Classic Outlook to New Outlook: Dictation – Find voice typing in the new editor

You are moving from classic Outlook to the new Outlook for Windows and cannot find the Dictation button you used in classic Outlook. The new Outlook uses a redesigned ribbon and a different editor toolbar, which moves the voice typing feature to a new location. This article explains exactly where the Dictation button is in the new Outlook editor, how to use it, and what has changed from the classic version.

What Is Dictation in the New Outlook Editor?

Dictation in the new Outlook for Windows is a voice-to-text feature that converts spoken words into typed text inside an email message, calendar event, or meeting invitation. It uses Microsoft 365 cloud-based speech recognition to transcribe your speech in real time. You must be connected to the internet to use dictation because the speech processing happens on Microsoft servers. The feature supports many languages and dialects, and it can automatically add punctuation when you pause or say punctuation marks like “period” or “comma.”

The new Outlook editor replaces the classic Outlook ribbon with a simplified toolbar. In classic Outlook, the Dictate button was located on the Message tab in the ribbon group called Voice or Dictation. In the new Outlook, the button is still on the Message tab but appears as a single microphone icon labeled “Dictate” in the Include group. The core functionality has not changed, but the placement and the settings panel have been updated to match the new interface.

Prerequisites for Using Dictation

Before you can use dictation, verify these requirements are met:

• You are using the new Outlook for Windows version 1.2023 or later. You can check the version by going to File > Office Account > About Outlook.
• Your computer has a working microphone. For desktops without a built-in mic, use an external USB or headset microphone.
• You are signed in with a Microsoft 365 work or school account. Personal Microsoft accounts also support dictation, but some features may vary.
• Your Windows language and speech settings are configured correctly. Go to Windows Settings > Time & Language > Speech to set your default spoken language.

How to Start Dictation in the New Outlook Editor

Follow these steps to use dictation when composing a new email or replying to an existing one.

1. Open a new message or reply
   In the new Outlook, click New Mail or open an existing email and select Reply or Reply All. The message composition window opens with the editor toolbar at the top.
2. Place the cursor in the message body
   Click inside the large text area where you normally type your email. The dictation feature will insert text at the cursor position.
3. Click the Dictate button on the Message tab
   On the editor toolbar, locate the Message tab. It is the first tab on the left. Look for the microphone icon labeled “Dictate” in the Include group. Click it once. A small dictation pane appears at the bottom of the message window, and the button changes to a red recording state.
4. Start speaking clearly into your microphone
   Speak at a normal pace. The new Outlook transcribes your words into the message body. To insert punctuation, say the punctuation name aloud, for example “comma” or “question mark.”
5. Stop dictation when finished
   Click the Dictate button again, or click the red stop icon in the dictation pane. The pane closes, and your transcribed text remains in the message body.

Using the Keyboard Shortcut to Start Dictation

You can bypass the ribbon entirely by pressing Ctrl + Shift + H. This shortcut starts dictation immediately in any open message composition window. Press the same shortcut again to stop dictation. This is the fastest method if you use voice typing frequently.

Changing Dictation Settings

The new Outlook provides a settings panel for dictation that lets you control language, microphone, and auto-punctuation.

1. Open dictation settings
   While dictation is active, click the gear icon in the dictation pane. Alternatively, after starting dictation, click the small arrow next to the Dictate button on the ribbon and select Dictation Settings.
2. Select your spoken language
   From the Spoken Language dropdown, choose the language you will speak. The default is the language set in Windows. If you speak a different dialect, for example English (United Kingdom) instead of English (United States), select that option here.
3. Choose your microphone
   If you have multiple microphones connected, select the correct device from the Microphone dropdown. The default is your system default microphone.
4. Enable or disable auto-punctuation
   Toggle the Auto-punctuation switch. When enabled, Outlook adds periods and commas based on your speech pauses. When disabled, you must say punctuation marks aloud.

Common Problems and Things to Avoid

Dictate button is grayed out or missing

The Dictate button appears grayed out when the cursor is not in a text field that supports dictation. Click inside the message body area to enable the button. If the button is still missing, your Outlook version may be outdated. Update the new Outlook through File > Office Account > Update Options > Update Now. Also verify that your microphone is not disabled in Windows Privacy settings.

Dictation types the wrong words or does not understand me

This usually happens when the spoken language setting does not match your actual speech. Open the dictation settings and select the correct language and dialect. Speak clearly and avoid background noise. If you are using a laptop microphone, consider switching to an external microphone for better accuracy. You can also train your Windows speech recognition by going to Windows Settings > Privacy & Security > Speech and running the voice training feature.

Dictation stops unexpectedly

If dictation stops after a few seconds, your internet connection may be unstable. Dictation requires a continuous internet connection because the speech is processed in the cloud. Check your network connection and try again. If the issue persists, restart the new Outlook and verify that your microphone is not being used by another application like Teams or Zoom.

Punctuation is missing or incorrect

When auto-punctuation is enabled, Outlook adds periods and commas based on your speech pauses. If you pause between words, Outlook may insert a period incorrectly. Disable auto-punctuation in the dictation settings and manually say punctuation marks such as “period,” “comma,” “question mark,” or “exclamation point.” This gives you full control over where punctuation appears.

Classic Outlook Dictation vs New Outlook Dictation: Key Differences

Item	Classic Outlook	New Outlook
Button location	Message tab > Voice group > Dictate	Message tab > Include group > Dictate
Keyboard shortcut	Alt + ` (grave accent)	Ctrl + Shift + H
Settings panel	Opened from File > Options > Dictation	Opened from gear icon in dictation pane or ribbon dropdown
Auto-punctuation	Enabled by default, no toggle in classic	Toggle switch in settings panel
Language selection	Windows language setting only	Dropdown in dictation settings, separate from Windows
Microphone selection	Uses default Windows microphone	Dropdown in dictation settings

The new Outlook provides more granular control over dictation settings directly from the composition window. The keyboard shortcut has changed from Alt + ` to Ctrl + Shift + H, which is easier to remember for most users. Classic Outlook did not offer a toggle for auto-punctuation, while the new Outlook lets you enable or disable it on the fly.

After reading this article, you can find the Dictate button in the new Outlook editor and start voice typing immediately using the Ctrl + Shift + H shortcut. Next, try using dictation in a calendar event or meeting invitation to see how it behaves in other message types. For advanced accuracy, connect an external microphone and set the spoken language to match your accent exactly.