Word and the rest of your desktop
A single hotkey works in the Word desktop app, Word for the web, and other focused applications, so dictation is not tied to one editor.
Fact-checked · Last verified August 24, 2026
How to dictate in Microsoft Word
How to dictate in Microsoft Word
with Dictate or an offline local engine
To dictate in Microsoft Word, open a document, choose Home > Dictate, wait for the microphone to start listening, and speak. Microsoft 365 subscribers can use this cloud feature, while WhisperJot offers a global hotkey and local transcription that also works outside Word.
Dictate
The built-in option
Word's included Dictate tool is available only to Microsoft 365 subscribers and works on Windows, Mac, the web, and mobile. It needs a reliable internet connection because audio is sent to Microsoft for transcription, although Microsoft says the audio is not stored. The tool has 15 fully supported languages plus about 24 preview languages with lower accuracy. Its voice commands cover punctuation, bold and italic formatting, lists, and editing.
- Open a Word document and place the insertion point where the dictated text should begin.
- On Windows or Mac, select Home > Dictate; on the web, select the microphone icon. Mac users can also press Option+F1.
- Wait until Word is listening, speak naturally, and use the Dictate control again when you want to stop.
One hotkey across apps
Dictate in Microsoft Word with WhisperJot
- Install WhisperJot, open Word, and click at the point in the document where your next words belong.
- Start recording with ⌥Space on macOS, Ctrl+Alt+Space on Windows or Linux, or by holding fn on a Mac.
- Speak while the floating HUD shows live partials; finish recording to place the processed text in Word.
- Move to another program whenever needed—the same shortcut types into whichever desktop app or browser field has focus, without a Word plugin.
Offline document drafting
Local engines run on-device by default and remain fully offline after the roughly 2.3 GB first download, with audio staying on the computer.
Document-ready cleanup
Automatic punctuation, capitalization, and filler-word removal help turn a spoken draft into cleaner paragraphs before insertion.
Flexible recording controls
Choose push-to-talk, toggle, or hands-free mode, and say commands such as “new paragraph,” “bullet point,” or “all caps.”
Questions
Straight answers.
How do I dictate in Microsoft Word?
Open your document, put the cursor where the text should appear, and select Home > Dictate. On Mac, Option+F1 is also documented; Word for the web provides a microphone icon. Once the control indicates that it is listening, speak your text and select it again to finish.
Do I need Microsoft 365 to use Dictate in Word?
Yes. Microsoft states that Word's Dictate feature is available only to Microsoft 365 subscribers. It is included for eligible subscribers rather than sold as a separate dictation add-on. If that requirement does not fit your setup, operating-system dictation or a separate desktop tool such as WhisperJot can enter text in Word.
Can Microsoft Word Dictate work without internet?
No. Word Dictate is cloud-based and needs a reliable internet connection. Microsoft says audio is sent to its service but is not stored. WhisperJot's local engines instead process speech on-device by default and work fully offline after the roughly 2.3 GB initial model download, then type the result into Word.
What languages and commands does Word Dictate support?
Microsoft documents 15 fully supported languages and roughly 24 preview languages, which may have lower accuracy or limited punctuation. Available voice commands include punctuation, bold and italic formatting, list creation, and editing. Because language status can change, check Microsoft's current Word Dictate help before depending on a particular preview language.
Sources, checked August 24, 2026: Microsoft Word Dictate help. Vendor features change — check each product's documentation for current behavior.
Browse WhisperJot use cases, compare dictation apps, or check the system requirements.
Dictate in Microsoft Word and everywhere else.
One $99/year plan includes unlimited dictation across your focused desktop apps.