Voice Typing Windows: Shortcuts, Setup and Fixes

If you want voice typing, Windows already has it built in and it is one shortcut away: click into any text box, press the Windows logo key + H, and start talking. Your words appear at the cursor in a browser, an email, a chat window or a code comment. That covers most people’s needs, but Windows also has a second, more powerful tool called voice access, and a screen reader called Narrator that people often switch on by mistake. This guide sorts out which is which, shows the shortcuts and spoken commands that matter, and walks through fixes when dictation refuses to cooperate.

What voice typing, voice access and Narrator each do

Windows has three speech features with confusingly similar names. Knowing which one you want saves a lot of fiddling.

• Voice typing turns speech into text in whatever field is selected. It is the quick option: you open it, dictate a sentence or a paragraph, and close it. It does not click buttons or open apps.
• Voice access is a Windows 11 feature (version 22H2 and later) for controlling the whole PC by voice: opening apps, clicking items by name, scrolling, and writing and correcting text. Microsoft describes it as working without an internet connection.
• Narrator is the opposite direction. It is a screen reader that speaks what is on screen. If your computer is suddenly reading every menu aloud, Narrator is on.

Windows 10 and Windows 11 use the same voice typing shortcut, so the basics carry across both. Voice access is the part that only exists in Windows 11.

A quick listening cue: if you hear the computer talking back to you, that is Narrator. If you see a small bar with a microphone near your text, that is voice typing. If a wide bar is docked across the top of the screen showing what it heard, that is voice access.

Voice typing Windows shortcut: Win+H in Windows 10 and 11

Here is the full sequence, which takes a few seconds once you have done it twice:

1. Click into the place you want text to go, such as a search box, document or message field. The blinking cursor must be there.
2. Press Win+H. A small voice typing bar appears with a microphone button.
3. Wait for the microphone to show it is listening, then speak at a normal pace.
4. Say punctuation out loud when you need it, such as “comma”, “period” or “question mark”.
5. Say “stop listening”, click the microphone, or press Win+H again to finish.

Windows 11 extras worth switching on

In Windows 11, the voice typing bar has a settings gear. Two options are worth a look:

• Automatic punctuation, which adds commas and full stops based on your phrasing so you do not have to say them.
• Voice typing launcher, a small microphone button that appears when you select a text field. It is off by default. If you prefer clicking to remembering shortcuts, turn it on and place it where it suits you.

On Windows 10, dictation may rely on Microsoft’s online speech recognition, so check the Speech section of privacy settings if the bar opens but does nothing. Exact behaviour varies by version and language, so treat a spotty connection as a possible cause rather than a certainty.

Setting up voice access for hands-free control

If you want to do more than dictate, for example because of a wrist injury or because you simply like working away from the keyboard, voice access is the tool. Plain voice typing stops at text entry; voice access goes further.

1. Open Settings > Accessibility > Speech and turn on Voice access. You can also press Win+Ctrl+S to toggle it.
2. The first time, Windows may download a speech model and ask you to choose and test a microphone.
3. Run the interactive guide when offered. You can reopen it later from the Help button on the bar or by saying “Open voice access guide.”
4. In the same Speech settings, decide whether voice access should start automatically before or after you sign in.

The three microphone states

Voice access has three states, and confusing them is the most common early frustration:

State	What it hears	How to get there
Listening	Everything; runs commands and dictates text	Say “Voice access wake up” or “Unmute”, or press Alt+Shift+B
Sleep	Only the wake-up command	Say “Voice access sleep” or “Mute”, or press Alt+Shift+B
Microphone off	Nothing at all	Say “Turn off microphone” or press Alt+Shift+C

Use sleep when you take a phone call so a stray sentence does not end up in your document. Use microphone off when you want certainty that nothing is being processed.

Settings that improve accuracy

• Wait time before acting controls how long voice access pauses before treating your speech as finished. The default is Medium (half a second). Slow, deliberate speakers often do better with a longer setting.
• Add to vocabulary lets you teach it names, jargon and hard-to-pronounce words. You can also say “Add to vocabulary.”
• Languages lists ready-to-use languages and others you can download.
• Fluid dictation is currently available in English and only on Copilot+ PCs, so do not expect it on older hardware.

Dictation commands and a worked example

Good dictation habits come down to a handful of spoken commands. You do not need dozens. Learn these first:

• “Period”, “comma”, “question mark”, “exclamation mark” for punctuation (or turn on automatic punctuation).
• “New line” and “new paragraph” for line breaks.
• “Delete that” or “undo that” to remove the last thing you said, in voice access.
• “Select” followed by a word or phrase, then “correct that” to fix a mistake, in voice access.
• “Stop listening” to end a voice typing session.

Worked example: a short email reply

Suppose you need to reply to a colleague. Click into the reply box and press Win+H. Then say, with natural pauses:

Hi Sam comma new line
Thanks for the notes period I can review the draft on Thursday period
Does the afternoon work for you question mark
new line
Best comma new line
Alex

The result should read as a properly broken-up message. If “Thursday” comes out as “thirsty”, do not retype the whole sentence. In voice access you would say “select thirsty”, then “correct that” and pick the right option. With plain voice typing, the fastest fix is often to click the word with the mouse and type it.

The practical lesson: dictate in full sentences, then correct in a separate pass. Stopping to fix every word mid-flow breaks your rhythm and invites more errors.

Windows 11 voice typing not working: what to check

When voice typing stops working in Windows 11, the cause is usually ordinary. Work through these in order before searching for anything exotic.

Nothing happens when you press Win+H

• No text field is selected. Click inside the box first. Some apps, games and full-screen programs do not expose a standard text field, so the shortcut has nowhere to send text.
• The shortcut is intercepted. Some keyboard utilities, remote desktop sessions and gaming overlays capture Windows key combinations. Close them and try again.
• Your keyboard language is unsupported. Voice typing follows the current input language. If you switched layouts with Win+Space, switch back to a supported language.

The bar opens but types nothing

• Open Settings > Privacy & security > Microphone and check that microphone access, and access for desktop apps, are turned on.
• Open Settings > System > Sound, confirm the right input device is selected and use the test to see the level bar move when you talk.
• Unplug and replug a USB or Bluetooth headset, then reselect it. Windows sometimes falls back to a laptop microphone you are not speaking into.
• Check whether a physical mute switch or a mute key on the headset is on.

Text appears but is full of mistakes

• Move the microphone closer and away from fans and keyboards.
• Speak in phrases rather than single words; recognition uses context.
• In voice access, add recurring names and terms with Add to vocabulary and lengthen the wait time.

Heavy CPU load can also make speech features lag, since everything competes for the same processor. If you run AI coding agents or long builds while dictating, closing a few heavy apps is worth trying. CPU Limit, a Windows utility from our utilities range that is coming soon, is designed to reserve part of the processor for you while agents run.

Voice typing software for Windows 10 and other options

Windows’ built-in voice typing is free and good enough for messages and notes. It is not the only route, and each option has trade-offs.

Option	Where it works	Strengths	Trade-offs
Voice typing (Win+H)	Windows 10 and 11, most text fields	Free, built in, no setup	Text only; limited correction tools
Voice access	Windows 11 22H2 and later	Full PC control, works offline, custom vocabulary	More commands to learn; not on Windows 10
Word Dictate	Microsoft Word	Integrated with the document	Only inside Word
Google Docs voice typing	Docs in a browser	Free with a Google account	Only inside Docs; needs the browser tab focused
Dedicated hotkey dictation app	Depends on the app	Can be tuned for one workflow	Another app to install and maintain

For anyone still on Windows 10, Win+H is the main option, since voice access is not available there. Word and Google Docs both have their own dictation buttons if you mostly write in those apps.

A dedicated tool makes sense when you dictate constantly into many different apps, for example writing prompts for coding agents all day. That is the idea behind Hotkey Voice Dictate, a simple voice-to-text app built around a global hotkey for Windows. It is coming soon, so for now the built-in tools are the practical choice.

If you want to talk to your computer rather than just type with your voice, that is a different category. Golem: AI Web Browser, which has published prerelease installers for Windows, Linux and macOS, includes the Eve voice assistant alongside browser automation and a coding agent. Eve: AI Computer Agent, coming soon for Windows, is a desktop companion built for real-time voice conversations that can drive coding agents. You can browse the full software list for the rest.

Common mistakes with voice typing

• Pressing the shortcut before clicking a field. Voice typing needs a cursor. This one mistake explains a large share of “it doesn’t work” complaints.
• Mixing up voice typing and voice access. If you are saying “click send” and it types the words “click send”, you are in voice typing, not voice access.
• Leaving voice access listening during calls. Put it to sleep with Alt+Shift+B or “Voice access sleep” before you talk to anyone.
• Accidentally triggering Narrator. Ctrl+Win+Enter toggles it. If the PC starts reading aloud, press it again.
• Correcting while dictating. Finish the thought, then fix errors. Your accuracy will improve because the recogniser gets fuller sentences.
• Ignoring the microphone. A cheap headset microphone close to your mouth usually beats a laptop microphone across the desk.

If you also record tutorials or demos where you narrate on screen, our guide to screen video recording on Windows 10 covers the free built-in options, and you can find more walkthroughs in our software guides.

Frequently asked questions

What is the Windows command for voice typing?

The shortcut is the Windows logo key plus H. Click into a text field first, press Win+H, and a small voice typing bar appears with a microphone button. Speak normally and your words appear where the cursor sits. Say "stop listening" or press Win+H again to stop. The same shortcut works in Windows 10 and Windows 11, though the bar looks slightly different between the two.

How do I get my voice typing to work?

Start with the basics: make sure a text box is selected, your microphone is plugged in and set as the default input device, and apps are allowed to use the microphone under Settings, Privacy & security, Microphone. Then press Win+H. If the bar opens but nothing is typed, run the microphone test in Sound settings and check that your keyboard language is one voice typing supports.

Why is my computer narrating everything I do?

You have most likely switched on Narrator, the built-in screen reader, by accident. The shortcut Ctrl+Windows+Enter turns it on and off, and it is easy to hit while reaching for other keys. Press it again to stop the narration. You can also go to Settings, Accessibility, Narrator and turn the toggle off, along with any option that starts Narrator automatically.

What does Voice Access do?

Voice access is a Windows 11 feature (version 22H2 and later) that lets you control your PC and write text using only your voice, without an internet connection. You can open and switch apps, click buttons by name, scroll, browse the web and dictate or correct text. It runs as a bar docked at the top of the screen and has listening, sleep and microphone-off states.

Is there free voice typing software for Windows 10?

Yes. Windows 10 includes voice typing through Win+H at no extra cost, and Microsoft Word and Google Docs in a browser both have their own dictation tools. Voice access, the fuller hands-free control feature, is only in Windows 11. If you need dictation that works the same way in every app with a custom hotkey, a dedicated dictation utility may suit you better.