01
Find the button
Open a document and look at the right end of the Home tab: a microphone icon labeled Dictate. The keyboard shortcut is ⌥ F1.
Dictate in · Microsoft Word
How to dictate in Microsoft Word on a Mac
Word Dictate needs Microsoft 365 and a connection. Here is how to use it, fix a greyed-out button, or dictate without Microsoft 365.
First · the built-in way
Using Word’s built-in Dictate
02
Click it and talk
Grant Word microphone access. If the button stays dim, quit and reopen Word. Speak into the document.
03
Handle punctuation
Say punctuation commands or enable automatic punctuation in the Dictate toolbar. For longer text, see how to dictate a letter.
Requirements checked against Microsoft’s support docs, July 2026.
In this corner · built into Word
Word’s own Dictate
Accurate, included with Microsoft 365, stays in Word
What it needs
Microsoft 365, a connection, and Microphone access. Audio is processed on Microsoft’s servers.
Where it works
In Word. Some other Microsoft 365 apps have separate Dictate buttons.
What happens offline
Dictation stops until the connection returns.
What it costs on top of what you pay
Included with Microsoft 365. A one-time Office license does not include it.
In the other · one hotkey, every app
System-wide dictation
Dictate · works in Word and everywhere else
What it needs
A Dictate subscription, a connection, and one-time macOS permissions. No Microsoft account.
Where it works
Any focused text field on your Mac, including Google Docs and Slack.
What happens offline
Transcription stops too, but the signed subscription check remains cached on your Mac.
What it costs on top of what you pay
$8 a month, one plan, for every app.
The support-thread classic
Dictate button greyed out?
Check these four causes in order.
1The account
Confirm the signed-in account has an active Microsoft 365 subscription.
2The microphone permission
Enable Word under System Settings > Privacy & Security > Microphone, then restart Word.
3The connection
Check your connection and whether a firewall or proxy blocks Microsoft’s speech service.
4The version
Update Word through Microsoft AutoUpdate.
Still stuck, or is dictation dead across your whole Mac and not just in Word? The longer suspect list is in our guide to Mac dictation not working.
The other way
Hold a key. Talk. It lands in Word.
Dictate is our app. Hold a hotkey and speak; release to insert text in Word or any focused field. No Microsoft 365 account is needed. Audio travels over TLS, is transcribed, then discarded.
It costs $8 a month, flat, . Unused subscriptions are refunded in full.
Dictating in Word
FAQ
Short answers on the greyed-out button, the 365 requirement, and dictating in Word without one.
Why is Dictate greyed out in Word on my Mac?
Check your Microsoft 365 subscription, connection, Word’s Microphone permission, and app version. After granting permission, quit and reopen Word.
Does Word dictation need Microsoft 365?
Yes. Microsoft lists Dictate as a Microsoft 365 feature. It also needs a connection because audio is processed on Microsoft’s servers.
How do I dictate in Word without a Microsoft 365 subscription?
Use Apple Dictation for free, or a system-wide app such as Dictate at $8 a month. Both type into Word; Dictate also works in other apps.
Does Word’s Dictate work offline?
No. Microsoft processes the audio on its servers. Dictate also needs a connection to transcribe, though its subscription check works offline.