How to Start Speech Recognition in Windows 10


When you set up Speech Recognition in Windows 10, it lets you control your PC with your voice alone, without needing a keyboard or mouse.

Using only your voice, you can open menus, click buttons and other objects on the screen, dictate text into documents, and write and send emails. Just about anything you do with your keyboard and mouse can be done with only your voice.

Speech Recognition is only available for the following languages: English (United States, United Kingdom, Canada, India, and Australia), French, German, Japanese, Mandarin (Chinese Simplified and Chinese Traditional), and Spanish.

See also:

This tutorial will show you different ways on how to start and open Speech Recognition for your account in Windows 10.

If you have not already setup Speech Recognition, then the Set up Speech Recognition wizard will open instead of Speech Recognition when you try to start Speech Recognition.



Contents




EXAMPLE: Speech Recognition open in listening mode
Start Speech Recognition in Windows 10-speech_recognition_listening-1.jpg Start Speech Recognition in Windows 10-speech_recognition_listening-2.jpg






OPTION ONE

Run Speech Recognition at Startup







OPTION TWO

Turn Speech Recognition On or Off using Keyboard Shortcut


1 Press the Win + Ctrl + S keys to toggle Speech Recognition on or off.






OPTION THREE

Start Speech Recognition using Context Menu


1 Add the Start Speech Recognition context menu if you haven't already.

2 Right click or press and hold on your desktop, and click/tap on Start Speech Recognition in the context menu. (see screenshot below)

Start Speech Recognition in Windows 10-start_speech_recognition_context_menu.png






OPTION FOUR

Turn Speech Recognition On or Off in Settings


1 Open Settings, and click/tap on the Ease of Access icon.

Starting with Windows 10 build 21359, the Ease of Access category in Settings has been renamed to Accessibility.


2 Click/tap on Speech on the left side, and turn on or off Turn on Speech Recognition for what you want on the right side. (see screenshot below)

3 You can now close Settings if you like.

Start Speech Recognition in Windows 10-speech_recognition_settings.jpg






OPTION FIVE

Start Speech Recognition in Control Panel


1 Open the Control Panel (icons view), and click/tap on the Speech Recognition icon.

2 Click/tap on the Start Speech Recognition link. (see screenshot below)

3 You can now close the Speech Recognition control panel if you like.

Start Speech Recognition in Windows 10-start_speech_recognition_control_panel.jpg






OPTION SIX

Start Speech Recognition in Run


1 Open Run (Win+R).

2 Copy and paste the command below into Run, and click/tap on OK. (see screenshot below)

%windir%\Speech\Common\sapisvr.exe -SpeechUX -Startup

Start Speech Recognition in Windows 10-speech_recognition_run.png






OPTION SEVEN

Start Speech Recognition in Command Prompt


1 Open a command prompt.

2 Copy and paste the command below into the command prompt, and press Enter. (see screenshot below)

%windir%\Speech\Common\sapisvr.exe -SpeechUX -Startup

Start Speech Recognition in Windows 10-speech_recognition_command_prompt.png






OPTION EIGHT

Open Speech Recognition from Speech Recognition Notification Area Icon


1 While Speech Recognition is currently running (started) and minimized, perform one of the following actions: (see screenshot below)

A) Double click/tap on the Speech Recognition notification area icon on the taskbar.

OR

B) Right click or press and hold on the Speech Recognition notification area icon on the taskbar, and click/tap on Open Speech Recognition.

Start Speech Recognition in Windows 10-open_speech_recognition.jpg


That's it,
Shawn


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