Voice typing on Windows 10 and 11: how to turn it on, and when an app is worth it

The Loro team Updated October 13, 2026 5 min read

In short

To dictate on Windows, put your cursor in any text box, press Windows + H and talk: Windows types what you say. It's free and already installed, but it needs the internet and types almost word for word, "um"s included. If you want clean text, with periods, commas and capitals, that also works offline, an app like Loro does it: hold Ctrl + Win, talk and let go.

How to turn on Windows voice typing

Voice typing comes with Windows 10 and 11. There's nothing to install.

Put your cursor where you want to write: an email, a Word document, a WhatsApp chat.
Press Windows + H. A small bar with a microphone appears.
Talk. The text appears as you speak.
To finish, say "Stop listening" or click the microphone.

On Windows 10 it also opens with Windows + H, although voice commands only work in English (US) there.

How to add periods, commas and question marks

There are two ways:

Automatic punctuation. In the voice typing bar, click the gear and turn on "Auto punctuation". Windows adds periods and commas based on your pauses.
Say it. Say the name of the mark: "comma", "period", "question mark".

There are also handy commands: "Delete that" erases the last thing you said, "Select that" selects it, and "Press enter" starts a new line.

If Windows + H doesn't work

Check these, in order:

The internet. Windows voice typing uses online speech recognition: it doesn't work offline.
The microphone. In Settings › Privacy & security › Microphone, make sure microphone access is on.
The language. Make sure your Windows input language (your keyboard's) is the one you're speaking.
The Windows key. Some keyboards and gaming modes lock the Windows key. If Windows + H does nothing, try the microphone button on the touch keyboard.

What Windows voice typing doesn't do

Windows voice typing is fine for short things, but it has limits:

It types almost word for word. If you say "um, send me the report, uh, the Thursday one", that's what you get.
It doesn't understand self-corrections. "At 5, no, at 6" is typed as is.
It needs the internet.
"Fluid dictation", which fixes grammar and removes filler words, only exists on Copilot+ PCs and only in English.

How to dictate on Windows with Loro

Loro is a dictation app for Windows and Mac. Like Windows voice typing, it works in any program where you can type, but it gives you text that's ready to send.

Download Loro for free, no card needed, and install it (step by step).
Put your cursor where you want to write.
Hold Ctrl + Win and talk the way you talk. You don't need to say the commas.
Let go. The text appears, with periods, commas and capitals.

An example. You say: "um, hey mom, I'm leaving now, uh, I'll be there around eight, can you save me a plate". Loro types in WhatsApp: "Hey Mom, I'm leaving now. I'll be there around eight. Can you save me a plate?".

If you started by accident, press Esc before letting go and Loro types nothing. If there's nowhere to type, it copies the text and tells you.

Windows + H vs Loro

	Windows voice typing	Loro
How you use it	Windows + H, talk, say "Stop listening"	Hold Ctrl + Win, talk and let go
Price	Free	Free up to 2,000 words a week; Pro: USD 9.99 a month
Offline	No	Yes
Removes "um" and "uh"	No	Yes
Punctuation	Optional auto punctuation	Yes, always
Understands self-corrections	No	Yes, online
Your names and words	No	Yes, with your dictionary
Meeting notes	No	Yes, without a bot
Languages	Many	English and Spanish

Which one to use

For a short message now and then: Windows voice typing is enough.
If you write all day (emails, reports, messages to clients) and want the text ready to send: a dictation app like Loro saves you the editing.

Try Loro for free

Dictate in any app and get notes from your meetings, with no bot. For Windows and Mac, no card needed.

Download for free

Frequently asked questions

How do I turn on voice typing in Windows 11?

Put your cursor in a text box and press Windows + H. The voice typing bar appears; talk and the text appears. You need an internet connection.

Does it work on Windows 10?

Yes. On Windows 10 it also opens with Windows + H, but voice commands only work in English (US).

Does Windows voice typing need the internet?

Yes. It uses online speech recognition. If you want to dictate offline, Loro ships its own voice model and works without a connection.

Which programs can I dictate in?

With Windows voice typing and with Loro you can dictate anywhere you type: Word, Outlook, Gmail, WhatsApp, Excel, ChatGPT, the browser and more.

How do I get periods and commas?

In Windows voice typing, turn on "Auto punctuation" from the gear in the bar, or say "comma" and "period". Loro adds them on its own, without you saying them.

Is there a better free option than Windows + H?

Loro is free up to 2,000 dictation words a week and gives you clean text. If you dictate more, Pro is USD 9.99 a month or USD 80 a year.

Sources

Microsoft, Use voice typing to talk instead of type on your PC, checked on October 13, 2026.
Loro, how dictation works.

Keep reading

Voice dictation Dictation on a Mac How to dictate with your voice on a Mac: turn on macOS dictation, pick a shortcut, punctuation and commands, and when an app like Loro, which cleans up your text and also takes notes of your meetings, is worth it.

Voice dictation Dictate in Word Three ways to dictate in Word: Microsoft 365's Dictate button, Windows or Mac dictation, and Loro, which types clean text in Word and in any other app. Step by step, and which one is worth it.

Voice dictation Dictate emails in Gmail and Outlook Gmail has no dictation button on the computer, and Outlook does, with Microsoft 365. How to dictate your emails in both, on Windows and Mac, and how to get clean text that's ready to send.

Windows and Microsoft Word are trademarks of their owners. Loro is not affiliated with them. Each app's details come from its official pages, checked on October 13, 2026.