notes when we're on the go, Microsoft Word's dictation tool is powerful enough for us to write complete papers. We can even use it to create a full-fledged document, with proper formatting and spacing.

Although, it's difficult to get used to the first time, it's a breeze to work with once you get the hang of it. Also, it's not just a nifty tool to improve your productivity, the dictate function is an excellent accessibility innovation for users with injuries or disabilities.

So whether you're suffering from repetitive stress injury or a gaming-related cramp, or have limited use of your hands, voice-typing is available to help you accomplish your writing tasks in Microsoft Word.

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Microsoft  debuted in August 2020  an audio transcription feature for the online version of Word that converts audio (recorded or uploaded from a file) directly to text, and even separates the text based on the speaker. Here's how to use the feature.

To transcribe audio with Word, you must be a Microsoft 365 premium subscriber . If you have the free version and you try to use the feature, you'll be met with a message asking you to subscribe.

You can have Word transcribe audio that you record directly within Word. Sign in to Microsoft 365, and open Word. In the "Home" tab, click the arrow next to "Dictate" and then select "Transcribe" from the menu that appears.

If this is your first time using the feature, you'll need to give Microsoft permission to access your microphone .

The "Transcribe" pane will open in the right-hand side of the window. Select "Start Recording."

Once selected, the timer will start. Now, you'll want to begin speaking. You won't see the transcription happen live as you're speaking because Microsoft found that to be a bit too distracting during its testing.

After you're finished, click the "Pause" button and then select "Save and Transcribe Now."

It may take a few minutes for Word to finish transcribing the audio recording and uploading it to OneDrive .

Once this is done, you'll see the transcription appear in the same pane you recorded the audio. Each section will have a timestamp, the speaker's name, and the transcribed text. Microsoft automatically separates the text by the speaker.

If Word detects multiple speakers, you'll see "Speaker 1," Speaker 2," and so on. If Word can't detect multiple speakers, you'll just see "Speaker."

You might notice that the transcript doesn't perfectly reflect the recorded audio accurately. You can edit a section of the transcript by hovering your mouse over the incorrect text and then selecting the pen icon.

Now you can edit the transcription found in this section. You can also edit the name of the speaker, as well as every instance where the speaker (i.e., Speaker 1 or Speaker 2) appears by ticking the box next to "Change All Speaker." When you're finished, click the checkmark.

If necessary, you can use the playback controls to revisit the audio recording. This is necessary if the transcript is long, and you can't remember exactly who said what. Here's the function of each button, from left to right:

• Playback speed
• Fast forward

When you're finished editing the transcript, you can add it to the document by selecting the "Add All To Document" button at the bottom of the pane.

Once selected, the audio recording and the content of the transcript will appear in the document.

If you already have an audio file that you want to transcribe, you can upload it to Word.  Sign in to Microsoft 365, and open Word. In the "Home" tab, click the arrow next to "Dictate" and then select "Transcribe" from the menu that appears.

The "Transcribe" pane will open in the right-hand side of the window. Select "Upload Audio." You can upload these audio file types:

File Explorer (Finder for Mac) will open. Navigate to the location of the audio file, select it, and then click "Open."

Microsoft will begin transcribing the audio file. Depending on the size of the file, this could take quite a bit of time.

Once Microsoft finishes transcribing the audio file, the text will appear in the pane.

If you face the same issue with your audio file, you can edit the text by hovering over the section and clicking the "Pen" icon. If you need to hear the audio again, you can do so by using the audio controls.

Next, edit the name of the speaker (and each instance that the speaker appears by ticking the "Change All Speaker" box) and the text from that section. When finished, click the "Checkmark."

Once you've edited the content of the transcript, click "Add All To Document."

The audio file and text of the transcript will be added to the Word document.

While not perfect, this feature can potentially save you a lot of time, especially if the speaker in the audio is speaking clearly.

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How to use speech-to-text on Microsoft Word to write and edit with your voice

Dave johnson   .

• You can use speech-to-text on Microsoft Word through the "Dictate" feature.
• With Microsoft Word 's "Dictate" feature, you can write using a microphone and your own voice.
• When you use Dictate, you can say "new line" to create a new paragraph and add punctuation simply by saying the punctuation aloud.
• If you're not satisfied with Word's built-in speech-to-text feature, you can use a third-party program like Dragon Home.

While typing is certainly the most common way to create and edit documents in Microsoft Word , you're not limited to using a keyboard.

Word supports speech-to-text, which lets you dictate your writing using voice recognition.

Speech-to-text in Word is convenient and surprisingly accurate, and can help anyone who has issues typing with a typical keyboard.

You can use speech-to-text in Microsoft Word in the same way on both Mac and PC.

Check out the products mentioned in this article:

Apple macbook pro (from $1,299.00 at apple), acer chromebook 15 (from $179.99 at walmart), how to use speech-to-text on word using dictate.

Make sure you have a microphone connected to your computer. This can be built-in, like on a laptop, or a separate mic that you plug into the USB or audio jack.

It doesn't matter which type you use, though the best kind of mic to use is a headset, as it won't need to compete with as much background noise as a built-in microphone.

1. In Microsoft Word, make sure you're in the "Home" tab at the top of the screen, and then click "Dictate."

2. You should hear a beep, and the dictate button will change to include a red recording light. It's now listening for your dictation.

3. Speak clearly, and Word should transcribe everything you say in the current document. Speak punctuation aloud as you go. You can also say "New line," which has the same effect as pressing the Enter or Return key on the keyboard.

4. When you're done dictating, click "Dictate" a second time or turn it off using your voice by saying, "Turn the dictate feature off."

You can still type with the keyboard while Dictate is on, but if you click outside of Word or switch to another program, Dictate will turn itself off.

Want to change languages? You can click the downward arrow on the Dictate button to choose which of nine or so languages you want to speak. You might also see additional "Preview Languages," which are still in beta and may have lower accuracy.

Speech-to-text alternatives

You're not limited to using the Dictate feature built into Word. While not as popular as they once were, there are several commercial speech-to-text apps available which you can use with Word.

The most popular of these, Dragon Home , performs the same kind of voice recognition as Word's Dictate, but it also lets you control Word, format text, and make edits to your text using your voice. It works with nearly any program, not just Word.

Related coverage from Tech Reference :

How to use speech-to-text on a windows computer to quickly dictate text without typing, you can use text-to-speech in the kindle app on an ipad using an accessibility feature— here's how to turn it on, how to use text-to-speech on discord, and have the desktop app read your messages aloud, how to use google text-to-speech on your android phone to hear text instead of reading it, 2 ways to lock a windows computer from your keyboard and quickly secure your data, read more articles on.

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How to use speech to text in Microsoft Word

Speech to text in Microsoft Word is a hidden gem that is powerful and easy to use. We show you how to do it in five quick and simple steps

Master the skill of speech to text in Microsoft Word and you'll be dictating documents with ease before you know it. Developed and refined over many years, Microsoft's speech recognition and voice typing technology is an efficient way to get your thoughts out, create drafts and make notes.

Just like the best speech to text apps that make life easier for us when we're using our phones, Microsoft's offering is ideal for those of us who spend a lot of time using Word and don't want to wear out our fingers or the keyboard with all that typing. While speech to text in Microsoft Word used to be prone to errors which you'd then have to go back and correct, the technology has come a long way in recent years and is now amongst the best text-to-speech software .

Regardless of whether you have the best computer or the best Windows laptop , speech to text in Microsoft Word is easy to access and a breeze to use. From connecting your microphone to inserting punctuation, you'll find everything you need to know right here in this guide. Let's take a look...

How to use speech to text in Microsoft Word: Preparation

The most important thing to check is whether you have a valid Microsoft 365 subscription, as voice typing is only available to paying customers. If you’re reading this article, it’s likely your business already has a Microsoft 365 enterprise subscription. If you don’t, however, find out more about Microsoft 365 for business via this link . 

The second thing you’ll need before you start voice typing is a stable internet connection. This is because Microsoft Word’s dictation software processes your speech on external servers. These huge servers and lighting-fast processors use vast amounts of speech data to transcribe your text. In fact, they make use of advanced neural networks and deep learning technology, which enables the software to learn about human speech and continuously improve its accuracy. 

These two technologies are the key reason why voice typing technology has improved so much in recent years, and why you should be happy that Microsoft dictation software requires an internet connection. 

Once you’ve got a valid Microsoft 365 subscription and an internet connection, you’re ready to go!

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Step 1: Open Microsoft Word

Simple but crucial. Open the Microsoft Word application on your device and create a new, blank document. We named our test document “How to use speech to text in Microsoft Word - Test” and saved it to the desktop so we could easily find it later.

Step 2: Click on the Dictate button

Once you’ve created a blank document, you’ll see a Dictate button and drop-down menu on the top right-hand corner of the Home menu. It has a microphone symbol above it. From here, open the drop-down menu and double-check that the language is set to English.

One of the best parts of Microsoft Word’s speech to text software is its support for multiple languages. At the time of writing, nine languages were supported, with several others listed as preview languages. Preview languages have lower accuracy and limited punctuation support.

Step 3: Allow Microsoft Word access to the Microphone

If you haven’t used Microsoft Word’s speech to text software before, you’ll need to grant the application access to your microphone. This can be done at the click of a button when prompted.

It’s worth considering using an external microphone for your dictation, particularly if you plan on regularly using voice to text software within your organization. While built-in microphones will suffice for most general purposes, an external microphone can improve accuracy due to higher quality components and optimized placement of the microphone itself.

Step 4: Begin voice typing

Now we get to the fun stuff. After completing all of the above steps, click once again on the dictate button. The blue symbol will change to white, and a red recording symbol will appear. This means Microsoft Word has begun listening for your voice. If you have your sound turned up, a chime will also indicate that transcription has started. 

Using voice typing is as simple as saying aloud the words you would like Microsoft to transcribe. It might seem a little strange at first, but you’ll soon develop a bit of flow, and everyone finds their strategies and style for getting the most out of the software. 

These four steps alone will allow you to begin transcribing your voice to text. However, if you want to elevate your speech to text software skills, our fifth step is for you.

Step 5: Incorporate punctuation commands

Microsoft Word’s speech to text software goes well beyond simply converting spoken words to text. With the introduction and improvement of artificial neural networks, Microsoft’s voice typing technology listens not only to single words but to the phrase as a whole. This has enabled the company to introduce an extensive list of voice commands that allow you to insert punctuation marks and other formatting effects while speaking. 

We can’t mention all of the punctuation commands here, but we’ll name some of the most useful. Saying the command “period” will insert a period, while the command “comma” will insert, unsurprisingly, a comma. The same rule applies for exclamation marks, colons, and quotations. If you’d like to finish a paragraph and leave a line break, you can say the command “new line.” 

These tools are easy to use. In our testing, the software was consistently accurate in discerning words versus punctuation commands.

Microsoft’s speech to text software is powerful. Having tested most of the major platforms, we can say that Microsoft offers arguably the best product when balancing cost versus performance. This is because the software is built directly into Microsoft 365, which many businesses already use. If this applies to your business, you can begin using Microsoft’s voice typing technology straight away, with no additional costs. 

We hope this article has taught you how to use speech to text software in Microsoft Word, and that you’ll now be able to apply these skills within your organization. 

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Dictate in Microsoft 365

Dictation lets you use speech-to-text to author content in Office with a microphone and reliable internet connection. Use your voice to quickly create documents, emails, notes, presentations, or even slide notes. 

Available Help Articles by App 

To get a sense of how it works, see the video below:

Dictation feedback and requests can be sent via in-app feedback or via 'Was this information helpful?' below.

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How to use speech-to-text on Microsoft Word to write and edit with your voice

• You can use speech-to-text on Microsoft Word through the "Dictate" feature.
• With Microsoft Word's "Dictate" feature, you can write using a microphone and your own voice.
• When you use Dictate, you can say "new line" to create a new paragraph and add punctuation simply by saying the punctuation aloud.
• If you're not satisfied with Word's built-in speech-to-text feature, you can use a third-party program like Dragon Home.
• Visit Business Insider's Tech Reference library for more stories.

While typing is certainly the most common way to create and edit documents in Microsoft Word , you're not limited to using a keyboard. 

Word supports speech-to-text, which lets you dictate your writing using voice recognition. 

Speech-to-text in Word is convenient and surprisingly accurate, and can help anyone who has issues typing with a typical keyboard. 

You can use speech-to-text in Microsoft Word in the same way on both Mac and PC.

Check out the products mentioned in this article:

Apple macbook pro (from $1,299.00 at apple), acer chromebook 15 (from $179.99 at walmart), how to use speech-to-text on word using dictate.

Make sure you have a microphone connected to your computer. This can be built-in, like on a laptop, or a separate mic that you plug into the USB or audio jack. 

It doesn't matter which type you use, though the best kind of mic to use is a headset, as it won't need to compete with as much background noise as a built-in microphone.

1. In Microsoft Word, make sure you're in the "Home" tab at the top of the screen, and then click "Dictate."

2. You should hear a beep, and the dictate button will change to include a red recording light. It's now listening for your dictation. 

3. Speak clearly, and Word should transcribe everything you say in the current document. Speak punctuation aloud as you go. You can also say "New line," which has the same effect as pressing the Enter or Return key on the keyboard. 

4. When you're done dictating, click "Dictate" a second time or turn it off using your voice by saying, "Turn the dictate feature off."

You can still type with the keyboard while Dictate is on, but if you click outside of Word or switch to another program, Dictate will turn itself off.  

Want to change languages? You can click the downward arrow on the Dictate button to choose which of nine or so languages you want to speak. You might also see additional "Preview Languages," which are still in beta and may have lower accuracy.

Speech-to-text alternatives

You're not limited to using the Dictate feature built into Word. While not as popular as they once were, there are several commercial speech-to-text apps available which you can use with Word. 

The most popular of these, Dragon Home , performs the same kind of voice recognition as Word's Dictate, but it also lets you control Word, format text, and make edits to your text using your voice. It works with nearly any program, not just Word.

Related coverage from  Tech Reference :

How to use speech-to-text on a windows computer to quickly dictate text without typing, you can use text-to-speech in the kindle app on an ipad using an accessibility feature— here's how to turn it on, how to use text-to-speech on discord, and have the desktop app read your messages aloud, how to use google text-to-speech on your android phone to hear text instead of reading it, 2 ways to lock a windows computer from your keyboard and quickly secure your data.

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Text-to-speech ( TTS ) technology has revolutionized the way we interact with written content, especially within popular software like Microsoft Word. Whether...

Text-to-speech (TTS) technology has revolutionized the way we interact with written content, especially within popular software like Microsoft Word. Whether you're using Windows 10, Mac, Android, or iOS, the ability to convert text into spoken words in Microsoft Office applications, including Word, PowerPoint, Excel, OneNote, and Outlook, has greatly enhanced accessibility for individuals with disabilities and improved productivity for all users.

• Accessing the Feature : In Word, the 'Read Aloud' feature can be found under the 'Review' tab. This feature enables the software to read the text aloud in your document, making it easier for users to review and edit their work.
• Customizing Settings : Users can customize their TTS experience in Word. This includes voice selection, reading speed, and even language preferences. These options can be accessed from the 'Control Panel' on Windows or system settings on other platforms.
• Using the Quick Access Toolbar : For frequent use, you can add the 'Speak' button to the Quick Access Toolbar. This allows for faster activation of the text-to-speech feature, enhancing efficiency.

Apart from reading text aloud, Microsoft Word is equipped with speech recognition features. This allows users to dictate text into their document, offering a hands-free way of typing. This feature is particularly useful for drafting emails in Outlook, creating spreadsheets in Excel, and taking notes in OneNote.

• Immersive Reader : For an enhanced reading experience, especially for users with learning disabilities, the Immersive Reader in Word offers a distraction-free environment, with options for different voices, playback speeds, and text spacing.
• Keyboard Shortcuts : Users can quickly start or stop the read aloud feature using keyboard shortcuts. For instance, pressing 'Ctrl' along with the 'Down Arrow' can activate the reading of an entire document or selected text.
• Using TTS Across Devices : The TTS functionality in Microsoft Office extends beyond desktop computers. On Android and iOS devices, users can also utilize the read aloud and speech recognition features, making it convenient to work on documents on the go.
• Customizing Voice and Speed : Within the TTS settings, users can select from different voices, including a female voice, and adjust the voice speed to suit their listening preference. This is especially useful for listening to text aloud in audiobooks or lengthy documents.
• Accessibility for All : The incorporation of text-to-speech technology in Microsoft Word signifies a commitment to accessibility. It not only aids those with disabilities but also provides a valuable tool for all users to process information more efficiently.

Text-to-speech technology in Microsoft Word is a significant step towards making information more accessible and workplaces more inclusive. Whether it's for reviewing a document, listening to an audiobook, or dictating text, the TTS feature in Microsoft Office ensures that everyone, regardless of their device or ability, has the tools they need for effective communication and productivity.

Speechify Text to Speech

Cost : Free to try

Speechify Text to Speech is a groundbreaking tool that has revolutionized the way individuals consume text-based content. By leveraging advanced text-to-speech technology, Speechify transforms written text into lifelike spoken words, making it incredibly useful for those with reading disabilities, visual impairments, or simply those who prefer auditory learning. Its adaptive capabilities ensure seamless integration with a wide range of devices and platforms, offering users the flexibility to listen on-the-go.

Top 5 Speechify TTS Features :

High-Quality Voices : Speechify offers a variety of high-quality, lifelike voices across multiple languages. This ensures that users have a natural listening experience, making it easier to understand and engage with the content.

Seamless Integration : Speechify can integrate with various platforms and devices, including web browsers, smartphones, and more. This means users can easily convert text from websites, emails, PDFs, and other sources into speech almost instantly.

Speed Control : Users have the ability to adjust the playback speed according to their preference, making it possible to either quickly skim through content or delve deep into it at a slower pace.

Offline Listening : One of the significant features of Speechify is the ability to save and listen to converted text offline, ensuring uninterrupted access to content even without an internet connection.

Highlighting Text : As the text is read aloud, Speechify highlights the corresponding section, allowing users to visually track the content being spoken. This simultaneous visual and auditory input can enhance comprehension and retention for many users.

• How do I turn on speech to text in Word?
• Open a Word document.
• Click on the 'Home' tab.
• Select 'Dictate' (microphone icon) to start speech-to-text.
• How do I change text to speech language in Word?
• Click on the 'Review' tab.
• Select 'Language' in the 'Language' group.
• Choose your desired language for text to speech.
• How to Convert Text to Speech in Word?
• Highlight the text in your document.
• Go to the 'Review' tab, then click 'Read Aloud'.
• Word will start reading the text aloud.
• How to make Microsoft Word read aloud to you?
• Highlight the text.
• Choose 'Read Aloud' to start the narration.
• How to use speech to text in Microsoft Word?
• Select 'Dictate' to start converting your speech to text.
• How to use speech to text in Microsoft Word: Preparation?
• Ensure your microphone is connected and working.
• Open Word and go to the 'Home' tab.
• Select 'Dictate' when ready to speak.
• How to Read a PDF Aloud Using Microsoft Word?
• Open the PDF in Word (it will convert to a Word document).
• Select the text.
• Click 'Read Aloud' under the 'Review' tab.
• What is the shortcut for speech to text in Word?
• Use 'Alt + ` (grave accent key)' as a shortcut to start or stop Dictate.
• How do I change the voice in text to speech?
• Go to 'Control Panel' > 'Ease of Access'.
• Choose 'Speech Recognition'.
• Select 'Text to Speech' to change the voice settings.

AI Maker: Everything you need to know!

Read Aloud: Transforming the Way We Experience Text

Cliff Weitzman

Cliff Weitzman is a dyslexia advocate and the CEO and founder of Speechify, the #1 text-to-speech app in the world, totaling over 100,000 5-star reviews and ranking first place in the App Store for the News & Magazines category. In 2017, Weitzman was named to the Forbes 30 under 30 list for his work making the internet more accessible to people with learning disabilities. Cliff Weitzman has been featured in EdSurge, Inc., PC Mag, Entrepreneur, Mashable, among other leading outlets.

Listen to your Word documents

There are many reasons to listen to a document, such as proofreading, multitasking, or increased comprehension and learning. Word makes listening possible by using the text-to-speech (TTS) ability of your device to play back written text as spoken words.  

There are multiple tools for listening to your Word documents: 

Read Aloud     reads all or part of your document. You can use Read Aloud on its own or within Immersive Reader for Word in Windows and MacOS.

Immersive Reader     is a set of tools that help improve reading fluency and comprehension. For more information about Immersive Reader, see Learning Tools in Word .

Speak     reads only the text you've selected. Speak is available for Windows only. For more information about Speak, see Use the Speak text-to-speech feature to read text aloud .

Narrator      is the Windows Screen reader app that reads your dialog boxes, buttons, and other user interfaces as well as the text. For more information about Narrator, see Using Windows Narrator in Office for the web .

Speech      is a built-in accessibility feature of MacOS. When you set up Speech preferences in your Mac system preferences, you can select text and have it read by pressing a keyboard combination you’ve defined.

Note:  For the full list of supported languages, see  Language and voice support for the Speech service.

Listen with Read Aloud 

Change Read Aloud settings 

Use the Reading speed slider to change the reading speed.

Under Voice Selection , select the voice you want.

Listen to selected text with Read Aloud.

Select the text to be read aloud.

Start Read Aloud from Review tab or shortcut or select  play on Read Aloud UI.

Keyboard shortcuts 

You can easily control Read Aloud using the following keyboard shortcuts in Windows: 

Listen to your documents with Speak 

Speak is a built-in feature of Word, Outlook, PowerPoint, and OneNote. Speak reads aloud only the text you select. Read Aloud reads the entire document starting from your cursor location like an audiobook.  

To use Speak:  

Select a word or block of text in your document.

Tip:  For instructions about how to add the Speak icon to your Quick Access Toolbar, see the help article Use the Speak text-to-speech feature to read text aloud . 

Supported languages 

Read Aloud uses the proofing language set for the document. To change the language, see the help article Fix text-to-speech reading in wrong language .  

Depending on your platform, text-to-speech (TTS) uses software that comes built into your device or through a Microsoft service. The voices available will differ between TTS services. If you’re using Immersive Reader, see the help article Download voices for Immersive Reader, Read Mode, and Read Aloud for more information. 

Our team is working on making voices sound more natural, so keep looking for improvements. 

Troubleshooting 

If you don’t see Read Aloud available, make sure that you’re signed into your Microsoft 365 account, and then try restarting the Word app or logging out and back in. 

If you are unable to access Neural Voices, make sure you have a stable internet connection and are signed into your Microsoft 365 account.

Read Aloud doesn’t store your content or audio data. Microsoft uses your content only to provide you with audio results. For more information about experiences that analyze your content, see  Connected Experiences in Office .

In MacOS you can listen to documents using Read Aloud or Speech.

Listen with Read Aloud for MacOS

Change Read Aloud settings

Use the Reading speed slider to change the voice speed.

Keyboard shortcuts

You can easily control Read Aloud using the following keyboard shortcuts in MacOS:

Listen to your documents with Speech

Speech is a built-in accessibility feature of MacOS. After you activate Speech for your Mac, you can select text and have it read by pressing a keyboard combination you’ve defined.

To activate Speech, do the following: 

On the Apple menu, select System Preferences .

Supported languages

Read Aloud uses the proofing language set for the document. To change the language, see the help article Fix text-to-speech reading in wrong language . 

Depending on your platform, text-to-speech (TTS) uses software that comes built into your device or by a Microsoft service. The voices available will differ between TTS services. If you’re using Immersive Reader, see the help article Download voices for Immersive Reader, Read Mode, and Read Aloud for more information.

Our team is working on making voices sound more natural, so keep looking for improvements.

Troubleshooting

If you don’t see Read Aloud available, make sure that you’re signed in to your Microsoft 365 account, and then try restarting the Word app or logging out and back in.

If you are unable to access neural voices, please make sure you have a stable internet connections and are signed in to your Microsoft 365 account. 

Read Aloud doesn’t store your content or audio data. Microsoft uses your content only to provide you with audio results. For more information about experiences that analyze your content, see Connected Experiences in Office .

In Word for the Web, you can listen to your documents using Immersive Reader.

Using Immersive Reader

Change Immersive Reader settings

You can change the voice speed and selection for Immersive Reader.

Use the Voice Speed slide to change the voice speed.

Depending on your platform, text-to-speech (TTS) uses software that comes built into your device or through a Microsoft service. The voices available will differ between TTS services. If you’re using Immersive Reader, see the help article Download voices for Immersive Reader, Read Mode, and Read Aloud for more information.

Listen with Read Aloud in Word for iPad

Tap the menu  icon at the top.

Tap Read Aloud .  

Listen to selected text with Read Aloud. 

Start Read Aloud from Review tab or overflow menu or select  play on Read Aloud UI.

Change Read Aloud settings for iPad

In the Read Aloud controls, tap the gear icon.

Listen with Read Aloud in Word for iPhone

Tap the Review tab.

Change Read Aloud settings for iPhone

To change the speech rate, in the Read Aloud controls, tap the gear icon.

When you’re online, Read Aloud tries to detect the language of the text and can support multiple languages in a single document. For the full list of supported languages, see the help article Language and voice support for the Speech service . 

Listen with Read Aloud in Word for Android phone

At the top, tap the menu icon.

Change Read Aloud settings for Android phone

For the full list of supported languages, see the help article Language and voice support for the Speech service . 

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