Glossary
Dragon NaturallySpeaking
Dragon NaturallySpeaking, usually called Dragon, is a speech recognition program for dictating text on a computer. Dragon Systems released it in 1997, and Nuance has sold it in several editions since.
Updated October 16, 20267 cited facts, each traced to its source
Also called Dragon, Dragon Professional, DNS.
Dragon NaturallySpeaking is a speech recognition program that turns your spoken words into text on a computer. When people say "Dragon," they usually mean this product. Dragon Systems released the first version in 1997, and the product has been sold under several names and editions since then.
Dragon's price fell as the market grew
At launch in 1997, Dragon NaturallySpeaking cost $695, and its price later fell to $349 1. A later edition shows the same pattern of versions and prices. Nuance set the download price of Dragon Professional Individual at $300 when it went on sale on September 1, 2016 2. Each release arrived as a new version with its own price, so buyers chose when to pay.
Version 11 was released in August 2010 3. Version numbers help you tell which edition a guide or a review describes, because older guides may cover a version that no longer gets updates.
The Mac version ended in 2018
Dragon for Mac is the clearest case of the product narrowing. Nuance said it would stop providing updates for Dragon Professional Individual for Mac after 22 October 2018 4. It also said it had decided to discontinue that Mac line 5. If you find an older guide to Dragon for Mac, check its date before you follow its steps. For current options, read our page on Dragon for Mac and our guide to Dragon NaturallySpeaking alternatives.
Dragon is used in accessibility settings
Dragon is one of the best-known tools for people who cannot easily use a keyboard. AskJAN lists Dragon NaturallySpeaking as an accessibility solution for people who cannot use a keyboard, and for students with physical challenges 6. Our guides on dictation for people with disabilities explain how to set that up with other tools.
Editions and related products
Dragon has been sold in several editions, and the names overlap. Nuance's US store menu lists Dragon Legal, Dragon Law Enforcement, Dragon Professional Anywhere and Dragon Legal Anywhere as products 7. Dragon Professional Anywhere is a subscription edition and is covered in its own entry, Dragon Professional Anywhere. The medical line is Dragon Medical One. The company behind all of these is Nuance Communications.
Dragon is sold as a license, so it is worth understanding the difference between owning a version and getting updates. The perpetual license entry explains that trade-off with the Dragon examples.
Why it matters for dictation
Dragon is one of the longest-running names in speech recognition, so many people search for it when they look for dictation software. Its long history also means that many guides and prices online describe older versions. Check the version, the platform and the date before you compare Dragon with newer apps. For a fuller history of the versions, read our guide to Dragon NaturallySpeaking versions, and for the cost question, read how much Dragon NaturallySpeaking costs. Our guide to how to use Dragon NaturallySpeaking covers the steps.
Evidence
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Related terms
- Dictation Software: How to Choose the Right AppThe topic this term belongs to
- AI dictationAI dictation is dictation in which a language model edits the recognized text after speech recognition, removing filler words, fixing punctuation and sometimes rewording a sentence. It can change your meaning, so check the result before you send it.
- Bring your own key (BYOK)Bring your own key (BYOK) is a setup in which you supply your own API key for an AI or speech provider. The app then sends requests through your account with that provider, so your agreement with the provider governs the data.
- Cloud dictationCloud dictation sends your recorded speech to a remote server, which recognizes it and returns the text. It usually needs an internet connection, and your audio leaves your device, so check the provider's policy before you dictate sensitive material.
- Custom vocabularyA custom vocabulary is a list of words, names and phrases that you add to dictation software so it recognizes and spells them as you intend. It matters most for names, jargon and product terms the recognizer has not learned.
- Dictation softwareDictation software is a program that recognizes your speech and types the words where your cursor is, as you say them. It comes built into many phones and computers and is also sold as separate apps.
- Dragon Medical OneDragon Medical One, abbreviated DMO, is Nuance's speech recognition product for clinicians who dictate notes into health records. Microsoft now combines it with DAX Copilot in a product called Dragon Copilot.
- Dragon Professional AnywhereDragon Professional Anywhere is a subscription edition of Dragon that Nuance sells for professional and enterprise users. It is often shortened to Dragon Anywhere, a name that also belongs to Nuance's mobile app, so check which product a listing means.
- Free tierA free tier is the no-cost version of a dictation app, with limits such as a weekly word cap, fewer modes or no AI processing. Read those limits before you rely on it, because a free plan can run out in the middle of your work.
- Nuance CommunicationsNuance Communications was a speech technology company best known for the Dragon family of speech recognition products. Microsoft announced that it had completed its acquisition of Nuance on March 4, 2022.
- Perpetual licenseA perpetual license is a software license you pay for once. It lets you keep using that version without renewing. Updates, support and new major versions are often separate, time-limited or paid extra.
- PowerScribePowerScribe is a family of radiology reporting products in which a radiologist dictates an imaging report by voice. It began as a Nuance dictation application, and Microsoft completed its purchase of Nuance in 2022, so Microsoft now sells the line.
- Voice profileA voice profile is the set of files that dictation software keeps for one user, with settings such as the microphone they use and their custom words. It is not the same as speaker recognition, which identifies who is speaking.
Pages that use this term
- Dragon NaturallySpeaking: What It Is and Where It StandsGuide
- Dragon NaturallySpeaking Versions, Editions and PriceGuide
- How to Use Dragon NaturallySpeaking: Setup to CommandsGuide
- Legal Dictation Software for Lawyers and Law FirmsGuide
- Can you dictate a thesis or dissertation?Question
- Can you upgrade an old Dragon NaturallySpeaking to version 15 or 16?Question
- Does Dragon NaturallySpeaking need an internet connection?Question
- Does Dragon NaturallySpeaking work on a Mac?Question
- Does Dragon NaturallySpeaking work on Linux?Question
- Does Microsoft have dictation software?Question
- Does Microsoft own Dragon NaturallySpeaking?Question
- How do researchers dictate field notes?Question
- How do you find your Dragon NaturallySpeaking license key or serial number?Question
- How do you fix Dragon failing to launch the UI Automation server?Question
- How do you install the Dragon web extension?Question
- Is Dragon NaturallySpeaking discontinued?Question
- Is Dragon NaturallySpeaking good for dyslexia?Question
- Is there a Dragon dictation app for iPhone or Android?Question
- Is there a free trial of Dragon NaturallySpeaking?Question
- Is Windows Voice Access as good as Dragon?Question
- What is Dragon Legal, and is it still sold?Question
- What is the best dictation software for Microsoft Word?Question
- What is the difference between Dragon Dictate and Dragon NaturallySpeaking?Question
- What is the difference between Dragon Medical One and Dragon NaturallySpeaking?Question