--- title: "How to dictate in Microsoft Word on a Mac (2026): Dictate, commands and options" description: "Use Word's Dictate button or Option-F1 on a Mac, the voice commands for punctuation, editing and formatting, what it needs (Microsoft 365 and internet), and the other dictation software that works in Word." url: "https://speechbee.app/guides/dictation-in-word-mac" --- # Dictation in Microsoft Word on a Mac Word for Mac has dictation built in. Click Home, then Dictate, or press Option-F1, and start talking. It needs a Microsoft 365 subscription and an internet connection. Here is how to use it, the commands that save the most time, and your options if you don't have Microsoft 365. By the SpeechBee team, who make SpeechBee. Updated 12 October 2026. > ### The short version > > - **With Microsoft 365:** open a document, click **Home**, then **Dictate**, or press **Option-F1**. Wait for the button to show it is listening, then talk. > - **Without Microsoft 365:** use Apple Dictation, free on every Mac, or a dictation app. Both type into Word like any other app. ## How to use Dictate in Word for Mac 1. Sign in to Word with an account that has a Microsoft 365 subscription. 2. Open a new or existing document. 3. Click **Home**, then **Dictate**, or press **Option-F1**. 4. Wait until the Dictate button turns on and starts listening. 5. Speak. Text appears as you talk. The first time, macOS asks whether Word may use your microphone. Allow it, or turn it on later in **System Settings**, **Privacy & Security**, **Microphone**. ## What Word dictation needs | | Word's Dictate | |---|---| | Subscription | Microsoft 365 | | Versions | Word for Microsoft 365 for Mac, Word 2024 and 2021 for Mac | | Internet | Required | | Where speech is processed | Sent to Microsoft, which says it does not store your audio or the transcribed text | | Languages | 15 language variants fully supported, plus preview languages | ## Commands worth learning Word's dictation understands a long list of spoken commands. These save the most time: | Say | What happens | |---|---| | "period", "comma", "question mark" | Adds the punctuation | | "new line" | Starts a new line | | "open quotes" … "close quotes" | Wraps text in quotation marks | | "delete that" or "scratch that" | Removes what you just said | | "undo" | Undoes the last change | | "select" followed by a word or phrase | Selects that text | | "bold that", "italicize that", "underline that" | Formats the last thing you said | | "capitalize that" | Capitalizes it | Microsoft's help page lists the full set for each language, including lists, symbols and currency. ## When Dictate doesn't work - **No Dictate button.** You need to be signed in with an active Microsoft 365 subscription. - **The button is greyed out.** The document may be read-only. Save a copy you can edit. - **"We don't have access to your microphone."** Close any other app using the microphone, then check Word's permission in **System Settings**, **Privacy & Security**, **Microphone**. - **It stops or mishears.** Check your internet connection, move somewhere quieter, or use an external microphone. ## Dictating into Word without Microsoft 365 Word's Dictate is one option among several. Any Mac dictation tool that types where your cursor is works in Word, whether or not you pay for Microsoft 365. - **Apple Dictation**, free. Turn it on in **System Settings**, **Keyboard**, **Dictation**, then press the Microphone key in Word. Good for short passages. See [how to dictate on a Mac](https://speechbee.app/guides/how-to-dictate-on-mac). - **SpeechBee**, which we make. Hold a key in Word or any other app, talk, and the text appears at your cursor with filler words removed. Its dictionary fixes names and terms once, and snippets expand phrases you use often. Speech is transcribed on your Mac and never uploaded, so it works offline, and you can have a passage read back to you in a natural voice before you send it. $79 a year or $99 once, with a 7-day free trial. - **Other dictation apps.** We compare eight in [the best dictation apps for Mac](https://speechbee.app/compare/best-dictation-app-mac). The difference that matters most is scope. Word's Dictate works in Word, and Microsoft's other apps have their own. A system-wide tool works the same way in Word, Mail, Slack and the browser. ## Questions ### How do I dictate in Word on a Mac? Click Home, then Dictate, or press Option-F1, and start talking. You need a Microsoft 365 subscription and an internet connection. ### What is the shortcut for dictation in Word on a Mac? Option-F1 starts Word's Dictate. Apple Dictation has its own shortcut, set in System Settings, Keyboard, Dictation. ### Why don't I have a Dictate button in Word? Dictate is only available to Microsoft 365 subscribers. Sign in with a subscribed account, or use Apple Dictation or another dictation app instead. ### Does Word dictation work offline? No. Microsoft says it needs a reliable internet connection. Apple Dictation can work offline in some languages, and SpeechBee works offline after a one-time model download. ### What is the best dictation software for Microsoft Word on a Mac? If you have Microsoft 365, Word's own Dictate is free to try and has the most Word-specific commands. If you want one tool for every app, a dictionary for names, or speech that stays on your Mac, use a dictation app such as SpeechBee, which we make. ## Keep reading - [How to dictate on a Mac](https://speechbee.app/guides/how-to-dictate-on-mac) - [Voice typing in Google Docs](https://speechbee.app/guides/voice-typing-google-docs) - [The best dictation apps for Mac](https://speechbee.app/compare/best-dictation-app-mac) - [Dragon alternatives for Mac](https://speechbee.app/compare/dragon-alternatives-mac) ## Sources All checked on 12 October 2026. - [Microsoft: Dictate your documents in Word](https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/dictate-your-documents-in-word-3876e05f-3fcc-418f-b8ab-db7ce0d11d3c) - [Apple: Use Dictation on Mac](https://support.apple.com/guide/mac-help/use-dictation-mh40584/mac) - SpeechBee facts from our [homepage](https://speechbee.app/) and [privacy policy](https://speechbee.app/privacy)