Voice typing in Word
A long report goes faster when you say it. Speak the paragraph, and DanDin writes it into the document with its punctuation.
Yes, you can voice type in Word in Arabic on Mac and Windows. Put the cursor in the document, hold the start key, talk, and let go: your words appear as a tidy paragraph with commas and full stops. It works without a Microsoft 365 plan, because DanDin is a separate app. Word’s own Dictate button, Microsoft says, is for Microsoft 365 subscribers only, and Arabic is a Preview language there.
How to voice type in Microsoft Word
On a Mac
- Open the document in Word and click where you want the text to start.
- If Word’s Dictate button is on, turn it off, so the two do not type the same words.
- Hold the Fn key, say a full paragraph, then let go. Repeat for each paragraph.
- For a long report, switch the activation mode to Toggle. One dictation can run up to 30 minutes, and the pill warns you one minute before the end.
On Windows
- Open Word on Windows 10 or 11 and put the cursor in the document.
- Hold Ctrl + Win and talk.
- Let go of both keys: the text is pasted at the cursor as plain text and takes the font of the paragraph you are in.
- If Arabic text lands in a left to right paragraph, switch that paragraph to right to left with Word’s own buttons.
An example in Microsoft Word
A paragraph in a report
You say
in the third quarter sales grew by twelve percent twelve percent and the main reason was um the launch of the new service in Riyadh and Jeddah and better reviews in the app
DanDin types
In the third quarter, sales grew by 12 percent, and the main reason was the launch of the new service in Riyadh and Jeddah and better reviews in the app.
Word’s Dictate or DanDin?
Word has a Dictate button from Microsoft. Here is what Microsoft’s own page says about it, next to what DanDin does:
| DanDin | Word’s Dictate | |
|---|---|---|
| Who can use it | Anyone, and you start free with no card | Microsoft 365 subscribers only [1] |
| Arabic | Arabic and English, with Arabic + English as the default mode | A Preview language for Bahrain, Egypt and Saudi Arabia, which may have lower accuracy or limited punctuation [2] |
| Internet | Needs the internet too | Needs a reliable internet connection [3] |
| How you start it on a Mac | Hold Fn, in Word and every other app | The Dictate button, or Option + F1 [4] |
If you have Microsoft 365 and write English in Word only, the Dictate button is a fine choice you already own. If you write Arabic, have no subscription, or want the same thing in every app, DanDin is built for that.
Where these facts come from
Every cell in the second column is taken from that company’s own page. Here is the text as we read it, the link, and the day we read it.
[1] Microsoft: Dictate your documents in Word
The dictation feature is only available to Microsoft 365 subscribers.
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/word/dictate-your-documents-in-word (read )
[2] The same page, the language list
Preview languages *: Arabic (Bahrain), Arabic (Egypt), Arabic (Saudi Arabia), Bulgarian, ... * Preview Languages may have lower accuracy or limited punctuation support.
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/word/dictate-your-documents-in-word (read )
[3] The same page, first line
Dictation lets you use speech-to-text to author content in Microsoft 365 with a microphone and reliable internet connection.
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/word/dictate-your-documents-in-word (read )
[4] The same page, Mac tab
You can also start dictation with the keyboard shortcut: ⌥ (Option) + F1.
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/word/dictate-your-documents-in-word (read )
[5] The same page, older versions
Dictate is not available in Office 2016 or 2019 for Windows without Microsoft 365
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/word/dictate-your-documents-in-word (read )
[6] The same page, Windows tab (the shortcut only resumes)
To resume dictation, please use the keyboard shortcut ALT + ` or press the Mic icon in the floating dictation menu.
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/word/dictate-your-documents-in-word (read )
[7] Microsoft’s Arabic page: the Arabic punctuation commands
فاصلة ، / علامة استفهام ؟ / نقطة . / أول السطر
[8] Microsoft: Dictate your documents in Word for the web
go to Home > Dictate while signed into Microsoft 365 on a mic-enabled device.
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/word/dictate-your-documents-in-word-for-the-web (read )
Word’s Dictate button in Arabic, step by step
If you have a Microsoft 365 subscription, the Dictate button is already yours. These are its steps as Microsoft writes them on its page, read on 22 October 2026. Only the way you start it changes from one computer to another.
Word on Windows
- Sign in to Microsoft 365 on Windows 10 or later, and open a document.
- On the Home tab, select Dictate. A small bar with a microphone appears.
- Select the gear, and under Spoken Language pick Arabic (Saudi Arabia), (Egypt) or (Bahrain).
- Talk. Say «فاصلة», «نقطة» or «علامة استفهام» for a comma, full stop or question mark, and «أول السطر» for a new line.
- To stop, say “stop dictation”. To resume, select the microphone or press ALT + `.
Word on a Mac
- Sign in to Microsoft 365 and open the document in Word.
- Select Dictate on the Home tab, or press Option + F1.
- Under the gear, pick Arabic as the Spoken Language.
- Talk, say the punctuation by name, then say “stop dictation” to stop.
Word for the web
- Open the document in Word for the web while signed in to Microsoft 365.
- On Home, select Dictate, on a device with a microphone.
- Pick Arabic under the gear, and talk.
What Microsoft says that the steps leave out: Arabic is a Preview language in Dictate, which may be less accurate or have limited punctuation. There is an Auto Punctuation setting if it is available for the language you pick, and the page does not say whether it is for Arabic. Dictate needs the internet, and it is not available in Office 2016 or 2019 for Windows without Microsoft 365. Its page gives no shortcut to start dictating on Windows, only ALT + ` to resume. The sources are under the table above.
Good to know in Microsoft Word
- DanDin types; it does not drive Word. Headings, tables and bold are yours to set.
- If you count points out loud, they come out as lines starting 1., 2. and 3.
- Arabic is written without vowel marks.
- It needs the internet. If the connection drops while you talk, the recording is saved on your computer, and one tap on Retry sends it again.
Common questions
How do I voice type in Word?
Put the cursor in the document, hold the start key (Fn on a Mac, Ctrl + Win on Windows), talk, and let go. Your words are typed at the cursor with their punctuation.
Does Word Dictate support Arabic?
According to Microsoft’s page (read 22 October 2026), Arabic in Dictate is a Preview language for Bahrain, Egypt and Saudi Arabia, which may have lower accuracy or limited punctuation, and the feature is for Microsoft 365 subscribers only.
Where is the Dictate button in Word, and what is the shortcut?
Microsoft says it is under Home, then Dictate, while you are signed in to Microsoft 365, and on a Mac you start it with Option + F1. On Windows it gives no shortcut to start, only ALT + ` to resume. If you cannot find the button, you most likely have no subscription.
Do I need Microsoft 365 to use DanDin in Word?
No. DanDin is a separate app that types in any copy of Word, and in Word for the web in your browser, and you start free with 2,000 words every week.
Is there voice typing in Word 2010 or 2016?
Microsoft’s page lists Dictate for Word for Microsoft 365, 2024, 2021, 2019 and 2016, and says it is not available in Office 2016 or 2019 for Windows without Microsoft 365. Word 2010 is not listed. In those versions DanDin types Arabic on Windows 10 and 11, because it is a separate app.