How to start dictate on Windows 11 without using the keyboard?

Hi JulieLuhring,

Thanks for your post in Microsoft Community.

I'm Mosken, I do apologize for the inconvenience that you're experiencing right now, let me help you sort things out.

According to your description, I knew that your speech-to-text function cannot be opened with "win" + "H", but other function shortcut keys are normal. If my understanding is wrong, please correct me in the reply.

Then I suggest that you can try to find the crux of the problem by doing the following:

1.You can open this function not only through the shortcut key, but also through the "Win" logo key + "Q", enter "speech", and select "Windows Speech Recognition" (You can also pin it to the taskbar or start menu) to open it.

2.Maybe you didn't turn on this function after updating the system, you can turn it on by "Ctrl" + "Win" + "S" shortcut, or "Win" logo key + "Q", enter "dictation", select "Ease of Access dictation", open "Speech" settings, then open "Turn on Speech Recognition", then you can try to use "win" + "H" to open the function.

3.Make sure the audio input device is connected properly and the system has access to the microphone ("win" logo key + "I" to open "Settings" > "Privacy" > "Windows permissions" > "speech", turn it on).

I wish the above will be helpful to you. Please feel free to let me know how it goes, and I will do my best to help you.

Best Regards,

Mosken - MSFT | Microsoft Community Support Specialist

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Yes, it happens on my i5 72600 CUP 32 gb ram, 256 gb ssd and on my hp laptop ssd. Both start with windows +H and run for just under 2 minutes, then stop. I have two classes 2 hours each weeknights, so four hours, and to dictate is 60 reboots each class. I sometimes can't get it to reboot. (Reboot = X out of it and do a fresh Windows +H.

When that doesn't work anymore, I need to go to Task Manager, then search for Microsoft Text Input, end the process, then do the Windows key + H and it's fine for another 30-60 minutes.

I'm prepping right now to download Windows 11 on my laptop. Thank you. I've had this issue for the last 3 months. Every single time it stops before 2 minutes on both computers, and they both are Windows 10, this laptop is Home version and the i5 cube is Prof Model Windows 10. FYI.

Probably the Windows 11 version will fix all the issues and I'll be fine. Otherwise, I'll update you on any major issue, should that occur.

Regards

Hi, can someone from the community tell me if Windows 11 improved the Dictation tool so that it doesn't stop every minute 50 seconds and need restarting 30+ times an hour during online courses? I sure hope there's 1.) a fix for the hang it does "something seems to be wrong" and the stopping every 1 minute 50 seconds or 2.) Updating to Windows 11 fixes that so it dictates till you say stop. Thanks for all answers.

Hi Mosken,

Yes, you are correct in your understanding of my issue. Thank you for responding and trying to help! :-)

I checked each suggestion you made, and as you can see from the screenshots, all these features were already enabled so voice typing should be working as it's supposed to. But it still does not. I have no idea what could've made it stop working. But i do know that i noticed it right after the update last week, as well as the fact that windows hello also now doesn't work. Any more help you are able to give is greatly appreciated. Thank you kindly!!

Oops! I forgot a screenshot!