How to dictate in Microsoft Word on a Mac
Word for Mac has a Dictate button for Microsoft 365 subscribers. Here is where it is, the shortcut, what it needs, and two ways to dictate into Word without a subscription.
You can dictate into Word on a Mac with Word's own Dictate button, with Apple Dictation, or with a dictation app like Speechy. Here is how each works.
1. Word's Dictate button
- Open a document and sign in to your Microsoft 365 account.
- Choose Home›Dictate, or press ⌥F1.
- Wait for the button to turn on, then speak.
Say punctuation out loud, like "period", "comma", "question mark" or "new line", and "scratch that" to remove what you just said. It dictates in the document's language: 15 languages are fully supported, from English and Spanish to Japanese and Hindi, with about 30 more in preview.
What it needs: a Microsoft 365 subscription (Microsoft says Dictate is only for subscribers), a microphone, and a reliable internet connection, because it works online. Microsoft says it doesn't store your audio or the text.
Say it. Speechy writes it.
Hold Fn, speak, and clean text lands in any app on your Mac.
2. Apple Dictation
Apple Dictation is built into macOS and works in Word like any other app, with no subscription.
- Turn it on in System Settings›Keyboard›Dictation.
- Click into the document and press the Microphone key, your Dictation shortcut, or choose Edit›Start Dictation.
- Press Escape, or the shortcut again, to stop.
It stops on its own after 30 seconds without speech.
Say it. Speechy writes it.
Hold Fn, speak, and clean text lands in any app on your Mac.
3. Speechy
Speechy is a dictation app for Mac: click into Word, hold Fn, speak, and let go. Your voice is transcribed on your Mac, so it works offline, and it keeps listening until you let go. It cleans up as you go, so restarts and corrections don't end up in your document:
Which one to use
| Word Dictate | Apple Dictation | Speechy | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Works in | Word and Outlook, with Microsoft 365 | Any text field on your Mac | Any app on your Mac |
| Needs | Microsoft 365 and internet | Nothing extra | Paid, with a 3-day trial |
| Long pauses | No limit stated by Microsoft | Stops after 30 seconds of silence | Listens until you let go |
| Corrections | "Scratch that" | Edit by hand | "Sorry, I mean" keeps the fix |
If you already pay for Microsoft 365 and only dictate in Word, use Dictate. If you dictate across your Mac, or want it offline, use Apple Dictation or Speechy.
Checked on 21 October 2026 in Microsoft's Dictate in Word and Apple's Dictation guide.