Best Soft Ware for Reading Back Text

Dictation software has come a long way since it was first released commercially in the early 1990s. Back and then, it was clunky, wearisome-going, and frustrating for those of us early adopters.

Today's dictation applied science is calorie-free years alee. Y'all can now dictate as fast as you desire and be bodacious that at to the lowest degree ninety% of what you say will be accurately transcribed. Plus, you lot'll take multiple languages to choose from and vox commands to further improve productivity.

In this article, I'll walk you lot through the different types of speech-to-text software, why you should give them a attempt, and provide tips on getting the best results. And, of course, I'll provide a detailed review of our top picks for the best dictation software.

The best dictation software

• Apple Dictation for a gratuitous app for Apple devices

• Windows 10 Spoken language Recognition for a gratis app for Windows users

• Dragon by Nuance for a customizable dictation app

• Google Docs voice typing for dictating in Google Docs

• Gboard for a free mobile dictation app

• SpeechTexter for occasional use

What is dictation software?

Every bit you search online for dictation software, continue in mind that it can include all different types of apps and services. The terms dictation software, oral communication-to-text, vocalisation recognition, voice-to-text, and voice communication recognition can all mean a plan that converts your phonation to text on a screen in real-fourth dimension. But sometimes lumped into a search for these terms are products that provide something else entirely.

For example, some products will transcribe audio files to text, but they practice non transcribe your vocalism to text in real-time. Others marketplace themselves every bit personal AI assistants (performing all estimator tasks using spoken communication) and may include a dictation component. And you lot may come across companies that provide transcription services—using humans to transcribe your vox files to text.

Then in that location are those AI administration built into many of the devices we use each day: Apple's Siri, Amazon'due south Alexa, and Microsoft'southward Cortana. These are fine for scheduling meetings, playing music, and finding a place to eat, merely they aren't designed to transcribe your articles, meetings, and other documents.

For this review, we've focused on software, whether standalone or embedded in a device, meant for transcribing speech communication to text.

Why would you want to practice that? For starters, dictation software provides accessibility to those with disabilities—both physical and language-based—to access technologies and be more productive. For case, if you're unable to utilise your hands, you can still operate a computer, create documents, and access the web with dictation engineering. And those with chronic weather condition such as carpal tunnel syndrome can forestall the repetitive stresses that come with typing, but by using their vocalisation.

But as the technology has improved over the final twenty years and costs take come down, dictation software is now accessible to everyone as a tool to increase productivity almost instantly. Look no further than the changed working environment in the wake of COVID-nineteen: more working from home means more opportunity to do things like dictate emails.

Students can write papers and transcribe lectures into notes depending on the software's capabilities. And the coincidental user tin dictate notes, a shopping list, a text, or a reminder while performing other tasks, making multi-tasking a reality. Remember: taking a walk while "writing" your next novel.

What makes a bully dictation app?

How nosotros evaluate and exam apps

All of our all-time apps roundups are written by humans who've spent much of their careers using, testing, and writing virtually software. Nosotros spend dozens of hours researching and testing apps, using each app every bit information technology'southward intended to be used and evaluating it against the criteria we set up for the category. We're never paid for placement in our articles from any app or for links to any site—we value the trust readers put in us to offer authentic evaluations of the categories and apps nosotros review. For more details on our process, read the total rundown of how we select apps to feature on the Zapier blog.

It'due south amazing how far dictation software has come up in the twenty-plus years since I commencement tried it. I wouldn't accept recommended information technology dorsum then for the coincidental user—it was too much work for too trivial reward. Only now, it'south really enjoyable to meet your words skip across the screen like you're dictating to your own personal assistant. And with the use of artificial intelligence that recognizes your speech with more than accuracy the more the apps are used, it's hard to become wrong—no matter the platform.

For my tests, accuracy was the first element I looked at when deciding which software to choose. This was followed by ease of use, including the availability of voice commands. For example, does the software crave the user to say, "insert period" vs. just "menses"? The latter, while mayhap less intuitive at first, soon becomes 2d nature and saves time in the long run. Other considerations were the number of languages and dialects supported and the versatility of a given app (due east.g., tin can it be used within unlike apps for dictation?).

Tips for using voice recognition software

Though dictation software is pretty proficient at recognizing different voices, information technology's not perfect. Hither are some tips to brand it work as best equally possible.

1. Speak naturally (with caveats). Dictation apps acquire your voice and speech patterns over fourth dimension. And if you're going to spend any time with them, you want to be comfy. Speak naturally. If you're not getting ninety% accuracy initially, try enunciating more.

2. Punctuate. When you dictate, you accept to say each period, comma, question mark, and so along. The software isn't smart enough to figure it out on its own.

3. Acquire a few commands. Take the time to learn a few simple commands, such equally "new line" to enter a line break. At that place are different commands for composing, editing, and operating your device. Commands may differ from app to app, and then larn the ones that apply to the tool yous choose.

4. Know your limits. Especially on mobile devices, some tools have a fourth dimension limit for how long they tin can listen—sometimes for equally niggling as 10 seconds. Glance at the screen from time to time to make sure yous haven't blown past the marking.

5. Practice. Information technology takes time to adjust to voice recognition software, simply it gets easier the more you practice. Some of the more sophisticated apps invite you to train by reading passages or doing other brusk drills. Don't shy away from tutorials, help menus, and on-screen cheat sheets.

Advice on microphones for dictation

With dictation software, your voice is captured by a microphone, which is included on your device (computer, tablet, mobile) or as function of a specific software suite (e.g., Microsoft Part). For the occasional dictation user capturing notes and shopping lists, the built-in microphone should work fine. Only if you're using it more intensely—consistently writing content, dictating meetings, sending emails—consider something that more effectively nabs the sound waves from your voice.

For under $100, there are lots of options for headsets with mics or external microphones used by podcasters and YouTube interviewers. For this examination, I used a mid-priced USB headset from Jabra for all but the mobile apps. It's lightweight, very comfy, and has reasonably good sound/vocalisation quality. If you prefer not beingness tethered to your device, wireless options like the Jabra Elite 45h ($99) might be more your speed. And the highly-rated Blue Snowball USB microphone ($79) has a absurd retro look and its own adaptable stand.

How we tested dictation apps

For determining accuracy fairly, I used the same 207-word script for all tests. Information technology has a diversity of sentence lengths, multiple paragraphs, proper names, and a few numbers. And every bit mentioned, I used a mid-priced headset as a microphone for all but the mobile apps. My testing space had very little groundwork noise.

In the initial evaluation of 12 apps, I dictated the script i time while using basic punctuation commands, noted accuracy as a percent of words missed or mistranscribed, and recorded my thoughts on ease of use and versatility. Once I narrowed the final listing down, I retested each app with the same script, recorded accuracy, and tried out other features such as file sharing and using the same software in multiple places (e.1000., Google Docs and Give-and-take).

Keep in heed that many of these apps will become more than accurate the more than times you utilize them, so the accuracy numbers mentioned will likely amend with continued employ. Also, because I was reading from a "script," my speech tempo was probable faster than the average person who is dictating their thoughts.

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All-time free dictation software for Apple devices

Apple Dictation (iOS, iPadOS, macOS)

Look no further than your Mac, iPhone, or iPad for one of the all-time dictation tools. Apple tree's congenital-in Dictation feature, powered by Siri (we'd exist unsurprised if the two merged 1 day), ships as office of Apple tree's desktop and mobile operating systems. On iOS devices, you lot utilize it past pressing the microphone icon on the stock keyboard. On your desktop, you plough it on by going to Organization Preferences > Keyboard > Dictation, and then utilize a keyboard shortcut to activate information technology in your app.

Past default, Apple Dictation requires the internet to work and has a time limit of most 30 seconds for each smattering of speech. To remove those limits, enable Enhanced Dictation, which requires OS X v10.9 or later or iPhone 6s or newer. Enhanced Dictation adds a local file to your device so that y'all can dictate offline.

You can format and edit your text using simple commands, such as "new paragraph" or "select previous give-and-take." Tip: you lot tin can view available commands in a modest window, like a little cheat sheet, while learning the ropes. Apple likewise offers advanced commands for creating custom ones.

Apple tree Dictation cost: Included with macOS, iOS, and iPadOS devices

Apple tree Dictation accuracy: On the 207-give-and-take test, 20 words were inaccurate, but annotation that I was using a borrowed MacBook Pro to perform the test, and so it was the first time the Siri voice communication-recognition engine had heard my voice. Regular users of Siri would likely feel better results.

Recommendation: I recommend Apple Dictation when using Enhanced Dictation. The standard version is a bit annoying and inconvenient for anything longer than twoscore seconds. For short messages on mobile devices, it works fine. Enhanced Dictation is the way to go for continuous dictating.

Apple Dictation supported languages: Enhanced Dictation supports 20 languages. Apple tree's default Dictation supports 31 languages: Arabic, Catalan, Chinese, Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Hebrew, Hungarian, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Malay, Norwegian, Smoothen, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Slovak, Spanish, Swedish, Thai, Turkish, Ukrainian, and Vietnamese.

Best free dictation software for Windows

Windows 10 Speech Recognition (Windows)

Because Windows 11 was recently released (October 2021), I decided to exam both the new dictation feature (renamed "voice typing") and the Windows ten version ("speech recognition"). Both are included in their respective operating systems with aught additional to install. To begin dictating in either Os, open an app, and on your keyboard, press the Windows logo central + H. A microphone icon and grey box volition appear at the height of your screen. Make sure your cursor is in the infinite where you want to dictate.

When it's fix for your dictation, information technology volition say Listening. Y'all accept about 10 seconds to start talking earlier the microphone turns off. If that happens, but click information technology again and wait for Listening to pop upwards. To stop the dictation, click the microphone icon once more or say "stop talking."

In my test, Windows ten had but iii errors, and all were words that every other app missed likewise. Other than that, information technology provided virtually flawless dictation. By dissimilarity, Windows eleven (which I downloaded later testing 10) contained xiii errors for each of the ii times I tested it, making Windows 10 the clear winner for accuracy.  Each OS includes virtually iii dozen commands for punctuation, symbols, and for completing actions within a document. Windows 10 includes seven dictation languages, but commands are only available in U.S. English. Windows 11 boosts the number of languages recognized to 36 plus a scattering of dialects and commands for all these languages.

While both versions are like shooting fish in a barrel to use, it's Windows 10 that comes out alee for accurateness by a big margin. This makes it the best free choice for Windows users.

Windows 10 Speech Recognition cost: Included with Windows 10; Speech Recognition included in older versions of Windows and also with the new release of Windows 11.

Windows 10 Voice communication Recognition accuracy: For the 207-word transcription test, Speech Recognition flubbed simply three words on the first effort, which is a 98.6% accurateness rate, and it dislocated the period punctuation command with the word itself. Windows Spoken language Recognition was ane of the all-time out-of-the-gate for accuracy with only Gboard equaling it.

Recommendation: Information technology worked in any app or browser I tried, which makes it a handy tool to take around. If you're a Windows x user and don't mind a voice "training" period, you'll get good use out of this feature.

Windows 10 Speech Recognition languages supported: Not counting dissimilar dialects separately, Windows Speech Recognition supports these languages: Chinese Simplified, English language, French, German language, Italian (Italy), Portuguese (Brazil), and Spanish.

All-time customizable dictation software

Dragon past Nuance (Android, iOS, macOS, Windows)

In 1990, Dragon Dictate emerged as the first dictation software. 30 years afterward, we accept Dragon past Nuance, a leader in the industry and a distant cousin of that commencement iteration. With a diversity of software packages and mobile apps for different apply cases (e.g., legal, medical, law enforcement), Dragon can handle specialized industry vocabulary, and information technology comes with splendid features, such as the ability to transcribe text from an sound file yous upload.

For this test, I used Dragon Anywhere, Dash'due south mobile app, equally it's the just version—among otherwise expensive packages—available with a gratis trial. It includes lots of features not constitute in the others, like Words, which lets you add words that would be difficult to recognize and spell out. For example, if you alive on Eichhorn St., Dragon will hear this as "I corn." To avert this, add information technology to Words and say the word (into the microphone) so you lot train the software.

It also provides shortcuts. If y'all wanted to shorten your entire accost to one word, go to Auto-Text, give information technology a name ("address"), and type in your accost: 1000 Eichhorn St., Davenport, IA 52722 and hitting Save. The next time you dictate and say "address," you'll become the entire thing. Printing the comment chimera icon to see text commands while you're dictating, or say "What tin can I say?" and the command menu pops upward.

One time you complete a dictation, yous can email, share (east.thousand., Google Drive, Dropbox), open up in Word, or save to Evernote. Yous can perform these deportment manually or by vocalization command (e.one thousand., "save to Evernote.") Once you proper name it, it automatically saves in Documents for later review or sharing. Accuracy is good and improves with use: my first test produced thirteen errors, and my second examination only flubbed nine.

Dragon by Nuance price: $15/calendar month for Dragon Anywhere (iOS and Android); from $200 to $500 for desktop packages

Dragon past Dash accuracy: Dragon Anywhere had a 96% accuracy charge per unit on my 2d test for the 207-give-and-take script.

Recommendation: Considering Dragon is a relatively large investment, you should be seriously committed to using dictation regularly. I recommend trying Dragon Anywhere gratuitous for 7 days to encounter how y'all similar it kickoff.

Dragon by Dash supported languages: Dragon Anywhere is available in English (Usa, United kingdom of great britain and northern ireland, Canada) and German. Dragon desktop products are available in several languages, which vary by version, and include Dutch, English, French, German language, Italian, and Spanish.

Best free mobile dictation software

Gboard (Android, iOS)

Google's excellent Gboard app, which includes dictation, works with both Android and iOS. To use information technology, become anywhere yous tin blazon (email, browser, text, document), and the keyboard volition pop up. Tap the microphone icon at the peak correct of the keyboard, and start speaking when prompted. It volition very quickly capture your voice into text as fast equally you lot're able to talk. It'south scary how fast it transcribes. Not merely that, it's highly authentic. It was the merely app that captured "birdcast" (admitting uncapitalized), the name of a birding website, and information technology made just 3 dictation errors. Note: If you stop speaking for most 10 seconds, the microphone turns off, so you'll have to tap it over again.

Yous take the option to personalize the app, which allows Gboard to recognize your vocalisation usage patterns and improve on them, increasing accurateness over time. I've dictated texts in the car with the radio on, and it'south however virtually perfect. It's too skilful at not including stammers, probable as a result of learning my speech patterns.

Notation: I've been using Gboard for most six years. It has learned my voice and speech patterns, and then it's not surprising that information technology was the most accurate in my test.

Gboard toll: Costless

Gboard accuracy: In transcribing a 207-word passage, Gboard fabricated just three errors.

Recommendation: Gboard spits out your words on screen every bit fast as you lot can say them. For faster talkers, it will feel just right, but for others, information technology may take getting used to. If you want to dictate texts, emails, or any other short note, use Gboard.

Gboard supported languages: Not counting different dialects separately, Gboard supports 69 languages: Afrikaans, Standard arabic, Azerbaijani, Belarusian, Bulgarian, Catalan, Chinese, Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, Estonian, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Hausa, Hebrew, Hindi, Hungarian, Icelandic, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Latvian, Macedonian, Malay, Maltese, Norwegian, Farsi, Smoothen, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Serbian, Slovak, Slovenian, Spanish, Swahili, Swedish, Turkish, Ukrainian, Vietnamese, Welsh, Zulu, and more.

Best dictation software for typing in Google Docs

Google Docs voice typing (Web on Chrome)

Google Docs includes a dictation feature that's both highly accurate and easy to use, chosen Google Docs voice typing—merely you have to be using Chrome to admission this feature. Merely go to Tools > Voice typing, and a microphone icon will appear on the left. Click on it, and start talking. If you're idle for about 30 seconds, the microphone automatically stops. Click on information technology over again to resume. You can use the same process to dictate speaker notes in a Slides presentation.

If you need help or you want a list of commands, click on the question marker within the microphone icon. Help volition popular up on the right where yous can scroll or search to find vocalism commands such every bit punctuation, text formatting, editing, and even moving around your document.

Google Docs vocalization typing price: Free

Google Docs vocalization typing accuracy: Out of 207 words dictated, nine words were incorrect, giving it a 96% accuracy. About of the errors were for capitalizing words in the middle of sentences, such as untold, decline, and discovery.

Recommendation: If you're a Google Docs power user and want dictation adequacy, vocalisation typing is an excellent choice for its accuracy and many voice commands.

Google Docs vocalization typing supported languages: Voice typing works in these languages and includes many dialects: Afrikaans, Amharic, Standard arabic, Armenian, Azerbaijani cluster, Bahasa Indonesia, Basque, Bengali, Bulgarian, Catalan, Chinese, Croation, Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, Western farsi, Filipino, Finnish, French, Galician, Georgian, German, Greek, Gujarati, Hebrew, Hindi, Hungarian, Icelandic, Italian, Japanese, Javanese, Kannada, Central khmer, Korean, Laotian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Malayalam, Malaysian, Marathi, Nepali, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Romanaian, Russian, Slovak, Slovenian, Serbian, Sinhala, Spanish, Castilian, Sundanese, Swahili, Swedish, Tamil, Thai, Turkish, Ukrainian, Urdu, Vietnamese, Zulu.

Google Docs integrates with Zapier, which ways you can automatically do things similar salvage grade entries to Google Docs, create new documents whenever something happens in your other apps, or create project management tasks for each new document.

Best free dictation software for occasional use

SpeechTexter (Web on Chrome, Android)

SpeechTexter is supported but using the Chrome browser or with the Android mobile app (iPhones and iPads are non supported). Many free dictation sites have an annoying number of ads, merely this one keeps it to a manageable one or two. And they practice have a privacy policy that states that, while they don't store whatever of your text, it is processed by Google's servers. Merely proceed that in mind.

To outset, select your linguistic communication. (For English speakers, there are an impressive xvi different dialects from countries such as Ghana, Hong Kong, and Islamic republic of pakistan and a total of 73 unlike languages.) Then in the tiptop-left corner, click Start, and brainstorm. Equally you're talking, your speech is captured in a pop-upward window briefly so quickly transcribed on the screen with little delay. Equally you talk, a word count displays in real-time at the lesser-correct.

Voice commands are placed handily to the right of the principal window. If you want to create your ain command, click the pencil icon, then the plus sign and add a control. I added a command, "quotes," for quotation marks and changed the command for "period" to "stop." You can edit your speech similar you would in any bones word processing plan, then relieve it as a .txt or Discussion file. Enabling the auto-save feature prevents you from losing work if your browser or window is closed inadvertently. If that happens, just bring the site support, and your previous dictation will appear on the screen.

SpeechTexter price: Free

SpeechTexter accuracy: In a 207-discussion passage, SpeechTexter had 10 inaccuracies (95% accuracy). The near common mistakes were randomly capitalizing words in the middle of sentences, which is unsurprising, as it runs on the same speech engine as Google Docs (see its accuracy results above).

Recommendation: If you lot use Chrome and occasionally need dictation, SpeechTexter is a good choice for its accurateness and ease of use.

SpeechTexter supported languages: SpeechTexter supports speech to text in 73 languages, plus dozens of dialects.

Is voice dictation for you?

While not perfect, the accuracy of virtually dictation software is excellent. That and the already free versions packaged with so many devices and apps make using the engineering—at least for quicker tasks like annotation taking—an piece of cake conclusion.

If you spend a lot of fourth dimension writing for piece of work or even fun, it makes sense to try dictation merely to get the feel of speaking the words that usually come through your fingers. This may be the hardest role for many users—old habits die hard. In one case (and if) you lot become used to dictating your thoughts, you may notice it hard to go dorsum to typing.

This commodity was originally published in Apr 2016. Previous versions had contributions from Emily Esposito and Jill Duffy.

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