What settings does Voice Access have in Windows 11?

Most Voice Access settings sit behind the Settings button on the Voice access bar. Select it, and you get a microphone menu, a Manage options menu and the help button. Those hold the choices that matter most: which microphone it uses, which language, how long it waits before acting, and how it handles speech. This page goes through each one, using Microsoft's own description of the menus.

The Settings button on the bar opens the menu

When you click the Settings button, Microsoft's guide says a set of options becomes available ¹. Under that button are a microphone menu, a Manage options menu, and Voice access help. The sections below follow that order, then cover the options that sit in Windows Settings instead.

Choose the microphone from the bar

The microphone menu lets you switch to a different microphone from the one you are using ². Use it when a headset or USB microphone works better than the built-in one. A microphone only helps if it is allowed. Voice Access uses the microphone under your Windows privacy settings, so a privacy setting can stop it from hearing you. See how to allow microphone access on Windows if the microphone is listed but silent.

Set the wait time to match how you speak

Voice Access waits briefly after you speak before it acts on your words. Microsoft says you can choose a wait time that matches your pace of speaking ³. The default is Medium, which is 0.5 seconds ⁴. A shorter wait suits quick, short commands, and a longer one suits people who pause in the middle of a sentence. Change it once, then test a few commands before you change it again.

Change the language in Manage options

Languages sit in the Manage options menu. You can change the Voice Access language at any time from the Languages option in the Voice access settings ⁵. Languages marked ready to use switch on at once, and the rest need a speech pack downloaded first. The Windows 11 language question explains the list.

Startup is set in Windows Settings, not on the bar

Startup is not in the bar. It is under Accessibility and then Speech in Windows Settings, and it lets Voice Access launch automatically before or after you sign in ⁶. The guide covers when each option makes sense.

Pick one of three speech recognition options

Voice Access offers three speech recognition options for different environments ⁷. They are voice isolation, remove background noise only, and no filtering. Voice isolation is the option that learns your voice, and the guide explains what each option needs before it works.

Add words that Voice Access keeps getting wrong

The Add to vocabulary option adds your own words to the Voice Access dictionary, including words that are hard to pronounce, to improve dictation accuracy ⁸. Add names, product names and technical terms, one word at a time. The option is also available as a spoken command, so you can say it while you dictate. The custom vocabulary term explains how a word list helps a recognizer.

Fluid dictation is a Copilot+ PC switch

Fluid dictation is one of the options under Manage options. It is a Copilot+ PC feature ⁹ and is currently available in English ¹⁰. It is on by default, and you can turn it off in settings or by voice ¹¹. Automatic punctuation is a separate option, off by default, which you turn on from the Voice Access bar ¹². The fluid dictation guide covers the feature in more detail.

Windows 10 has no Voice Access settings

Voice Access is not offered on Windows 10. Microsoft's FAQ lists it for Windows 11 only, while voice typing is listed for both ¹³. So on Windows 10 there are no Voice Access settings to find. The Windows 10 question explains what exists there, and the Windows 10 speech recognition question covers the older tool. To turn Voice Access off on Windows 11, see how to turn off Voice Access.

What to do

1. Open the Settings button on the Voice access bar and check the microphone first.
2. Set the wait time once, then test a few commands before you change it.
3. Add only the words you keep getting wrong to the vocabulary.
4. If a word or command is not recognized at all, check the language list.

For the full picture of how the feature works, read the guide to Voice Access in Windows 11. For the sibling questions, see what Windows Voice Access is and how to use Voice Access.

Terms used here are explained in the glossary: Windows Voice Access, fluid dictation and Copilot+ PC.