6 Best Voice Dictation Software That'll Help You Work Faster

Part 1: Built-in Voice Dictation Software

1. Windows Voice Recognition (Windows)

Windows Voice Recognition is a built-in feature for Windows 10/11 that allows users to interact with the PC with their voice. You can use this feature to control the desktop user interface, dictate text in electronic documents and email, navigate website, perform keyboard shortcuts, and operate the mouse cursor with voice commands. For example, if you want to open the Chrome browser, simply say “Open Google Chrome”, and the Google Chrome browser will automatically open. No mouse click is needed. Or you can leave the mouse cursor on a text field, and then use your voice to enter any text.

Key Features

Work seamlessly with Microsoft Office, including Word, PowerPoint, and Excel.

Custom speech library to add your own words and phrases.

Easy to set up and use.

Pros: A convenient tool for people with mobility disabilities; No additional software downloads or installations; Easy text editing.

Cons: Lack of advanced features compared to other dictation software options; Background noise and accents may affect the accuracy of Windows Voice Recognition.

Steps to use the tool:

1. Select Settings > Privacy > Speech and enable Online speech recognition.

2. Press the Windows logo key + H.

3. A microphone icon will pop up. Tap the microphone to start voice dictation.

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2. Apple Dictation (macOS)

Apple offers its voice dictation software that comes preinstalled on all Apple devices, such as MacBooks, iPads, iPhones, etc. It enables users to convert their speech into text across various applications, including messages, notes, and even third-party apps. The software supports multiple languages and can be used even without an Internet connection. The disadvantage is that it may lack advanced voice dictation features found in other dedicated software.

Key Features

Control the desktop, applications, and browser and edit documents with voice commands.

Support for multiple languages.

Pros: Free for Mac users; Support for more than 40 languages.

Cons: Limited functions compared to other voice dictation software.

Steps to use the tool:

1. Go to System Settings > Keyboard > Dictation to switch dictation to On.

2. Then just place your cursor where you want to dictate and press the shortcut that you selected in the settings. You can then start speaking and text should appear.

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3. Google Docs Voice Typing (Win/Mac)

Google Docs Voice Typing is a feature that allows users to easily convert their speech into text within Google Docs. By simply speaking, users can have their words transcribed in real-time directly into the online document. It not only helps with text writing but also enables users to edit and format documents using voice commands. Google Docs Voice Typing supports multiple languages and offers high dictation accuracy.

Key Features

Real-time transcription.

Multi-language support for English, Chinese, Spanish, French, German, etc.

Can dictate text, edit and format the document, and add punctuation with voice commands.

Pros: Easy to set up. You just need to enable the Voice typing tool, and then start dictating; Expand the vocabulary by adding your own words to improve accuracy.

Cons: Online-based tool dedicated to Google Docs; Limited formatting options compared to other dictation software.

Steps to use the tool:

1. Select Tools > Voice typing.

2. Choose a certain language you would like to dictate in.

3. Click the microphone and start speaking.

4. Edit the dictated text.

A Summary of 3 Built-in Voice Dictation Software

	Microsoft	Apple	Google
Require internet connection	Yes	No	Yes
Compatibility	Windows	Obviously Mac	Works via your Chrome web browser
Works on	Email, apps, documents, etc	Anywhere you would normally type (e.g. Word, Pages, Skype, TextEdit etc).	Google Docs and Google Slides

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Part 2: Third-party Voice Dictation Software

1. Otter (Web, Android, iOS)

Otter.ai is a transcription app that uses AI to transcribe live meetings and conversations and generate notes automatically. It is suitable for any in-person or virtual lectures, classes or meetings so that everyone can stay engaged. It will send the summary to participants for a quick overview of the meeting. With this program, you won’t miss any action items. The app offers an AI chat option that lets you ask questions and get answers instantly.

Key Features

Identify different speakers smartly.

Live record conversation and real-time transcription.

Various output options such as PDF, TXT, SRT, etc.

Pros: Offers real-time transcription; Identifies speakers and allows labeling; 300 mins can be transcribed for free every month.

Cons: Only support English transcription.

Steps to use the tool:

1. Sign up for a free Otter.ai account.

2. Download the Otter.ai mobile app or access it through web.

3. Import or record audio or video for transcription.

4. Edit and share transcripts with collaborators.

2. Dragon (Android, iOS, Windows)

Dragon is a premier speed recognition software that can transcribe both live speech and recorded files. With up to 99% recognition accuracy, it has been widely used in sectors including financial services, legal, education, healthcare, and social services. Powered by Nuance Deep Learning technology, the software can easily identify users with accents or those working in open office or mobile environments. Dragon saves the repetitive work and streamlines the process by dictating documents 3 times faster than typing.

Key Features

Seamless integration with enterprise workflow.

Easy to set up without complex configuration.

Automatic accent adjustments and microphone calibration.

With basic editing features for the recorded video.

Pros: Powered by deep learning AI technology; 99% recognition accuracy from the start.

Cons: Expensive compared to other transcription software; Limited language support for desktop version; Requires good internet connection; Not available on Macs.

Steps to use the tool:

1. Install the software on your Windows 10 or 11 device or download the mobile app.

2. Configure the microphone settings and train the software to recognize your voice.

3. Use voice commands to dictate, edit, and format documents.

3. Notta

Notta is a one-stop solution to transcribe your audio or video files, online meetings, or face-to-face sales meetings. It can synchronize with Zoom, Google Meet, and Teams meetings. The recording function lets users record on their desktop, chrome tab or Window simply and share with others via links. With the help of AI, it can even summarize your presentation and generate action items. With this program, you will not need to take notes again, just let AI summarize the highlights for you. It is ideally used for collaboration between teams.

Key Features

With support for 104 languages.

Automated summaries with action items.

Support for Zoom, Google Meet, and Teams meetings.

Pros: Synchronize with platforms such as Zoom, Google Meet, and more; AI-based transcription for live meetings; Support multiple output formats.

Cons: Limit on the file size and number of conversion files for the free plan.

Steps to use the tool:

1. Create a Notta account.

2. Upload an audio file.

3. Wait for the transcription process.

4. Edit and save the transcription text.

A Comparison of 3 Third-party Voice Dictation Software

Targeted users: Notta and Otter.ai are suitable for individuals or small teams to record live conversions, and meetings, take notes, generate summaries and share across the team for review. Dragon is designed for certain industries, such as legal, financial, and healthcare sectors.

Integration: Otter.ai and Notta can integrate with Zoom, Google Meet, and Teams meetings, while Dragon does not provide this feature.

Availability: Dragon is a cloud-based solution, so you will need a good internet connection to use the service. Otter and Notta provide offline solutions.

Price: Otter.ai is available with a free Basic plan, the Pro plan starting at $16.99 per month, the Business plan starting at $40 per month, and a custom Enterprise plan. Dragon products start at $15 per month even for the basic monthly plan. Notta provides a Pro plan at $8.25 per month. Its Business plan starts at $44 per month and is billed annually.

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Part 3: Best Software to Transcribe Audio/Video Files to Text

Voice dictation software, also known as speech-to-text software, allows users to type in real-time using their voice. It is often used for live transcription purposes. On the other hand, speech-to-text software encompasses the conversion of pre-recorded video/audio files into readable text.

Any Video Converter is a versatile multimedia solution that allows users to download, convert, and edit videos with ease. All tools are packed in a comprehensive toolkit, including a video converter, downloader, trimmer, merger, cropper, recorder, enhancer, GIF maker, subtitle extractor, etc. The Speech to Text tool is specifically designed to transcribe video/audio into a variety of other formats such as .txt, .srt, .csv or .vtt, .lrc using machine-learned algorithms. The tool offers 3 speech recognition AI models: Primary model, Intermediate model and Advanced model, indicating different accuracy levels. The Preview feature allows users to generate text for preview with Primary Model enabled by default.

Steps on How to Transcribe Audio to Text

1. Launch the program and choose the Speech-to-Text tool.

2. Choose a file from a folder or drag and drop the file to the box.

3. Set the output language and format and choose an AI model.

4. Click Start.

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Conclusion:

Voice dictation software has revolutionized the way we interact with our PCs. In this article, we've listed 6 voice dictation software that can boost your productivity and streamline your workflow. Whether you are a student, writer, or business professional, pick a suitable one from the above solutions according to your specific needs. If you need to extract audio to generate subtitles or captions, try Any Video Converter's speech-to-text tool, which uses artificial intelligence to transcribe audio into readable text.

Try Any Video Converter to turn your voice to text with ease!

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