How to Use Voice Typing in Windows 11 to Speak Instead of Type

Windows 11 has a built-in voice typing tool — press Win+H and speak to type in any text field on your PC, hands-free.

In this guide (5 steps):

1.Enable Voice Typing with a Keyboard Shortcut
2.Start Speaking
3.Enable Auto Punctuation
4.Use Manual Punctuation Commands (Without Auto Punctuation)
5.Stop Voice Typing

Enable Voice Typing with a Keyboard Shortcut

~20s

Click inside any text field — an email you are composing, a Word document, or a web search bar. Press Windows key + H simultaneously. A small toolbar appears near the top of your screen with a microphone icon.

Quick Tip

The microphone toolbar floats over your current window and stays accessible while you switch between typing and voice entry.

Start Speaking

~15s

Click the microphone button in the toolbar (or just start speaking after pressing ⊞ Win+H — it may start automatically). Speak clearly and at a natural pace. Text appears in the active text field as you speak.

Enable Auto Punctuation

~15s

In the voice typing toolbar, click the Settings gear icon. Toggle on "Auto punctuation." Windows will now automatically add commas, periods, and question marks as appropriate — without you needing to say them.

Use Manual Punctuation Commands (Without Auto Punctuation)

~15s

If auto punctuation is off, speak punctuation commands: "comma," "period," "question mark," "exclamation mark," "new line," "open parenthesis," "close parenthesis." For example: "The meeting is Thursday period Please confirm your attendance period"

Stop Voice Typing

~18s

Click the microphone button again to pause. Click the X in the voice typing toolbar to close it. Your text is already saved in the document or text field — no additional save step is needed.

Quick Tip

Voice typing works inside Microsoft Word, Outlook, Edge, Chrome, Notepad, and most other Windows apps that accept text input.

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Windows 11 has a built-in voice typing tool that lets you dictate text into any application by speaking. Press Windows key + H on your keyboard while your cursor is in a text field — a microphone toolbar appears and you can start speaking. Your words are transcribed into whatever you are typing, whether that is an email, a document, a search bar, or a chat message.

Voice typing in Windows 11 is powered by Microsoft's speech recognition, the same technology behind Cortana and Microsoft Office dictation. It is accurate for natural, clearly spoken English and handles punctuation through spoken commands.

Windows 11 voice typing works with automatic punctuation — you do not need to say "comma" or "period" manually. With "Auto punctuation" enabled in the voice typing settings, the system inserts punctuation automatically based on your speech patterns and pauses. This makes it feel more natural than manual punctuation commands.

Voice typing requires a working microphone. Most Windows laptops have a built-in microphone. Desktop computers may need a USB or plug-in microphone. The built-in laptop microphone is usually adequate for voice typing in a quiet room.

For longer typing tasks — writing emails, composing letters, drafting documents — voice typing in Windows can be significantly faster than keyboard typing for many people. A spoken average of 130 words per minute dramatically outpaces most people's keyboard typing speed.

Windows 11 also has a full voice access feature for people with mobility impairments — it allows voice control of the entire computer, not just typing. This guide covers the simpler voice typing feature for casual use.

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