Glossary
Fluid dictation
Fluid dictation is a Windows feature on Copilot+ PCs that corrects grammar, punctuation and filler words as you speak. Microsoft says it is powered by small language models that run on the device, and that you can undo a correction by saying Revert or Undo that.
Updated October 16, 20264 cited facts, each traced to its source
Fluid dictation is a Windows feature that corrects your dictated text as you speak. Microsoft says it "automatically corrects grammar, punctuation, and filler words as you speak, reducing the need for manual editing" 1. It is a new feature in Voice Access on Copilot+ PCs 2, and it appears in voice typing on the same class of PC.
What it corrects
Fluid dictation works on three kinds of error in what you dictate: grammar, punctuation and filler words. Filler words are the spoken pauses such as "um" and "uh" that people use while they think. Microsoft describes the correction as happening as you speak, which is how it reduces the editing you would otherwise do afterwards.
The correction is a change to what you said, not a transcript of it. That is the point of the feature: the text you get is meant to be readable, not a word-for-word record. If you want the exact words back, Microsoft gives a way to undo a correction.
How it runs
Microsoft says fluid dictation is "powered by on-device small language models (SLMs) to ensure fast and private processing" 3. A small language model is a compact model that can run on the PC rather than on a server. Microsoft presents that as a privacy and speed benefit.
Be careful about the whole chain. Microsoft describes voice typing's base recognition as online, and it describes fluid dictation's correction as on-device. Read both descriptions, then check the privacy setting on your PC, rather than assuming that everything runs locally.
Example: a sentence with filler words
You dictate "um, so the report is, uh, due on Friday." With fluid dictation on, the feature corrects the grammar and the filler words as you speak, so the sentence should come out as a cleaner line. If that is not what you wanted, say "Revert" or "Undo that", or press Ctrl+Z on the keyboard, and you get back the original sentence 4.
Why it matters for dictation
Fluid dictation can save the editing pass that dictation usually needs, especially for emails and notes you will send quickly. Its limit is the hardware. Because Microsoft describes it as a Copilot+ PC feature, a PC without that label will not get it, and you should not expect the same corrections on an older machine. Check the PC before you plan a workflow around the feature.
Fluid dictation is not a substitute for careful proofreading. A correction can be wrong, and the words it changes are the ones you need to check, especially names, numbers and legal wording. Read the result before you send it.
Related terms
- Voice Access (Windows): the feature where Microsoft also describes fluid dictation.
- Voice typing launcher: the voice typing setting that starts dictation in a text box.
- Online speech recognition: the cloud recognition that voice typing uses.
Guides that cover it
Evidence
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Related terms
- Dictation on Windows: Voice Typing, Voice Access, AppsThe topic this term belongs to
- Azure AI SpeechAzure AI Speech is Microsoft's cloud speech service. Microsoft now calls it Azure Speech in Foundry Tools, and its speech to text powers the online recognition behind Windows voice typing, which needs an internet connection.
- Copilot+ PCA Copilot+ PC is a class of Windows 11 hardware with a neural processing unit (NPU) that Microsoft says can run at 40 or more trillion operations per second. Some newer Windows AI features, including fluid dictation, require this hardware.
- Neural processing unit (NPU)A neural processing unit (NPU) is a specialized chip for AI-intensive processes, such as real-time translation and image generation. Microsoft says many new Windows AI features require an NPU that can run at 40 or more trillion operations per second, and a speech model can run faster on one.
- Number and grid overlays (Voice Access)Number and grid overlays are Voice Access views for clicking things you cannot name. Show numbers puts a number on each clickable item so you can say it, and Show grid divides the screen into numbered tiles that narrow the mouse pointer step by step.
- Online speech recognitionOnline speech recognition sends your voice to a cloud service that turns it into text, instead of processing it on your PC. Microsoft says voice typing on Windows uses online speech recognition, which Microsoft describes as giving more accurate recognition.
- Phi SilicaPhi Silica is Microsoft's on-device language model, which runs on the neural processing unit of Copilot+ PCs. Microsoft says it is being replaced by Aion Instruct, and its voice typing help names it as the download to watch while fluid dictation gets ready.
- Speech pack (Windows)A speech pack is the set of on-device language files that Windows needs before it can recognize speech in a language offline. Microsoft says you must download a speech pack for a language in Voice access before you can use it, and the first download needs an internet connection.
- Voice Access (Windows)Voice Access is the Windows 11 feature that lets you control the whole PC and write text by voice, not only dictate. Microsoft says it works without an internet connection after setup, and it replaces Windows Speech Recognition.
- Voice typing launcherThe voice typing launcher is the Windows voice typing setting that lets you start dictation quickly when the cursor is in a text box. Microsoft lists it among the settings you open from the gear icon in the voice typing flyout.
- Windows key + H (Win+H)Windows key + H, written Win+H, is the keyboard shortcut that starts voice typing in Windows, so you can dictate into the text box where your cursor is. Microsoft says it does not start voice typing while Voice Access is running.
- Windows on ArmWindows on Arm is Windows running on processors that use the Arm instruction set instead of x86 or x64 chips. It runs native Arm apps and many unmodified x86 and x64 apps, and Microsoft says Arm-native apps give the best performance and battery life.
- Windows Speech API (SAPI)The Windows Speech API (SAPI) is Microsoft's interface that lets Windows apps use speech recognition and text-to-speech without building the speech engine themselves. Windows.Media.SpeechRecognition is a separate API for command and control in Windows Runtime apps.
Pages that use this term
- Dictation on Windows: Voice Typing, Voice Access, AppsTopic
- Windows Voice Typing: How to Dictate with Win+HGuide
- How to Turn On Voice Typing on Every DeviceGuide
- Voice Access in Windows 11: Setup and How It WorksGuide
- Voice Access Commands: The Windows 11 Command ListGuide
- Windows Voice Typing Commands and PunctuationGuide
- Windows Dictation Languages: Voice Typing and Voice AccessGuide
- Windows Dictation Privacy and Online Speech RecognitionGuide
- Does Windows Voice Access use AI?Question
- How do you add punctuation with Windows voice typing?Question
- How do you correct a mistake with Windows voice typing?Question
- Is Windows dictation HIPAA compliant?Question
- What settings does Voice Access have in Windows 11?Question
- Copilot+ PCGlossary
- Phi SilicaGlossary
- Voice Access (Windows)Glossary
- Voice typing launcherGlossary