Dictation not working on Windows: a checklist
The dictation built into Windows has more moving parts than it looks: it depends on an internet connection, a privacy switch for online speech recognition, a separate privacy switch for the microphone, the right input device and a supported language. Any one of them can break it. Work through the checks below in order; each one rules out a layer. The menu paths come from Microsoft's support pages and are given for both Windows 11 and Windows 10, because they differ.
First: Windows 11 or Windows 10?
The feature you open with Windows key + H behaves differently in Windows 11 and Windows 10. Many fixes found online were written for the other version, so check yours under Settings > System > About before following any guide.
| Windows 11 | Windows 10 | |
|---|---|---|
| Start | Windows key + H, or the mic on the touch keyboard | Windows key + H, or the mic on the touch keyboard |
| Stop | Say "Stop listening" or click the mic button | Say "Stop dictation" |
| Internet | Required | Required |
| Voice commands | Per language; Microsoft lists commands for many languages | US English only |
| Speech privacy setting | Settings > Privacy & security > Speech | Settings > Privacy > Speech |
| Microphone privacy | Settings > Privacy & security > Microphone | Settings > Privacy > Microphone |
Check 1: the bar opens but never says "Listening..."
This is almost always the network or the speech setting. Microsoft states that the built-in dictation converts speech to text using online speech recognition, so it does not work offline. Open a web page to confirm the connection is actually up; captive Wi-Fi portals in hotels and trains are a classic cause.
Next, check that online speech recognition has not been switched off, which some privacy tools and work policies do. On Windows 11 go to Start > Settings > Privacy & security > Speech and turn Online speech recognition on. On Windows 10 the path is Start > Settings > Privacy > Speech. On a work computer the switch may be locked by your administrator; ask them rather than trying to work around it.
Check 2: "Listening..." shows, but no text appears
Now Windows is ready but is not getting usable audio. Go through the microphone chain from the top:
- Microphone privacy (Windows 11): Start > Settings > Privacy & security > Microphone. Make sure Microphone access and Let apps access your microphone are on. For desktop apps, which do not appear in that list, Let desktop apps access your microphone must be on too.
- Microphone privacy (Windows 10): Start > Settings > Privacy > Microphone, select Change and turn on access, then make sure Allow apps to access your microphone and Allow desktop apps to access your microphone are on.
- The dictation bar's own microphone choice: press Windows key + H, click the gear icon and set Default microphone to the device you are actually speaking into.
- System input device (Windows 11): Start > Settings > System > Sound, under Input choose the device for speaking or recording. Click the arrow next to it, select Start test, speak, then Stop test. Adjust Input volume if it is faint.
- Mute and connection: a hardware mute button on a headset is easy to miss. For Bluetooth headsets, confirm the device is paired and connected.
- Webcam microphones: if your mic is built into a camera, Microsoft notes you may also need camera access in Privacy & security > Camera.
Still silent? In Settings > System > Sound, scroll to Advanced and run the troubleshooter for input devices. If Windows does not detect the microphone at all, Microsoft's next step is Device Manager: expand Sound, video and game controllers, uninstall the audio device (ticking the option to remove the driver), restart and let Windows reinstall it.
Check 3: Windows key + H itself does nothing
- Click into a text box first. Dictation writes at the cursor, so it needs an editable field: Notepad, a Word document, a browser form.
- Try the touch keyboard's microphone button instead, which rules out the key combination being captured by another app.
- Check the settings behind the gear icon for the launcher option. It adds a small button in text boxes as an alternative way to start.
- Some keyboards and laptop utilities remap the Windows key or block it in a gaming mode. Turn that mode off and retry.
Check 4: wrong words, wrong language, commands typed as text
If text appears but in the wrong language, or "comma" is typed as a word instead of a mark, the active input language is the issue. The built-in dictation uses the language you have selected as the input language. Add one under Settings > Time & language > Language & region (Preferred languages), and switch with the language switcher on the taskbar or Windows key + Spacebar before pressing Windows key + H. Not every language Windows can display is supported for dictation.
Voice commands are language-specific too. On Windows 11 the commands that work are the ones Microsoft lists for your language. On Windows 10, commands work in US English only, so a UK English setting can make commands come out as plain words. If spoken punctuation is unreliable, turn on Automatic punctuation in the gear menu and simply pause at the end of sentences. More in how to dictate punctuation.
When the built-in tool is the problem, not the settings
Some situations cannot be fixed in Settings: you work offline, your organisation disables online speech recognition, or you need a language the built-in dictation does not offer. Then a separate dictation app that recognizes speech on the computer is the practical answer. How to choose a dictation app for Windows lists what to check, including SmartScreen warnings at install time.
Voice Monkeys is one option: it runs on Windows 10 or 11 64-bit and recognizes speech offline on the PC, so the online speech recognition switch does not affect it. Hold a key, speak, release, and the text appears at the cursor in any app; a tap gives hands-free mode, Esc cancels. The internet is needed once for the speech model (about 640 MB), then only for the licence check and updates; no audio or text is sent. It recognizes 25 languages, mixed in one sentence. The price is $25 once after a 7-day free trial without a card; you can download it. If the built-in dictation works for you once fixed, there is no need to switch; see how to dictate on Windows for everyday use.
Questions and answers
Why does dictation on Windows not work offline?
Microsoft says the built-in dictation uses online speech recognition, so it needs an internet connection. On Windows 11 check Settings > Privacy & security > Speech to make sure online speech recognition is on.
Windows key + H opens the bar but nothing is typed. What should I check?
Microphone privacy (Privacy & security > Microphone, including the desktop apps switch), the Default microphone in the bar's gear menu, and the input level under Settings > System > Sound.
Why are my voice commands typed as words?
Commands depend on the input language. On Windows 10 they work in US English only; on Windows 11 only the commands listed for your language work.
Where is online speech recognition in Windows 10?
Start > Settings > Privacy > Speech. On Windows 11 it is under Privacy & security > Speech.
Can I dictate a password?
Avoid it. Type passwords and PINs by hand, whatever tool you use.
Sources
- Microsoft: Speech, voice activation, inking, typing, and privacy (checked November 7, 2026)
- Microsoft: Fix microphone problems (checked November 7, 2026)
- Microsoft: How to set up and test microphones in Windows (checked November 7, 2026)