This feature is available in the Simplified Chinese, English (U.S.), and Japanese language versions of Microsoft Office.
To get started, do the following:
Verify speech recognition system requirements
To use speech recognition, you need the following:
(A universal serial bus (USB) microphone is recommended.)
See the Microsoft Office Web site for more information about operating system specific requirements or microphone information.
Note The hyperlink in this topic goes to the Web. You can switch back to Help at any time.
Position the speech recognition microphone
A high quality close-talk (headset) universal serial bus (USB) microphone with gain adjustment support is recommended.
Position the microphone so that:
It is not directly in front of your mouth, and you are not breathing directly into it.
Note If you inadvertently move the microphone as you speak, remember to bring it back to the correct position.
Install and train speech recognition
Speech recognition is installed in all Office programs by initially using the feature in Microsoft Word or by doing a custom installation.
After speech recognition is installed, you can increase speech recognition accuracy by taking a few minutes to train the computer to recognize how you speak.
Install and train by using Word
You're asked if you want to install the feature. Click Yes.
Training begins with help in adjusting your microphone.
Custom installation and training
After the custom installation is completed, you can train speech recognition.
Note In Microsoft Excel, point to Speech on the Tools menu, and then click Speech Recognition.
Training begins with help in adjusting your microphone.
Note If you do not train at this point, you can train by clicking Speech Tools on the Language bar, and then clicking Training.
Learn about how to speak to a computer
When speaking to others, you're usually understood whether you whisper or shout, or talk fast or slow. However, a computer understands speech best when spoken to in a more predictable way.
- Speak in a consistent, level tone. Speaking too loudly or too softly makes it difficult for the computer to recognize what you've said.
- Use a consistent rate, without speeding up and slowing down.
- Speak without pausing between words; a phrase is easier for the computer to interpret than just one word.
For example, the computer has a hard time understanding phrases such as, "This (pause) is (pause) another (pause) example (pause) sentence."
Because we don't usually need to think about how to speak, it can seem a little awkward at first to speak to a computer. However, with a little practice, speaking to a computer will become more natural.
Speech recognition tips
- Start by working in a quiet environment so that the computer hears you instead of the sounds around you, and use a high quality close-talk (headset) microphone.
If your work environment has a lot of noise or if the noise level varies during the day, try creating different speech recognition profiles for different times of day. If you work in several different environments, create different profiles for each environment.
- Keep the microphone in the same position; try not to move it around once it's adjusted.
- Train your computer to recognize your voice by reading aloud prepared training text in the training wizard. Additional training may increase may speech recognition accuracy.
- As you dictate, don't be concerned if you do not immediately see your words on the screen. Continue speaking and pause at the end of your thought. The computer will display the recognized text on the screen after it finishes processing your voice.
- Pronounce words clearly, but don't separate each syllable in a word. For example, sounding out each syllable in "e-nun-ci-ate" will make it harder for the computer to recognize what you've said.
- Remember to turn the microphone off when you are not using speech recognition. Speech recognition will continue to process sounds until the microphone is turned off.
Practice using speech recognition
You can use speech recognition by clicking buttons on the Language bar to switch between two modes — Dictation and Voice Command. The Language bar appears by default in the upper-right corner of the screen of any Office programs.
Language bar with text labels hidden
Note The Language bar shows text labels beside each button on the bar. You can hide or show the text labels by right-clicking the Language bar, and then clicking Text Labels.
You'll switch between Dictation mode and Voice Command mode less often and save time if you complete dictation first, review your file, and then format text or make corrections.
If you open a Help topic while you're working or if a message appears on the screen, click again in the program to continue using speech recognition.
Use Dictation mode
As you speak, you'll see a blue bar on the screen that means the computer is processing your voice. As your words are recognized, text is displayed on the screen.
You can continue to speak while the computer processes your voice; you don't have to wait until the blue bar disappears to speak again.
Previously recognized text
Blue bar that indicates the computer is processing your voice
Notes
Use Voice Command mode
For example, to change font format, you can say "font" to open the Font box on the Formatting toolbar, and then say a font name.
Or to format selected text, say "bold" or "underline."
Note If Voice Command is not on the Language bar, see the Speech recognition isn't working section on the Troubleshoot speech recognition Help topic.
Turn the microphone off when you are through speaking to the computer by clicking Microphone on the Language bar.
Tips
You can also switch between Dictation and Voice Command modes by saying "dictation" or "voice command."
In Microsoft Word, you can delete the last thing you said in Dictation mode by saying "scratch that."
You can turn the microphone on and off by clicking Speech on the Tools menu (in Microsoft Excel, point to Speech on the Tools menu, and then click Speech Recognition).
You can also turn the microphone off by saying "microphone."
Learn about things you can do and say with speech recognition
This feature is available in the Simplified Chinese, English (U.S.), and Japanese language versions of Microsoft Office.
When you use Office speech recognition, you'll switch between working in Voice Command mode and Dictation mode by clicking buttons on the Language bar or by saying "voice command" or "dictation."
Language bar with text labels hidden
Note The Language bar by default shows text labels beside each button on the bar. You can hide or show the text labels by right-clicking the Language bar, and then clicking Text Labels.
Using Voice Command mode
Note Using Voice Command mode for dialog box and task pane items is not available in Simplified Chinese and Japanese.
To select menu, toolbar, dialog box, and task pane items by using your voice, if the microphone is not already turned on, click Microphone on the Language bar, and then click Voice Command
on the Language bar, or say "voice command."
For example, to change the font in any Office program by using your voice, do the following:
Note You can also change font format without opening the Font dialog box. Say "font" to open the Font box on the Formatting toolbar, and then say a font name.
Other Voice Command mode examples
Do the following to select:
Toolbar buttons
Say the name of the toolbar button. If you don't know the name, rest the mouse pointer on the button to display a ScreenTip that shows you the name you can say.
For example, the ScreenTip for the Save button is "Save." Say "save" to open the Save dialog box.
Menu and command items
Say the name of the menu. For example, to open the Tools menu, say "tools" or "tools menu."
If all the commands you want to see on a menu are not visible, say "expand" or "more buttons."
To select a command on the Tools menu, say "options," for example, which will open the Options dialog box.
Dialog box items
To clear a dialog box option, say "prompt to update style" again or say "uncheck prompt to update style."
In an Open dialog box, you can open a drop-down list by saying the name next to the list, if a name is available. For example, in Microsoft PowerPoint, to open the Tools menu, say "tools." To select the Options command, say "options," which opens the Options dialog box.
To select a tab in the Options dialog box, say the name of the tab. For example, say "save" to open the Save tab.
To see the items in the Save PowerPoint files list, say "save PowerPoint files as" or "drop save PowerPoint files as."
Task pane items
To open the New File task pane in Office programs, do the following:
To open a new blank file, say "new file."
To say the name of a hyperlink in a task pane, say the name of the entire hyperlink. For example, to open Templates on Microsoft.com in the New File task pane, say "templates on Microsoft dot com."
Note This does not apply to Microsoft Outlook.
The following list is a sample of the commands you can say. For more information, see the Microsoft Office Web site.
Navigation examples
Using Dictation mode
To dictate text into any Office program, if the microphone is not already turned on click Microphone on the Language bar, and then click Dictation
on the Language bar, or say "dictation."
Tips
You can dictate by spelling. Say "spelling mode," pause briefly, and then say "s-u-n."
You can use Dictation mode to get help as you work. Place the insertion point into the Office Assistant or into the Ask a Question box, and then dictate your question.
The following lists tell you how to say some things as you dictate. What you can say is followed by what is inserted. For example:
Punctuation
Symbols and special characters
Brackets
Quotation marks
Numbers
Tip
To dictate all numbers as digits, say "force num," pause briefly, and then say "5."
Notes