How to Enable or Disable Online Speech Recognition in Windows 10


When online speech recognition is turned on in Windows 10, you can use your voice for dictation and to talk to Cortana and other apps that use Windows cloud-based speech recognition. Microsoft will use your voice data to help improve their speech services.

When online speech recognition is turned off, you won't be able to speak to Cortana or use dictation. You can still use the Windows Speech Recognition app and other speech services that do not rely on Windows cloud-based services.

This tutorial will show you how to enable or disable online speech recognition services for all users in Windows 10.

You must be signed in as an administrator to enable or disable online speech recognition services.



Contents

  • Option One: Enable or Disable Online Speech Recognition in Local Group Policy Editor
  • Option Two: Enable or Disable Online Speech Recognition using a REG file



EXAMPLE: Online speech recognition enabled and disabled
Enable or Disable Online Speech Recognition in Windows 10-online_speech_recognition_enabled.jpg Enable or Disable Online Speech Recognition in Windows 10-online_speech_recognition_disabled.jpg






OPTION ONE

Enable or Disable Online Speech Recognition in Local Group Policy Editor


The Local Group Policy Editor is only available in the Windows 10 Pro, Enterprise, and Education editions.

All editions can use Option Two below.


1 Open the Local Group Policy Editor.

2 In the left pane of the Local Group Policy Editor, click/tap on to expand Computer Configuration, Administrative Templates, Control Panel, and Regional and Language Options. (see screenshot below)

Enable or Disable Online Speech Recognition in Windows 10-online_speech_recognition_gpedit-1.jpg

3 In the right pane of Regional and Language Options, double click/tap on the Allow users to enable online speech recognition services policy to edit it. (see screenshot above)

4 Do step 5 (enable) or step 6 (disable) below for what you would like to do.


5 To Enable Online Speech Recognition

A) Select (dot) Not Configured or Enabled, click/tap on OK, and go to step 7 below. (see screenshot below)

Not Configured is the default setting.



6 To Disable Online Speech Recognition

A) Select (dot) Disabled, click/tap on OK, and go to step 7 below. (see screenshot below)

Enable or Disable Online Speech Recognition in Windows 10-online_speech_recognition_gpedit-2.png


7 When finished, you can close the Local Group Policy Editor if you like.






OPTION TWO

Enable or Disable Online Speech Recognition


The downloadable .reg files below will add and modify the DWORD value in the registry key below.

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\InputPersonalization

AllowInputPersonalization DWORD

(delete) = Enable
0 = Disable


1 Do step 2 (enable) or step 3 (disable) below for what you would like to do.


2 To Enable Online Speech Recognition

This is the default setting.

A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4 below.

Enable_Online_speech_recognition_services.reg

Download


3 To Disable Online Speech Recognition

A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4 below.

Disable_Online_speech_recognition_services.reg

Download


4 Save the .reg file to your desktop.

5 Double click/tap on the downloaded .reg file to merge it.

6 When prompted, click/tap on Run, Yes (UAC), Yes, and OK to approve the merge.

7 You can now delete the downloaded .reg file if you like.


That's it,
Shawn


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