What is the best dictation software for Microsoft Word?

The best dictation software for Word depends on three things: whether you have a Microsoft 365 subscription, which computer you use, and whether you need to edit by voice or only write by voice. If you have Microsoft 365, start with the built-in Dictate button. Word's own dictation is the simplest route, and it needs no separate purchase. Its main limits are the subscription and the internet connection, both covered below.

If you do not have a subscription, or you want voice commands for formatting and editing, one paid choice on Windows is Dragon Professional. Windows voice typing is the free option for simple writing. Our overview of dictating into any app explains where each tool works, and the guide to dictating in Word covers the steps.

Word's own Dictate button is the best start for Microsoft 365 users

Dictation in Word is a feature of the subscription, not a separate program. Microsoft says the dictation feature in Word is available only to Microsoft 365 subscribers ¹. It also needs a reliable internet connection, which Microsoft lists for dictation in Microsoft 365 ².

The version you run matters on a Mac. Microsoft's Mac article applies to Word for Microsoft 365 and to Word 2021 and Word 2024 for Mac ³. That list suggests a perpetual Word can have the button, but the subscriber rule suggests it may not. We could not settle that conflict from Microsoft's pages, so if you use a perpetual Word on a Mac, open a document and test the button before you rely on it.

For most writers, the built-in button is enough. Its main limit is internet dependence, and its main advantage is that you never leave Word.

Dragon Professional is a paid choice when you need voice control

Dragon Professional is a paid option for dictating and also controlling Word by voice. Nuance says Dragon Professional 16 added support for Office 2021 in its release notes ⁴, so it supports a perpetual Office version, not only the subscription. The cost is real: a US reseller listed a one-user Dragon Professional 16 license at $685.99 ⁵. Resellers change prices, so check the current price before you buy.

Whether Dragon works without internet is a question Nuance does not settle clearly. The question on whether Dragon needs internet explains what Nuance does and does not confirm, and recommends a test on your own computer. Dragon also has its own problems in Word and Outlook, which the question on why Dragon is not working in Chrome, Word or Outlook covers.

Windows voice typing and Voice Access are the free options

Windows has two free tools, and they behave differently. Voice typing starts when you press the Windows key and H in a text box ⁶, and it needs an internet connection to type what you say ⁷. Voice Access is the other option. Microsoft says it lets you write text by voice without an internet connection ⁸. Its first-time setup needs internet ⁹, so do that step while you are online. Voice Access is also the tool to choose if you need to control the computer by voice as well as dictate. The question on Word's Dictate and Windows voice typing compares the two Windows routes.

Choose by subscription, platform and what you need to edit

No single product wins in every case. The table gives the best fit for each situation, using the facts above.

If you also dictate into email, chat or a browser, a single system-wide tool may save you setup in each app. Yap, which we make, is an on-device dictation app for Mac and Windows. It is one option among the ones above, and you should compare it with the built-in tools on the same test before you choose. Our guide to dictation on Windows lists the Windows routes.

What to do

1. Check whether you have Microsoft 365, and which Word you open. If you use a perpetual Word on a Mac, treat the button as untested.
2. Open a real document, go to Home, select Dictate, and dictate three paragraphs. Count the corrections you make.
3. If you need voice commands for formatting, test Dragon Professional on the same paragraphs before you buy it.
4. If you only need to write, keep the built-in tool that worked best in step 2, and add Windows voice typing or Voice Access for other apps.

For the other apps you write in, read the question on the best dictation app for Google Docs. The terms used here are defined in our glossary entries for dictation software, Dragon NaturallySpeaking and voice typing.