Set up voice dictation on your computer and give your fingers a break

Say goodbye to wrist fatigue, voice input helps you work efficiently! This article describes how to use the voice to text function in Google Docs on Windows, macOS, and any operating system to easily free your hands. Repetitive strain (RSI) is a common problem in typing, and voice input can effectively alleviate such problems and may be faster than typing. No additional hardware is required, the computer has a built-in microphone.

Windows system: Microsoft Word

The Windows system comes with voice recognition, which is suitable for all Windows applications, including Microsoft Word. Enter "windows speech recognition" in the search bar and start the application. The first use requires voice training, and the system will guide you through the steps. It can then be started from the taskbar at any time. The voice recognition function not only enables text input, but also controls computer operations, such as starting programs and searching. It can be set to power on automatically start in settings.

When used in Word, open the voice recognition console, place the cursor in the editing position, click the microphone icon to start talking, and click Stop again. Support voice commands for navigation and modification, such as "correct this place" and "moving to the end of the sentence". For more commands, please refer to Microsoft support documentation.

Microsoft has also launched a free Dictate plugin for Word, Outlook and PowerPoint. After installation, the "Dictation" tab will appear in the Word ribbon. Although the accuracy is not as accurate as Windows voice recognition, it is still being improved and is more convenient to integrate in Word.

Advanced users can consider Dragon for PC software, which has extremely high speech recognition accuracy and is compatible with all Windows applications. The home version costs $75, the professional version costs $175, and supports Bluetooth headphones and other features.

macOS: Microsoft Word and Apple Pages

macOS also comes with its own voice input feature, which is suitable for all applications, including Word and Pages. Turn on "Keyboard" > "Dictation" in System Preferences, enable dictation and check "Enhanced Dictation" to support offline use. In Word or Pages, select Start Dictation from the Edit menu or use the shortcut key (the default is to press the Fn key twice, which can be modified in system preferences). Supports phonetic punctuation and commands, such as "line wrap" and "caps". For a complete list of commands, please refer to the Apple Support page. Click "Finish" or press the Fn key to stop dictation once.

Dragon for Mac also offers powerful voice recognition, but only available for $300 Professional Edition, including features like audio transcription and custom dictionary.

Any operating system: Google Docs

Google Docs' voice input feature requires no additional software and is available on any browser. Open the document, select Tools > Voice Input, or use the shortcut keys (Windows: Ctrl Shift S; Mac: Cmd Shift S). Click the microphone icon to start dictation (the browser may require authorization to access the microphone). Google's voice recognition is very accurate, and the system will be underlined when it is uncertain. Right-click to view alternative suggestions. Supports commands such as phonetic punctuation, line breaks, paragraphs, and other commands such as text selection, formatting, and table editing. For a complete list of commands, please refer to the Google Docs support page. Click the microphone icon or say "Stop Listening" to end the dictation.

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