How to Use a Microphone on Microsoft Word

Use a headset or computer microphone to take advantage of Windows voice recognition.

Windows Vista and Windows 7 have voice recognition software built into the operating system. Voice recognition software allows you to speak computer commands into a microphone to control your computer instead of using a keyboard or mouse. Voice recognition software also allows you to dictate into the Microphone when using a word processor such as Microsoft Word instead of manually typing a document. Using Voice recognition with Microsoft Word is a simple and straight-forward process that requires on a few moments to set up. Once set up, you can use voice recognition with other programs as well.

Instructions

1. Connect your microphone to the "Audio In" port on the back, front or side of your computer.

2. Click on "Start" and input "voice recognition" into the Windows search bar. Press "Enter." The Set up Speech Recognition Welcome window will appear.

3. Click "Next." Select your type of microphone from the list. You can select "Headset," "Desktop microphone" or "Other."

4. Click "Next" twice. A screen requesting that you read a sentence aloud will appear. Read the sentence into the microphone and allow Windows to "learn" your voice. Speak clearly and precisely.

5. Click "Next." The computer will ask if it can scan through emails and documents saved to your computer to better understand words you use regularly. Click "Enable document review" and click "Next." The computer will scan through emails and documents.

6. Select "Use voice activation mode" or "Use manual activation mode" and click "Next" when asked to choose an activation mode. Manual activation requires that you click a button on screen to enable or disable the microphone; voice activation allows you to simply say "Start Listening" or "Stop Listening" to enable or disable the microphone.

7. Click "Next" then select "Start Tutorial" or "Skip Tutorial." Follow the on-screen tutorial for learning voice commands and how to better use voice recognition, if you chose to view the tutorial. Alternatively you can skip the tutorial and start using voice recognition right away. A small black dialog box with a blue button will appear on screen. Click on the blue button to turn voice recognition on or off, or speak "Start Listening" or "Stop Listening," if you enabled automatic activation mode. "Listening" denotes that the program is on; "Off" denotes that the program is off.

8. Click Start > Programs > Microsoft Office > Microsoft Office Word 2007 to launch Microsoft Word.

9. Click within the Microsoft Word document and speak into your microphone, while voice recognition is "Listening" to dictate. Words you speak will appear as text in the Microsoft Word document.

References

• Microsoft Windows: Set up Speech Recognition
• Windows Observer; Setting Up Voice Recognition in Windows 7; Richard Hay; December 2009
• Ability Net: Windows 7 Voice Recognition