Enhancing Productivity with the Redesigned Dictation Toolbar
We are excited to announce the launch of the newly redesigned Dictation toolbar, which is now available in Word, Outlook, and OneNote. This update brings a more responsive user interface, updated visuals, and a sleeker look that ensures the toolbar stays out of the way, allowing you to focus on what truly matters—your content.
Key Improvements
The redesigned Dictation toolbar addresses feedback from users who found the previous version intrusive and sometimes difficult to use. The toolbar is now smaller and has been moved to the side of your screen, but you can still move it to your preferred location. Additionally, responsive animations have been added to provide visual feedback, ensuring that you know when your voice is being detected and transcribed accurately.
How to Use the New Toolbar
To launch the new Dictation toolbar, simply click the Dictate button on the Home tab in Word, Outlook, or OneNote. Start speaking, and watch as your speech is transformed into text. The toolbar also provides visual feedback to indicate that it is hearing your voice, making the dictation experience more intuitive and user-friendly.
Tips and Tricks
For a more hands-free experience, use voice commands. You can view a list of supported punctuation and editing commands by clicking the Help button on the Dictation toolbar. If you prefer not to speak punctuation marks, you can enable auto-punctuation in the Dictation Settings dialog box. By default, the toolbar masks potentially offensive phrases to ensure that any errors in speech recognition do not result in inappropriate text.
Scenarios to Try
Here are a few great uses for the Dictation toolbar:
We believe these improvements will significantly enhance your productivity and make the dictation experience more seamless and enjoyable.
Credit to the Author
This blog post is based on the original article by Hadley Griffin, published on the Microsoft Tech Community. You can read the full article here.