Voice-to-Text Options

Voice-to-text, also called dictation or speech recognition, converts what you say into typed text. It is useful for drafting email, documents, grant narratives, and notes, and it can be an accessibility aid for anyone who finds typing difficult. This article covers the free options available to everyone at Emerson and what to do if you need something more capable.

Where should you start? If you mostly write in Google Docs, use Tools > Voice typing. If you want to dictate across email, Word, web forms, and other applications, use your computer's built-in dictation. Both are free and cover most needs, so try them before considering paid software.

Google Docs voice typing (recommended starting point)

Emerson is a Google Workspace school, so the simplest option is already available in any Google Doc at no cost. It runs in the Chrome browser.

1. Open a document at docs.google.com in Chrome.
2. Go to Tools > Voice typing. A microphone button appears.
3. Click the microphone, allow access if prompted, and begin speaking. Say punctuation out loud, such as "comma," "period," and "new paragraph."
4. Click the microphone again to stop.

Built-in dictation on your computer (works everywhere)

Both macOS and Windows include free, system-wide dictation that types wherever your cursor is, including email, Word, browsers, and forms.

• Mac: Turn on dictation in System Settings > Keyboard > Dictation. Then place your cursor in any text field and press the dictation shortcut (the default is pressing the microphone key, or you can set your own). Speak, and the text appears where your cursor is.
• Windows 11: Place your cursor in any text field and press Windows key + H. A voice typing bar appears. Speak, and the text appears where your cursor is. Turn on auto-punctuation in that bar if you prefer not to say punctuation aloud.

Getting better accuracy

• Use a headset or external microphone rather than the one built into your laptop, and work in a quiet room.
• Speak at a normal, steady pace in full sentences rather than one word at a time.
• Dictate punctuation and formatting commands such as "comma," "period," and "new line" when auto-punctuation is off.
• If dictation is not typing anything, confirm the tool has permission to use your microphone in your browser or operating system privacy settings, that the correct microphone is selected as the input device, and that you are in a supported browser. Google voice typing requires Chrome.

A note on privacy

Google and operating system dictation typically process your speech in the cloud to convert it to text. Avoid dictating passwords or highly sensitive personal information into any speech tool. If you have a confidentiality need that requires speech to be processed locally rather than in the cloud, contact the Help Desk so we can help you evaluate the right option.

If you need more: paid dictation software

For high-volume dictation or specialized accuracy needs, the market leader is Nuance Dragon Professional. Before you consider it, know the following:

• It is a one-time purchase of roughly $700 and is Windows only. There is no current Mac version.
• It performs best with a good noise-canceling headset microphone and a computer with at least 8 GB of RAM. Because it processes speech locally on your machine rather than in the cloud, some users with confidentiality needs prefer it.
• You can read more on the Dragon Professional product page.

Dictation as an accessibility aid

If typing is difficult and you want to control your computer by voice, both platforms offer a fuller hands-free option beyond simple dictation: Voice Control on Mac (System Settings > Accessibility > Voice Control) and Voice Access on Windows 11 (Settings > Accessibility > Speech). If this is a workplace or academic accommodation, contact the Help Desk and we will help you connect with the right resources.