Google Docs Voice Typing: How to Use It (Commands + Tips)
To use Google Docs voice typing, open a document in Chrome, Edge or Safari, go to Tools > Voice typing and click the microphone, or press Ctrl + Shift + S (Cmd + Shift + S on a Mac) in Chrome. Talk at a normal pace, say punctuation out loud, and click the mic again when you're done.
Below: the three setup steps, the punctuation and voice commands worth learning, how to fix mistakes without switching the mic off, and what to do on a phone.
TL;DR
- Use Chrome, Edge or Safari on a computer. Firefox isn't on Google's list.
- Go to Tools > Voice typing, or press Ctrl + Shift + S (Cmd + Shift + S on a Mac) in Chrome, then click the mic (shortcuts).
- Say punctuation out loud: "comma", "period", "new paragraph" ("full stop" on Google's UK help page).
- Voice commands only work when your account and document language are both English (language rule).
- Fix mistakes with the mic still on: right-click grey-underlined words, and say "Undo" for a misheard command (correction tips).
- On a phone, use your keyboard's mic (Gboard voice typing). Google's voice typing steps are for a browser on a computer, and the Docs app has no Voice typing menu.
Before you start: browser, microphone and account
Clear these three first and the steps below just work.
Use Chrome, Edge or Safari
Google's voice typing help page lists the latest Chrome, Edge and Safari. Firefox isn't there. The browser handles the speech-to-text part, so the one you pick matters. In Firefox, open the Doc in one of the other three. Older guides still say "Chrome only"; Google's page now lists Edge and Safari too.
Let the browser use your microphone
Your mic has to be on and working, with its settings in System Settings on a Mac or Control Panel on a PC (Google's setup notes). In Chrome, pick "Allow while visiting the site" when the permission prompt appears. If you blocked it at some point, change it under Settings > Privacy and security > Site settings > Microphone (Chrome's microphone help).
Using a work or school account?
If Voice typing is missing, your administrator may have turned it off (Google's help page). That one goes to IT.
How to turn on voice typing in Google Docs
Step 1: Open your document and choose Tools > Voice typing
Put your cursor where the words should go, then pick Tools > Voice typing. A microphone box appears (Google's steps).
Step 2: Click the microphone and start talking
Click the mic and speak clearly, at a normal volume and pace. Words appear at your cursor as you go. "Normal pace" is harder than it sounds the first time you hear yourself talking to a laptop.
Step 3: Click the mic again, or say "Stop listening"
Either one stops it. "Resume" restarts it; more on that below.
The shortcut: Ctrl + Shift + S or Cmd + Shift + S
Ctrl + Shift + S on a PC or Cmd + Shift + S on a Mac opens the mic box without the trip to the menu. Google's keyboard shortcuts page labels it "Start voice typing (available in Chrome browsers)", so in Edge or Safari, use the Tools menu.
Can't see Voice typing in the Tools menu?
Usually one of three things: Firefox, the Docs phone app (no Voice typing menu there), or an admin who switched it off. Google's help page covers supported browsers on a computer and the admin setting; it doesn't cover phones at all.
It's also the most common complaint under the big YouTube tutorials, so you're in good company. The quick checks below cover each one.
How to add punctuation with voice typing
You add punctuation by saying it out loud, as a word, in the flow of the sentence: "See you Tuesday comma Sam period".
| Say this | You get | English (UK) wording |
|---|---|---|
| Period | . | Full stop |
| Comma | , | Comma |
| Exclamation point | ! | Exclamation mark |
| Question mark | ? | Question mark |
| New line | Line break | New line |
| New paragraph | New paragraph | New paragraph |
Sources: Google's US and UK help pages.
US English: six punctuation words
Google's US list stops at those six. Saying "comma" to a laptop feels faintly ridiculous for about a day.
English (UK): more punctuation, including quotation marks
Google's English (UK) list adds colon, semicolon, brackets, quotation marks, hyphen, dash, ellipsis and more. Quotation marks alone make dictating dialogue far less painful. They're documented for English (UK), so don't count on them in US English.
Other languages
Typing works in more than 100 languages and accents, though Google notes that punctuation might not be available in all of them (voice typing help).
Voice commands worth learning
These are the commands that earn their keep.
| Job | Say this |
|---|---|
| Select | "Select paragraph", "Select all" |
| Format | "Bold", "Italics", "Highlight" (yellow by default), "Font size 14" (any size from 6 to 400) |
| Lists and tables | "Create bulleted list", "Insert table 3 rows by 4 columns" (up to 20 rows and columns) |
| Edit | "Delete last word", "Delete" (removes the word before the cursor), "Copy", "Paste" |
| Move | "Go to the end of the line" |
| Stop and start | "Stop listening", "Resume", "Resume with [word or phrase]" |
| Help | "Voice commands list" |
Source: Google's voice commands list.
Say "Voice commands list" to see the rest
It opens Google's full list inside Docs, and "Voice typing help" works too. No need to memorise anything.
Commands only work in English
Google's help page is blunt: "Voice commands are available only in English. The account language and document language must both be English."
Check the document's language under File > Language. A UK viewer on AppsEDU's tutorial reports "comma" being typed as a word; a language mismatch is the first thing to check.
Stop and pick up where you left off
"Resume" moves the cursor to the end of the paragraph and starts listening again. "Resume with [word or phrase]" moves the cursor to the end of that word or phrase (Google's command reference).
Expect commands to be pickier than dictation
Dictation is the forgiving half. A retired physician commenting on dottotech's tutorial said it "stubbornly refuses to obey my voice commands", which sums up a bad afternoon with them. Google's advice: speak slowly and clearly, and pause before and after each command (troubleshooting tips). The pause is the easy bit to forget mid-flow.
How to fix mistakes without turning the mic off
Correction is where voice typing costs you time. Google's help page scatters the fixes; together they make a decent method.
Right-click grey-underlined words
When Docs isn't sure it heard you, it underlines the word in grey. Right-click it to see alternatives.
Click to fix, then carry on talking
Move the cursor, fix the mistake, move back and keep going, all with the mic on.
Say "Undo" when a command misfires
The mic bubble shows the last command it heard. If it got that wrong, say "Undo". For a stray word, "Delete" on its own removes the previous one.
Dictate the rough draft, edit with the keyboard
This one is our recommendation. Commenters under the big tutorials make the same point from experience: a novelist on dottotech's video says he spends way more time going back over corrections than if he'd just typed it.
So split the jobs: words down by voice, odd mangled surname and all, then tidy up with the keyboard. Arguing with a microphone over one word is a poor use of your time.
How to voice type in Google Slides and on your phone
| Where | How to start | Voice commands? |
|---|---|---|
| Docs in Chrome, Edge or Safari on a computer | Tools > Voice typing | Yes, in English |
| Slides speaker notes | Tools > Dictate speaker notes | No |
| Docs app on Android | Gboard's mic at the top of the keyboard | No, it's keyboard dictation |
| Docs app on iPhone or iPad | Install Gboard, then tap its mic | No, it's keyboard dictation |
| Create with voice (Docs phone app) | Insert > Create with voice | Gemini writes a draft; eligible plan; English only |
Sources: Google's help pages for Docs, Gboard and Create with voice.
Google Slides speaker notes
In Slides, go to Tools > Dictate speaker notes and click the mic to start and stop. Voice commands aren't available there (Google's Slides note).
How to voice type on Google Docs on Android or iPhone
The Docs app has no Voice typing menu, so use your keyboard. With Gboard on Android, tap where you want to type, tap Microphone at the top of the keyboard, and speak when you see "Speak now" (Gboard help for Android).
On iPhone or iPad, install Gboard first, then do the same. Your phone's own keyboard mic works too. Neither brings the Docs voice commands.
Create with voice drafts for you
Insert > Create with voice, in the Docs phone app, is a different animal: you talk, and Gemini builds a plan and a draft. It needs an eligible Google Workspace or Google AI plan and works in English only (Create with voice help).
Good for turning a ramble into a first draft. For your exact words, stick with Gboard.
Tips for better results
Cut background noise and check your input level
If Docs keeps mishearing you, Google suggests a quieter room, an external microphone and adjusting your mic's input volume (Google's tips).
Talk in full sentences and pause around commands
Normal volume, normal pace, whole thoughts, with a pause either side of each command. There's no voice-training step: open it and talk.
If you use a screen reader
Google's "Speak" commands need screen reader support switched on. Wear headphones, so the spoken feedback doesn't get typed into your document (accessibility notes).
One unexpected use: a commenter on dottotech's tutorial has seen language learners use it as a pronunciation check. If Docs types the word you meant, you probably said it right.
Voice typing not working? Three quick checks
- Not in the Tools menu: switch to Chrome, Edge or Safari on a computer, or ask your admin (supported browsers).
- Microphone blocked: allow the mic for the site in Chrome's Site settings (Chrome microphone settings).
- Commands typed as words: set your account and document language to English, using File > Language for the doc (language rule, document language).
For everything else, see our guide to Google Docs voice typing not working.
Where Google Docs voice typing stops
It only types into Docs (and Slides notes)
Google Docs voice typing types into Google Docs and Slides speaker notes, in a supported browser on a computer (Google's help page). The phone app has no Voice typing menu, commands are English-only, and punctuation comes from the spoken commands on Google's list.
So it won't help in Gmail, Slack or a code editor. A programmer commenting on dottotech's video put it plainly: "I sure wish I could have had this in my coding environment."
For email, see dictation for Gmail; for macOS's own option, see how to dictate on a Mac.
If you want it in every app on your Mac
This is ours, so weigh that accordingly. Blazing Transcribe is a Mac dictation app: hold fn, speak, let go, and the words land wherever your cursor is.
- Works in Gmail, Slack, Google Docs, Notion and code editors.
- Speech recognition runs on your Mac, so your voice never leaves it.
- Currently free, with no account.
The limits: it's Mac only, needs Apple Silicon (M1 or newer) and macOS 15 or later, and it doesn't transcribe meetings. If you're on a Mac, Blazing Transcribe is free to try.
FAQ
What is the shortcut for voice typing in Google Docs?
Ctrl + Shift + S on a PC, Cmd + Shift + S on a Mac (Docs shortcuts). Google lists it for Chrome; in Edge or Safari, use Tools > Voice typing.
Does Google Docs voice typing work in Safari or Firefox?
Safari, yes; Firefox, no. Google lists the latest Chrome, Edge and Safari, so on Firefox, open the Doc in one of those.
Can you voice type on Google Docs on a phone?
Yes, using your keyboard's mic. Google documents Docs voice typing for browsers on a computer, so in the app, tap Microphone at the top of Gboard and speak (Android, iPhone).
Is Google Docs voice typing free?
It's built into Google Docs, so there's nothing to install: it sits in the Tools menu. The only voice feature Google documents as needing an eligible plan is Create with voice in the phone app. For alternatives, see free dictation software.
Can I use Google Docs voice typing in other languages?
Yes for typing: Google lists more than 100 languages and accents. Voice commands work only in English, and punctuation might not be available in every language.
Does Google Docs voice typing work in Gmail?
No. It types into Google Docs and Slides speaker notes only (Google's help page); for email, see dictation for Gmail.