Voice to Text on Windows
3 Ways That Actually Work (2026)

Option 1: Windows Voice Typing (Win + H)

Windows 10 and 11 include a built-in voice typing tool you can activate with a keyboard shortcut. It works in any text field across the system.

Requirements

• Windows 10 or 11 with an internet connection.
• Microphone— built-in or external, selected in Settings > System > Sound > Input.
• Language pack— the language you want to dictate in must be installed under Settings > Time & language > Speech.

Setup

1. Click into any text field.
2. Press Win + H to open the Voice Typing toolbar.
3. Click the microphone icon. Wait for the “Listening” indicator.
4. Speak naturally.
5. Say “Stop listening” or click the microphone again to stop.

What it's good at

Free. System-wide — works in any text field on Windows. On Windows 11, you can toggle auto-punctuation in the Voice Typing settings. Supports 20+ languages.

Where it falls short

• Cloud-only— audio is sent to Microsoft's servers. No offline mode.
• Session drops— stops listening after extended silence. You have to restart it.
• Basic punctuation— auto-punctuation exists on Windows 11 but it's hit-or-miss. On Windows 10, you say punctuation out loud.
• Filler words stay— no cleanup of “um,” “uh,” or false starts.
• Intermittent reliability— users report it randomly stops responding, possibly due to server-side issues.

Option 2: Microsoft Word Dictate

If you use Microsoft 365, Word has a Dictate button in the Home tab. It's convenient inside Word but doesn't work anywhere else.

Requirements

• Microsoft 365 subscription— Dictate is not available on perpetual Office licenses.
• Internet connection— streams audio to Microsoft's servers.
• Microphone access— granted to Word in Windows privacy settings.

Setup

1. Open a Word document.
2. Click Home > Dictate (microphone icon).
3. Wait for the red recording indicator and speak.
4. Click Dictate again to stop.

What it's good at

Convenient if you already pay for Microsoft 365. Built into Word's toolbar. Supports 30+ languages with a language picker in the Dictate menu.

Where it falls short

• Subscription required— no Microsoft 365, no Dictate.
• Word-only— doesn't help you in browsers, Slack, email, or any other app.
• Cloud-only— no offline support.
• Manual punctuation— you say “comma,” “period” out loud.
• Session instability— drops on silence, network changes, or token refreshes.

Option 3: Resonant — system-wide dictation, fully local

Resonant is a dictation app for Windows (and Mac) that runs speech recognition locally on your machine. It removes the constraints of both Windows Voice Typing and Word Dictate.

Requirements

• Windows 10 or 11.
• No subscription— free to download and use.
• No internet— works fully offline.

Setup

1. Download Resonant and install it.
2. Grant microphone access when prompted.
3. Click into any text field.
4. Press your configured hotkey and speak.
5. Release the key. Clean, punctuated text appears.

What it's good at

• Long-form dictation— no session limits. Dictate for as long as you hold the hotkey.
• Automatic punctuation— neural models infer punctuation from your speech rhythm.
• Filler word removal— “um,” “uh,” false starts cleaned automatically.
• Fully offline— audio never leaves your PC. Works behind firewalls, on planes, on bad Wi-Fi.
• System-wide— same hotkey works in Word, Chrome, Slack, Discord, VS Code, and every other app.
• Modern speech models— Parakeet. Accurate on domain terms and proper nouns.

Where it falls short

• Separate app— not built into Windows. This is also the reason it works independently of Windows updates.

Side-by-side comparison

Here's how the three options compare on the things that matter for daily use.

Which one should you use?

If you need quick dictation in any app and don't mind cloud processing: Windows Voice Typing (Win + H) is the easiest starting point. It's free, system-wide, and already installed.

If you work mostly in Word and already pay for Microsoft 365: Word Dictate is convenient inside the editor. Just know it won't follow you to other apps.

If you dictate regularly, write long documents, care about accuracy, or work in a regulated environment: Resonant. It handles long sessions, punctuates and cleans your speech automatically, runs entirely on your machine, and works in every app.

Frequently asked questions