It is time to give your keyboard a rest. Microsoft 365 offers a powerful dictation tool that can significantly speed up your workflow, yet it remains an underutilised feature of the suite.

Whether you are drafting a lengthy report in Word or clearing a congested inbox in Outlook, speaking your thoughts can often be faster and more fluid than typing them. Here is how you can put this tool to work for your business.

To begin, ensure your hardware is ready. Most modern laptops have high-quality microphones built-in, but if you are using a desktop PC, you will need a standalone microphone or a webcam with an integrated mic. For the best results, we recommend using a headset; this ensures your voice is captured clearly and minimises background noise, leading to much higher accuracy.

How to activate dictation:

1. 1. Open your application: Launch a new email in Outlook or a document in Word.
   2. Locate the Dictate button: Look for the microphone icon on the far right of the Home tab (the area Microsoft refers to as the Ribbon).
   3. Start speaking: Click the button, and a small dictation toolbar will appear. When the microphone icon turns blue, the software is listening.
   4. Watch the magic happen: As you speak, your words are converted into text in real time.
   5. Finish up: Once you have said your piece, simply click the microphone icon again to stop.

While the technology is impressive, a few small adjustments can make your experience even smoother:

1. • Punctuation matters: You can stay in the flow by saying “comma,” “full stop,” or “new paragraph” aloud. Microsoft 365 will format the text accordingly.
   • Check your settings: Click the cog icon on the dictation toolbar to enable “Auto-punctuation,” which uses AI to guess where your pauses should be.
   • Proofread: Even the best tools can occasionally misinterpret a technical term. We suggest a read-through once you have finished to ensure everything is written as intended.

By embracing dictation, you can focus entirely on the content of your message. It is just one of the many ways a modern digital toolkit such as Microsoft 365 can make your working day more productive.