Word and Outlook - Dictate with Auto Punctuation and Voice Commands

Posted on: 01/27/2021

The Dictate feature in Word and Outlook has been greatly improved. Dictate will now allow Auto Punctuation, Voice Commands, and a Profanity Filter. The Dictate command works in the Desktop apps - Word, Outlook, and PowerPoint. Interestingly, the new improvements only work in Word and Outlook.

YouTube Video on Dicate in Word / Outlook Desktop

Turn on Dicate in Outlook (Microsoft 365 account)

Start a New Email
On the Message tab, click Dictate
Click the Microphone to start or stop dictation.
Setting are in the Ger icon for Dictation Settings

Turn on Dicate in Word (Microsoft 365 account)

On the Home tab, click Dictate
Click the Microphone to start or stop dictation.
Setting are in the Ger icon for Dictation Settings

See the screenshot above for Outlook

Punctuation

Phrase(s)	Output
`period, full stop`	`.`
`comma`	`,`
`question mark`	`?`
`exclamation mark/point`	`!`
`new line`	`new line`
`apostrophe-s`	`'s`
`colon`	`:`
`semicolon`	`;`
`open quotes` `close quotes`	`" "`
`hyphen`	`-`
`ellipsis, dot dot dot`	`...`
`begin/open single quote` `end/close single quote`	`' '`
`left/open parentheses` `right/close parentheses`	`( )`
`left/open bracket` `right/close bracket`	`[ ]`
`left/open brace` `right/close brace`	`{ }`

Symbols

Phrase(s)	Output
`asterisk`	`*`
`backslash`	`\`
`forward slash`	`/`
`vertical bar sign, pipe character`	`\|`
`backquote, backtick`	`
`underscore`	`_`
`m-dash`	`—`
`n-dash`	`–`
`paragraph sign/mark`	`¶`
`section sign`	`§`
`ampersand, and sign`	`&`
`at sign`	`@`
`copyright sign`	`©`
`registered sign`	`®`
`degree symbol`	`°`
`caret symbol`	`^`

Mathematics

Phrase(s)	Output
`percent sign`	`%`
`number/pound sign`	`#`
`plus sign`	`+`
`minus sign`	`-`
`multiplication sign`	`x`
`plus or minus sign`	`±`
`division sign`	`÷`
`equal sign`	`=`
`less than sign, left angle bracket` `greater than sign, right angle bracket`	`< >`

Currency

Phrase(s)	Output
`dollar sign`	`$`
`pound sterling sign`	`£`
`euro sign`	`€`
`yen sign`	`¥`