Speaking is generally faster than typing for our productivity. WhileDictatein Microsoft Word can create a document with your voice, you can also useTranscribeto convert an audio file into text. This article will show you how to use the Transcribe feature in Word and turn out documents like lecture notes, meeting meetings, and anything else that’s in recorded audio.
How to Start Transcribing in Word
The Transcribe button is located under the Office Dictation button on the Ribbon in theVoicegroup (spot theMicicon). For now, you can only see it if you have Word for the web and Microsoft Word for Windows with a Microsoft 365 subscription. The screenshots below are from Word desktop in Microsoft 365.
Launch Microsoft Word on the desktop or the Word web app in Microsoft Edge and Chrome. You candictate and transcribea new recording or upload an audio file from another source.
As the instructions suggest, you can upload an audio file in the supported .wav, .mp4, .m4a, and .mp3 formats. The voice-to-text conversion happens in the cloud via your OneDrive account. The upload time to OneDrive can take some time depending on the file size of the recording and your internet speed. So, always keep the Transcribe pane open till the conversion is complete.
Start Recording
you may also dictate (or record via the PC microphone) and let Word transcribe it directly. The process is the same in the background as mentioned above.
Do note that after the transcription is done, your audio and transcription results are not stored by Microsoft.
The Difference Between Transcribe and Dictate
Like all good transcription software, Microsoft Word’s Transcribe and Dictate work hand in hand. Use Dictate when you need to just convert your real-time speech to text. Choose Transcribe for previously recorded audio that needs a text conversion. There are other subtle differences, too—for instance, Word’s transcription separates different speakers in the converted text. Also, if you only want a real-time speech-to-text conversion of your own voice, then opt for dictation, as it’s faster than transcription, which happens in the cloud.
Tips for Using Microsoft Word’s Transcription Feature
There are many ways you can enhance the quality and your workflow if you start using Word for transcription more and more.
Ideas for Using the Transcription Feature in Your Everyday Work
Transcription can make your productivity leapfrog when you have to work with both voice and text. It’s a timesaver while giving you ample scope to edit and improve the accuracy of the transcription. Here are some ideas you can try out in your everyday work.
Start Recording Directly in Word
Experiment with the features in real-world situations like a classroom lecture or a collaborative document. It could be a handy way to tackle out attention deficit habits while ensuring we don’t miss out on anything. Like any recording, you can jump to a specific moment and play it back for more context. Maybe, this will make us feel that Word is now a better all-around document editor thanks to its speech-to-text capabilities.
