Outlook: dictate email - how it works

If you want to dictate an email in Outlook instead of typing it on the keyboard, it's very easy. All you have to do is add a small (free) tool beforehand.

Dictate email in Outlook: Install Dictate extension

As of version Outlook 13 and higher, you can use the Dictate add-in. The extension is not only compatible with Outlook, but also works for other MS Office products such as Word and PowerPoint.

1. Download the add-in from the CHIP download area free of charge.
2. Open Outlook and navigate to "File> Options> Add-Ins" above.
3. Now click on "Go ..." under "Manage: COM Add-Ins" and select "Add ..." in the new window.
4. Navigate to the location of the downloaded add-in, click on it, and then select "OK".
5. Make sure that "Microsoft Dictate" is checked and save the setting with "OK".

Voice commands for Outlook: How to dictate an email

So far, the commands only work in English. But you can dictate the text of the mail in German and in over 60 other languages. Open a new email, press "Record" and you can write the text hands-free using a recording device such as a headset. Below you will find useful commands to format the email hands-free:

• "Delete": delete the last recognized word
• "Full stop" or "Period": set point
• "Question mark": question mark
• "Colon": colon
• "Coma": comma
• "New line": New paragraph
• "Stop dictation": stops the recording

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Read in the next post how you can also use Windows 10 with Cortana hands-free using voice commands.