While Windows 10 offers many different methods of input, from touch screens to keyboards, sometimes you just need to go hands-free and use your voice. Speech recognition in Windows 10 lets you do just that, as long as you have the right hardware. With built-in speech recognition and dictation features in Windows 10 and compatible hardware, you can completely give up your keyboard and mouse if you’d like to try something new. This guide will teach you how to turn on speech recognition and dictation in Windows 10.
Turn On Spelling and Grammar
Microsoft Word has a built-in spell checker that can help you catch typos and other errors in your document. To turn it on, open the File menu, select Options, and then select Proofing. Under Proofing, select the Check spelling as you type and Check grammar with spelling check boxes. You’ll also want to click Add words to dictionary so that spell check will ignore commonly misspelt words (like you’re instead of your). Click OK when you’re done. You may need to restart Word for these changes to take effect.
Once Spell Check is turned on, if there are any issues with the way you’ve spelt something or how a word is used in a sentence, one or more red squiggly lines will appear underneath the word or phrase in question. If you right-click on one of these lines, you can see suggested replacements for what’s been incorrectly spelt or written and choose which version you want Word to use while checking your work the techno tricks.
Customize Keyboard Settings
Microsoft’s speech recognition technology is pretty good, but it can be frustrating if you don’t know how to properly customize your keyboard settings. Follow these steps to ensure that your computer will be able to understand your voice:
- Open the Control Panel.
- Click on Speech Recognition.
- In the left-hand pane, click on Advanced speech options. 4. Checkmark Use Enhanced Scenarios and Restrict background noise. 5. Press OK to save changes. 6. Go back to the Control Panel window, then click on Ease of Access Center under Related Settings or just press ALT+U together on your keyboard to quickly get there.
Speak Text Commands
If you’re running Windows 10, you can enable speech recognition to control your computer with your voice. This feature is also known as dictation. Here’s how to turn it on:
- Go to Start > Settings > Time & Language > Speech.
- Under Speech Recognition, select Get started.
- The Speech Training Wizard will open. Follow the instructions to train your computer to understand your voice. You’ll need to say phrases like hello and goodbye. After completing this wizard, start using voice commands! Say Hey Cortana followed by a command like shut down. You can also use Voice Commands to speak text instead of typing. To do this, just type or paste what you want said into the Search field at the bottom left corner of the screen then click or tap Speak (right arrow).
Dictate Text Without Any Keystrokes
Microsoft has included speech recognition software in every version of Windows since Vista, but it’s never been very good. That changed with Windows 10, which includes significant improvements to the accuracy and speed of the software. Here’s how to turn it on 1) Press Start.
2) Click Settings from the left menu pane.
3) Click Time & Language -> Region & Language -> Speech (English (United States)).
4) Check Use Speech Recognition, then click Settings to customize your microphone’s settings for optimal performance. If you want to change this setting later, just go back into the Speech settings and uncheck Use Speech Recognition.
5) When you’re ready to start dictating text, press CTRL+SHIFT+SPACEBAR. Speak directly into your microphone so that it can hear you clearly, being sure not to cover or move it while speaking.
6) To end dictation mode, just press CTRL+SHIFT+SPACEBAR again thetechnotricks.
Update Your Computer
To get started with speech recognition and dictation in Windows 10, you’ll need to make sure your computer meets the minimum requirements.
Your computer’s microphone must be turned on. If you have a built-in microphone, check that it’s not muted.
If you’re using an external microphone, check that it’s plugged into the right port.
You’ll also need to adjust your volume settings. In Windows 10, you can do this by clicking the sound icon in the taskbar. Then click Sound Settings and select Change System Volume. There should be two sliders at the top of the window: one for Master volume, which affects all other volumes, and one for Other volumes. The first slider controls how loud everything will sound when you speak or use your voice commands; change it until you hear yourself clearly but without distortion or feedback.
