Google Docs Voice Typing: Get Your First Paragraph on Screen

Contents

How do I turn on voice typing in Google Docs?

Open a Google Doc you can edit. Go to Tools > Voice typing, choose the language you’ll speak, then click the microphone and allow microphone access. Click it again to stop.

You can start for free in a current version of Chrome, Edge or Safari. Google Docs dictation works in all three.

No microphone or no text?

Using a phone or iPad?

What should I say for my first paragraph?

Start with one sentence so you know what to expect. Set the voice typing language to English (US), click the microphone and say:

Say “new paragraph” to start your next thought on a new line.

Want to open voice typing from the keyboard? In Chrome, press Ctrl + Shift + S, or Command + Shift + S on a Mac. If the shortcut doesn’t open it, use Tools > Voice typing.

Try that first sentence now. If it doesn’t appear as expected, choose the matching problem below.

Where is the microphone, and why is no text appearing?

Look at what’s on your screen. That tells you which step to try.

After your change, say “The draft is ready”, then “period” again. Look for “The draft is ready.” in the document.

Why does Docs type my commands as words?

Your words are appearing, but “Select paragraph” lands in the document instead of selecting anything. Speech is being recognised. Editing commands have an extra language requirement.

For commands such as “Select paragraph”, both your Google account language and your document language need to be English. Choosing English in the voice typing panel alone isn’t enough.

For ordinary dictation, use the supported speaking language you’ve chosen in the panel.

You can also put the cursor where a mistake is and fix the text while the microphone stays on. But once you’re saying both your thoughts and instructions like “period” or “new paragraph”, you may want to concentrate on the thought itself.

How can I turn a rough thought into a clean paragraph?

You’ve got words onto the page. Now you’re planning the next sentence while remembering which punctuation to say. Then you change your mind halfway through a thought.

Wispr Flow handles that change as you speak. Here’s a published example from Flow:

Flow adds punctuation, removes repetitions and filler words, and handles spoken corrections. You can also save names in its dictionary.

It puts the text into Google Docs and other text fields without a browser extension. To try it:

1. Install Flow on your Mac or Windows computer and complete setup.
2. Put your cursor in the Google Doc where you want to write.
3. Turn on Flow and speak your draft.

On Mac or Windows, you can use Flow in Firefox too. On a Chromebook or Linux, follow the built-in Google Docs steps above.

Try the thought you were about to type. Say it in your own words, including any change of mind, and see how Flow puts it on the page. You can start for free.

Try Wispr Flow on Mac or Windows

How do I use voice typing on my phone or iPad?

In the Docs app, you’ll use the microphone on your Android, iPhone or iPad keyboard. The desktop Tools > Voice typing menu is a different route.

1. Open your document in the Google Docs app and turn on editing.
2. Tap the text to bring up the keyboard.
3. Tap the keyboard’s microphone and speak.
4. Stop dictation and check the sentence.

The microphone’s position depends on your keyboard. Look for it on the keyboard that appears when you tap the document.

Put the cursor where your draft should begin and dictate your first thought.

More ways to dictate on your computer

How to dictate in Word

Start with the Word button, Win+H or Mac Dictation, then turn a spoken thought into a finished paragraph.

Dictation software for Windows

8 options with real prices, language limits and where your voice goes, and the two that Windows already includes.

Mac speech to text

10 tools with real prices, where the audio goes, and when the free Apple one is already enough.