Can you give voice commands to a Windows PC?

Yes. Windows 11 has a built-in tool called Voice Access that runs spoken voice commands: it opens and switches apps, clicks items by name, presses keys and dictates text. Microsoft says it lets you perform "not just text authoring but all tasks on your PC" ¹. It needs Windows 11, version 22H2 or later ². If your PC runs an older version of Windows, the built-in tool is a different one, covered below.

On Windows 11, Voice Access runs commands offline once it is set up

Microsoft says Voice Access can control your PC and write text without an internet connection ³. The first-time setup is the exception. Microsoft says you need an internet connection to finish it ⁴, so set it up on a connected PC, and expect it to run offline after that.

A command is a short phrase that names an action and a target. Say "Open Word" to start an app, "Click Save" to press a button by its name, or "Press Tab five times" to send a key. When an item has no readable name, say "Show numbers" to label the items on screen, or "Show grid" to split the screen into tiles. Our guide to Voice Access commands gives the full patterns, and our question on controlling Windows 11 by voice explains where the approach runs out.

Older versions of Windows keep Speech Recognition, which Voice Access replaced

Voice Access is for Windows 11 version 22H2 and later, so Windows 10 PCs do not get it. Microsoft says Voice Access replaced Windows Speech Recognition for Windows 11 22H2 and later in September 2024, and that "WSR is available in older versions of Windows" ⁵. The older tool is Windows Speech Recognition, and it has its own setup steps and phrases. Our question on speech recognition in Windows 10 covers them.

Windows voice typing writes text but is not the PC control tool

The other built-in option is voice typing, which you start with the Windows key and H. It needs a working microphone, an internet connection and the cursor in a text box before it types what you say ⁶. That makes it a tool for writing text into a box, not for controlling the PC. Our question on dictating with Voice Access explains how the two tools differ when you dictate, and voice typing is the glossary term for the feature.

Paid software can do more, but check the price and the fit first

Third-party software is the other route. Dragon Professional 16 is a paid product, and it supports MouseGrid commands on up to three monitors ⁷. It is not free: a reseller listed a one-user license at $685.99 when we checked ⁸. Prices change, so confirm the current price and the Windows versions the product supports on the vendor's own pages before you buy.

Which option fits your PC

A laptop gets the same answer as a desktop. The tool depends on the version of Windows the laptop runs, not on whether it is a laptop. So if you searched for voice command software for a laptop, the built-in options above apply to any Windows laptop that meets the version rule.

What to do next

1. Find your Windows version. It decides which tool you can use, so check it before you read on.
2. If it is version 22H2 or later, turn on Voice Access on a connected PC, finish the setup, and then practice the phrases in our Voice Access command guide. To wake it, use the steps in our question on waking up Voice Access.
3. If it is older, follow the Windows 10 speech recognition answer and expect different phrases.
4. Test your three most common tasks by voice alone. Keep the mouse within reach for any task that fails, and note each step where you needed it.
5. Before you buy paid software, check the current price and the Windows versions it supports.

Our overview of dictation on Windows puts Voice Access, voice typing and the older tools side by side, and the Windows Voice Access entry explains the feature in one place.