Windows calls its dictation voice typing. There is nothing to install: with the cursor in any text box you press Windows + H, speak and the text appears wherever you are typing, be it Word, your email, the browser or the firm's case management software. It works in Spanish from Spain and from Mexico.
How to turn on dictation in Windows 11
- Click where you want to type: a document, an email, a form.
- Press Windows + H. A small bar with a microphone appears. On the touch keyboard, it is the microphone button.
- Speak normally. To stop, say «detén la escucha» (stop listening) or «pausa el dictado» (pause dictation).
If you want to move around the bar's menu with the keyboard, the shortcut is Windows + Alt + H. And to make it type in another language, change the input language with Windows + Spacebar; new languages are installed in Settings, Time & language, Language & region.
Turn on auto punctuation
In the settings gear of the voice typing bar you will find the Auto punctuation option, next to the microphone choice, the profanity filter and the timeout. Turn it on: without it you will have to say every punctuation mark. Microsoft doesn't publish exactly which languages auto punctuation works in, so test it with your own texts.
Dictation commands in Spanish
These are the commands Microsoft documents for Spanish from Spain. Unlike some other dictation tools, they include the opening marks:
| You say | It types or does |
|---|---|
| «coma», «punto», «dos puntos», «punto y coma», «puntos suspensivos» | , . : ; … |
| «signo de apertura de interrogación», «signo de interrogación» | ¿ ? |
| «signo de apertura de exclamación», «signo de exclamación» | ¡ ! |
| «abrir paréntesis», «cerrar paréntesis» | ( ) |
| «comillas izquierdas», «comillas derechas» | « » |
| «nueva línea», «nuevo párrafo», «salto de línea» | line break or paragraph break |
| «borra eso» or «elimina eso» | deletes the last thing dictated |
| «selecciona eso» | selects the last thing dictated |
| «pulsa Entrar» | presses Enter |
| «detén la escucha» or «pausa el dictado» | stops dictation |
It needs the internet, and it is worth knowing why
Voice typing uses online speech recognition, based on Microsoft's Azure speech services: what you say is processed on its servers to give you back the text. That is why it doesn't work offline. If you dictate about client matters, that matters: we explain it in detail in client confidentiality and GDPR when using AI in a law firm.
There are two new features worth telling apart. Fluid dictation, which corrects grammar, punctuation and filler words with a model that runs on the computer itself, is only for Copilot+ PCs; it started out in English and the KB5095093 preview update, from June 2026, began rolling it out gradually to Spanish. And voice access is a different tool, which we explain below.
Why Windows dictation isn't working
If you press Windows + H and nothing happens, or the bar appears but doesn't type, check the following in order:
- The cursor isn't in a text box. Voice typing only opens if there is somewhere to type.
- Microphone permission is turned off. Go to Settings, Privacy & security, Microphone, and turn on microphone access.
- Windows is using another microphone or the input level is low. Check it in Settings, System, Sound, Input, or choose the microphone from the bar's settings gear.
- The input language isn't supported or isn't the one you speak. Check the active language with Windows + Spacebar.
- There is no connection, or online speech recognition is turned off in Settings, Privacy & security, Speech.
- There is noise or the microphone is too far away. Microsoft recommends a quieter place, a headset or an external microphone. The laptop one, half a metre away with the keyboard underneath, is the most common cause of errors: we explain why in which microphone to choose for dictation.
Voice typing or voice access
Windows 11 has two voice features and they are often confused:
- Voice typing (Windows + H): it only dictates text, opens with the cursor in a text box and also exists in Windows 10.
- Voice access (Settings, Accessibility, Speech): it dictates and also lets you control the whole computer with your voice, open programs or click buttons. It is only in Windows 11, works offline and is available in Spanish. If you have it running and press Windows + H, Windows tells you that you can dictate with it.
Where it falls short in everyday work
Voice typing is free and for a short email it does the job. When the text is long and professional, the same old problems appear: you have to review the punctuation, proper names and jargon come out wrong again and again because there is no personal dictionary to teach them, and what you say is transcribed as it is, hesitations included. In Excel, which has no Dictate button of its own, it is the way to dictate into cells: we cover it in voice dictation in Excel. Inside Word, you also have the Microsoft 365 Dictate button, which we explain in how to dictate in Word. And if you are wondering whether it is worth paying for something better, we have measured it in ablalo versus free Windows and Word dictation.
With ablalo you dictate in any Windows program with a single shortcut, and your voice is transcribed on your own computer, without depending on online recognition. It punctuates in Spanish, removes filler words, learns the names and acronyms you correct and recognises more than 30,000 Spanish legal terms out of the box.
In short
Windows 11 dictation opens with Windows + H in any text box. Turn on auto punctuation in its settings gear, use commands such as «nuevo párrafo» (new paragraph) or «signo de apertura de interrogación» (opening question mark) and, if it doesn't work, check the microphone permission, the selected microphone, the input language and the connection. To control the computer with your voice, the tool is a different one: voice access.
Sources: Microsoft, Use voice typing to talk instead of type on your PC, voice typing not working in Windows, Get started with voice access, voice access frequently asked questions and update KB5095093. Checked on 9 October 2026.
Frequently asked questions
How do you turn on voice dictation in Windows 11?
With the cursor in any text box, press Windows + H. The voice typing bar appears and what you say is typed wherever you are. In its settings gear you can turn on auto punctuation and choose the microphone.
Why isn't Windows dictation working?
The most common causes are that the cursor isn't in a text box, that microphone access is turned off in Privacy & security, that Windows is using another microphone, that the input language isn't supported or that there is no internet connection.
Does Windows 11 dictation work without the internet?
No. Voice typing uses online speech recognition based on Microsoft's Azure services. Voice access, which is a different Windows 11 feature, does work offline.
How do you type ¿ and ¡ when dictating in Windows?
By saying «signo de apertura de interrogación» (opening question mark) or «signo de apertura de exclamación» (opening exclamation mark). To close them, «signo de interrogación» and «signo de exclamación».
What is the difference between voice typing and voice access?
Voice typing only dictates text and opens with Windows + H. Voice access, in Settings, Accessibility, Speech, also lets you control the computer with your voice, works offline and is only available in Windows 11.