Voice Typing Not Working on Windows? Try these Fixes

The voice typing feature in Windows allows the system to perform tasks/actions by picking up your voice via the Windows Speech Recognition service. If this handy feature is not working on your computer, there can be a few reasons behind it.

Here are a few of the most common ones:

• Microphone does not have access – If you have not allowed your microphone to access the system, you will fail to use the voice typing feature. This feature can be enabled in the Settings app.
• Language is incorrect – In some cases, your speech-language should be English for the speech recognition feature to work. If you are trying to speak in another language, the system may not recognize it, leading to the issue at hand.
• Microphone driver is outdated or corrupt – In the event that the relevant drivers do not work properly, the microphone will not work on the system.
• Generic inconsistency within the system – There might be an issue within the system related to the microphone. This can be fixed by running the Recording Audio troubleshooter. 

Now that we know about the potential causes, let’s have a look at fixes you can try to fix the problem. However, we highly recommend making sure that the issue is not related to hardware before you proceed. 

For this, you can try using the external microphone on another device and check if it is working there. You can also try cleaning the port on your computer to make sure it is not causing the problem.

Once you are sure that the issue is system-related, proceed with the troubleshooting methods below.

1. Ensure Microphone Access

Before we move to any complicated troubleshooting methods, we recommend that you make sure your system has allowed microphone access. If not, you can modify the settings to fix the voice typing issue. 

Here is how to proceed:

1. Press the Win + I keys together to open Windows Settings.
2. In the following window, navigate to Privacy & security > Microphone.
   

   

3. Turn the toggle on for Microphone access.
   

   

It is also a good idea to check if the app on which you are using voice typing has microphone access while you are at it. For this, turn the toggle on for Let apps access your microphone. Expand the dropdown for this option and turn the toggle on for the targeted applications.

2. Set the Correct Language

Voice typing issues might also appear if you are not using the default language of your system, which is English.

You can check your language settings in Windows’ Speech section. If you do not speak the selected language natively, check the box associated with Recognize non-native accents for this language.

Here is how you can do that:

1. Launch the Settings app by pressing the Win + I keys.
2. Choose Time & language from the left pane.
   
3. Head over to the Speech section.
   
   
4. In the following window, scroll to the Speech language section and expand the drop-down there.
5. Choose English (United States). If English is not your native language, checkmark the box associated with Recognize non-native accents for this language.
   

   

Once done, check if the system is now able to pick on the speech without any problems.

3. Run the Recording Audio Troubleshooter

Another effective fix for resolving issues related to speech and voice typing is running the Recording Audio troubleshooter.

Developed by Microsoft, this utility will find and fix recording-related problems within the system without the user having to do much. You can run it using the Settings app.

Here is how you can run it:

1. Press Win + I together to open Windows Settings.
2. Choose Troubleshoot from the right side of the window.
   

   

3. Select Other troubleshooters.
   

   

4. Now, scroll down in the window to locate the Recording Audio troubleshooter.
5. Click on the Run button with it and wait for the troubleshooter to complete its scan.
   

   

6. If any problems are identified, click on Apply this fix to proceed.

Hopefully, running the troubleshooter will fix the problem. If the voice typing issue persists, proceed with the next method below.

4. Update Microphone Drivers

It is also possible that you are experiencing difficulties with voice typing because your audio and microphone drivers are outdated or corrupt. Your best course of action if this scenario applies to you is to update the relevant drivers.

In the event that that doesn’t work, you can try reinstalling the drivers and see if that fixes the problem.

Here is how to proceed:

1. Type Device Manager in Windows search and click Open.
   
2. Next, locate the Audio inputs and outputs section and expand it.
   
3. Right-click on the microphone driver and choose Update driver from the context menu.
   

   

4. In the following dialog, choose Browse my computer for drivers and pick an old driver available.
   

   

5. Alternatively, if you do not have an old driver available, choose Search automatically for drivers instead. This will allow the system to pick a relevant driver itself.
   

   

Once done, check if the issue is resolved.

If this does not fix the problem, you can try reinstalling the driver software from scratch. For this, head over to the manufacturer’s official website and install the latest compatible driver from there.

5. Update Your Windows Version

Several users also managed to fix the voice typing issue by installing the pending updates that were available on their system.

While it may not look like it, not installing the updates regularly can have detrimental effects on the health of your system. For instance, your system can become incompatible with the applications, leading to crashes when you attempt to use programs. It can also result in issues related to hardware components like the microphone. 

This is why, we suggest that you take your time to install the pending updates and see if that makes a difference.

6. Set Microphone as the Default Device

Your computer will probably have trouble picking up your voice if your microphone isn’t set as the default device. If this scenario applies to you, you can set the preferred device as default by following a few easy steps to fix the voice typing issue.

Here is what you need to do:

1. Type Control Panel in Windows search and click Open.
   
2. Expand the dropdown for View as category and choose Large icons.
   
3. Navigate to Speech Recognition > Advanced Speech options.
   

   

4. Click on Audio Input under Microphone.
   

   

5. Head over to the Playback tab and right-click on the microphone you are using.
   
6. Choose Enable.
   
7. Right-click on it again and choose Set as Default Device and Set as Default Communication Device.
8. Next, navigate to the Recording tab and right-click on the microphone you are using.
   
9. Choose Set as Default Device and Set as Default Communication Device. Then, hen click OK.
10. Now, click on Configure and choose your microphone.
    

    

11. Finally, click OK to make the changes.
    

The voice typing issue should be resolved if it was brought on by not setting your microphone as your default device.