Glossary
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.
Updated October 16, 20264 cited facts, each traced to its source
Also called speech language pack, speech recognition language pack.
A speech pack is the set of on-device language files that Windows uses for speech recognition in one language. Microsoft's Voice access setup says it begins downloading the required language files for the selected language to be used by on-device speech recognition 1. The Voice access settings call this same download a speech pack.
Ready to use or available for download
Microsoft's Voice access settings split the languages into two groups. There are "ready to use" languages, which you can switch to at once, and "available for download" languages, for which you need to download the speech pack before you can start using it 2. The list lives under Languages in the Voice access settings, so a language you want may be one download away.
The steps, using the menu names in Microsoft's help:
- Open Voice access settings.
- Open Languages.
- Choose a language under the available for download group, then download its speech pack.
- Wait for the download to finish before you switch to that language.
Menu names can change with a Windows update, so the words on your screen may differ slightly.
The first download needs internet, and use after that does not
Two Microsoft statements set the rule. First, you must be connected to the internet to download your preferred language the first time you set up your PC 3. Second, Voice access uses modern, on-device speech recognition and works even without the internet 4. So the first download is the online step, and recognition after it runs on the PC.
This is what makes Voice access useful away from a connection. On a plane or in a place with no signal, the installed language still works, because the recognition runs on the device.
Example: a language you want on a flight
Suppose you want to use Voice access on a flight in a language that is listed under "available for download". Download its speech pack at home, while you have internet, then switch to that language in the Languages list before you board. If you wait until you are offline, the download step cannot finish.
Why it matters for dictation
A speech pack decides what you can dictate offline. Check the Languages list before you need a language, because a language that is "ready to use" needs no download, and one "available for download" will not work until its download is finished.
This entry covers Microsoft's Voice access pages. Other Windows screens that list speech languages may use different wording, and this entry does not cover them.
Related terms
- Voice access (Windows): the on-device control and dictation feature that uses speech packs.
- Online speech recognition: the cloud alternative to on-device recognition.
- Azure AI Speech: Microsoft's cloud speech service.
Guides that cover it
Evidence
Every number on this page, with where it comes from. Open a fact to see the exact words in its source.
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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.
- Fluid dictationFluid 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.
- 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.
- 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
- Voice Access in Windows 11: Setup and How It WorksGuide
- Windows Dictation Not Working? Fixes for Win+HGuide
- Windows Speech Recognition: Deprecation and ReplacementGuide
- Windows Dictation Languages: Voice Typing and Voice AccessGuide
- Do you need to download Voice Access for Windows 11?Question
- How do you set up speech recognition on Windows 10?Question
- How do you turn on Voice Access in Windows 11?Question
- Is Voice Access available on Windows 10?Question
- Is Windows Voice Access free?Question
- Which languages does Voice Access support?Question
- Azure AI SpeechGlossary