how to get speech bubble on microsoft word

MS Word Help

Tips and tricks for Microsoft Word Users

• About MS Word Help
• Make A Speech Bubble In Word

Speech bubbles are a good way to help your document deliver its message. You’d be surprised at just how easy it is to make a speech bubble in Word .

Let’s get straight to it and add one now. On the Insert tab, click Shapes (in the Illustrations group) > Oval Callout . The shapes are not visibly named, but the Oval Callout shape is in the Callouts section near the bottom.

Clicking the shape doesn’t insert it; it simply activates the tool. You still need to draw the shape on the page by clicking and dragging in your document. Once you’ve clicked and dragged, you should get something like this:

This is all well and good if you want something quick. We, on the other hand, are genteel and sophisticated. We desire a speech bubble that has a curved bit like this:

We can make that curve by manipulating the points on the shape. If you’ve used image editors like Adobe Illustrator or Fireworks, this should be a doddle. If you haven’t, don’t worry because it’s quite easy anyway.

With the speech bubble still selected, make sure you’re working on the Format tab of the Drawing Tools contextual tab (it pops up whenever a shape is selected).

Click Edit Shape (in the Insert Shapes group) > Edit Points . You’ll notice that the bounding box for the shape has gone. Each point that defines the shape is also now selectable and able to be manipulated.

Click on the point right at the bottom and drag it further down. Because this point is now selected, you should see some yellow handles that you can drag around to alter the curve of the lines coming out of that point.

Try it. Drag those handles around to get a feel for how they affect the curvature. Those handles affect the curve of the lines near the selected point. To change the curvature of a line near the point at the other end, select that point and repeat the process. This is often necessary to achieve a nice smoothe curve.

To get the following speech bubble, drag the yellow handle on the right upwards and to the right. Do the same with the yellow handle on the left.

The curve looks fine as it leaves the bottom point, but it soon goes awry further up. We can fix that by selecting the point (click on it) and then by dragging the leftmost yellow handle to the right. You can even drag the point itself over to the right to get something like this:

Categories: Uncategorized - Tags: bezier curves , curves , insert shape , speech bubble

Recent Posts

• Word 2010 AutoCorrect
• The Toolbar In Word 2010
• Soft Return In Word
• Vertical Text In Word
• Number Of Occurrences Of A Particular Word
• Changing Case In Word
• Autosave Documents In Microsoft Word
• Word Default Save Location
• Remove Borders From A Table In Word
• How To Convert Table To Text In Microsoft Word 2007
• How To Password Protect Microsoft Word 2007 document
• Insert Page Numbers In Microsoft Word 2002
• Numbered List With Only Odd Numbers
• Change Font Colour In Microsoft Word 2002
• Compatibility Mode In Word 2016
• Word 2016 AutoText
• Make Diagonal Text In Word
• Start A Numbered List With A Number Other Than One
• Insert Comments In Word

Admin Login

Powered by Catalyst

Copyright © 2015 MS Word Help

How to Insert Word Bubbles in Microsoft Word

By adrian grahams / in computers & electronics.

Interesting graphics and illustrations can help bring to life an otherwise dull Microsoft Word document. One way of brightening up a boring block of text is to insert a word- or speech-bubble shape. Word comes with a range of different shape illustrations, and you'll find a selection of speech bubbles listed under Callouts in the shape-picker tool on the Insert tab on the main program menu. Once you've added a word bubble to the document, you can add text to it.

• Interesting graphics and illustrations can help bring to life an otherwise dull Microsoft Word document.
• One way of brightening up a boring block of text is to insert a word- or speech-bubble shape.

Launch Microsoft Word.

Click "File" and then "Open" to open the document in which you want to add the word-bubble shape. Click "New" to create a new Word document.

Click "Shapes" in the "Illustrations" group on the "Insert" tab.

Locate your preferred word-bubble illustration from the thumbnails in the "Callouts" section of the "Shapes" context menu.

Click the shape thumbnail to insert into the document. This launches a cursor that you can drag across the screen to draw the shape to the size that you require.

Click the shape in the document to highlight it. Click inside the speech bubble, and then type the text that you want to include.

In Step 5, you can change the shape of the word bubble by selecting "Change Shape" under "Edit Shape" on the "Insert Shapes" group in the "Format" tab.

How to Create Text Bubbles in Microsoft

• Small Business
• Human Resources
• ')" data-event="social share" data-info="Pinterest" aria-label="Share on Pinterest">
• ')" data-event="social share" data-info="Reddit" aria-label="Share on Reddit">
• ')" data-event="social share" data-info="Flipboard" aria-label="Share on Flipboard">

How to Set Line Spacing in WordPad

How to merge xps documents, how to center the text in gimp.

• How to Bullet a Graph in Excel
• How to Get Rid of FFDShow

Speech bubbles or balloons are sometimes referred to as text bubbles. They are labels that display words and emotions of a character in an illustration or depict a phrase about an illustration or text. In business, text bubbles are often referred to as “callouts” as they’re used to call attention to a specific point, word or sentence, or provide instructions in documents, spreadsheets and presentations. The method to create text bubbles is similar across Microsoft Office Word, Excel and PowerPoint. It simply involves inserting a predefined bubble shape into your project and editing it as needed.

Select the “Insert” tab in your Microsoft Office application.

Click “Shapes” in the Illustrations section on the ribbon, and then locate the “Callouts” section near the end of the Shapes drop-down menu.

Select the type of text bubble you want to use, such as a “Rectangular Callout,” “Rounded Rectangular Callout,” “Oval Callout,” “Cloud Callout” or a “Line” callout option.

Position the crosshairs cursor, which appears when you select a callout, near the area where you want to create the text bubble shape.

Press the “Shift” key on your computer keyboard, and then click and drag the cursor to the right or left depending on the direction you want the bubble tail to point until the bubble is the size you want. Release the mouse key.

Roll your cursor over the bubble until it changes into the “Move” four arrows cursor, and then click and drag the text bubble to the position where you want it.

Align the tip of the tail to point at the text, illustration or section that you plan to talk about in the bubble.

Click inside the bubble and type your text. When you’re finished, reposition and edit the text the same way you would in a normal text box.

• Robin Houghton: Using Speech Bubbles to Get Your Point Across
• YouTube: Word 2010 Tutorial Inserting Shapes Microsoft Training Lesson 13.1
• YouTube: MS Excel 2010 Tutorial 6 Adding Pictures and Shapes
• YouTube: PowerPoint 2010: Inserting Shapes
• If you position a text bubble to overlap with text already on a page, the bubble will block the text. To make the bubble transparent so that the text shows through it, select the bubble shape so that the “Format” tab appears above the ribbon. Click the tab, locate the Shape Styles section, click “Shape Fill” and then select “No Fill.”
• To change the outline of the bubble to a different color or to a dashed outline, click “Shape Outline” in the Shape Styles section and select a color option, or roll your cursor over “Dashes” and select a line option.
• To narrow, widen, shorten or lengthen the bubble's tail, select the shape and then click and drag the yellow handle at the end of the tail as desired.

Based in Southern Pennsylvania, Irene A. Blake has been writing on a wide range of topics for over a decade. Her work has appeared in projects by The National Network for Artist Placement, the-phone-book Limited and GateHouse Media. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in English from Shippensburg University.

Related Articles

How to automatically text wrap in powerpoint 2007, how to make diagonal text in word, how to make text bigger on a mac desktop, how to make a 3d cylinder in powerpoint, how to add shading in powerpoint 2003, how to create an invisible button in powerpoint for a callout, how to create bubble letters in microsoft publisher, how to generate text in the shape of a half circle in powerpoint 2007, how to turn off superscript in powerpoint, most popular.

• 1 How to Automatically Text Wrap in PowerPoint 2007
• 2 How to Make Diagonal Text in Word
• 3 How to Make Text Bigger on a Mac Desktop
• 4 How to Make a 3D Cylinder in PowerPoint

How to make a speech bubble on Word Online?

Speech bubbles are fun and those of you who have read a comic know how important they are. Though speech bubbles are common in comics their function is not limited. This article tutorial looks at How to make a speech bubble on Word Online. It also looks at how to add text to speech bubbles.

To insert a speech bubble into a Word online document click on the Insert tab in the top ribbon of the document. From the options select Shapes. Scroll down to the callouts section and click on the one you would like to add. Once selected simply drag and add the callout to the document.

As Word online has only basic functions and formatting options you do not have too many options when it comes to speech bubbles. Nonetheless, here is how to add a speech bubble if you are using Word online.

• Login to Word online, locate and open the document you would like to work on

• Once you have the document open click on the spot where you would like to add the speech bubble.
• Now go to the Insert tab in the top ribbon of the document
• From the options click on Drawing

You will have a popup window

• Click on Insert and then on Shapes
• You will have a drop-down menu

• You have one shape that looks like a speech bubble, click on it.
• You will then need to drag and add it to the canvas
• After you have formatted it click on Save and close in the top right
• The shape will be added to the document.
• To edit the shape double-click on it, the changes will need to be made from the drawing preview popup.

How to put text in a speech bubble in Word?

On the desktop version of Word online, you have more formatting options. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to insert a callout in Word.

• Locate and open the word document by double-clicking on it
• Scroll through the document and click where you need the speech bubble to appear. The cursor should blink at the spot

• Click on the Insert tab in the top ribbon of the document
• From the options in the tab click on Shapes. You will have a dropdown with the various shapes you can add to the document.

• Scroll down to the callouts section
• From here you can choose the shape and style you like.

To add the callout to the document you will need to click and drag after selecting the shape.

The shape, color, and other aspects of the callout can be changed at any time by clicking on it > selecting it > and then using the formatting tools.

Read How to insert a check box in Word Online?

How to add text to a speech bubble in Word?

Once you add a speech bubble to the document you can add text at any time. Not only can you add text but also format it at any time. This section looks at how to add text to a callout in Word.

• Start by clicking on the callout to select it

• After selecting the callout you can make changes to the shape or color or other aspects using the Shape format option.
• Add text to the callout by clicking
• To format text use the options in the Home tab

How to make a fillable speech bubble in Word?

You can add a speech bubble to a word document and print it without adding text. You can also add multiple speech bubbles and use it at Parties, as activities for kids, and much more. Here is how to insert a blank speech bubble into a document.

• Locate and open the Word document you would like to work on
• Move the cursor to the spot where you would like the bubble
• Click on the Insert tab
• Go to Shapes. You will have a dropdown menu.
• Scroll down to callouts
• Click on the design you like
• Drag and place it in the document.

To duplicate speech bubbles follow these steps.

• Click on the speech bubble and select it
• Use the copy option in the Home tab or use keyboard shortcuts to copy. Ctrl + C on Windows and Command + C on Mac
• Now click where you would like the second bubble
• Use the paste option in the home tab or use keyboard shortcuts. Ctrl + V on Windows and Command + V on Mac.

You can repeat this as many times as you like.

Here is how to print speech bubbles.

Once you have added speech bubbles to the document you can print them easily.

• Click on File in the top ribbon
• From the options click on Print
• Make the desired changes in the page layout or number of copies and print.

You can also use the keyboard shortcut Command + P on Mac and Ctrl + P on Windows for the print menu.

How to create speech bubbles printable pdf in Word?

Speech bubbles created in Word can easily be converted into printable PDFs. Follow these steps

• Start by creating the speech bubble and formatting it the way you need it.
• Now click on File
• You will see Save As or Save a copy.

• Change the file name
• Click on the arrow near File format

• From the options click on PDF
• Now click on Export.

The Word document will convert into a PDF. To print simply open the PDF and click on the print option.

Multiple choice bubbles in Microsoft Word?

Multiple choice bubbles or fill-in bubbles are bubbles that you can use in your Word document. Here is how you can create multiple-choice answer sheets on your Word document. You can use this method for other multiple-choice question-and-answer formats.

• Open the Word document you would like to work on
• Enter the question or questions

There are two ways you can do this using a table or without a table. Here is how to do it using a table

• Click on the Insert tab.
• Go to Table and you will have a dropdown menu. From here you can choose the number of rows and columns you would like to add.
• Once you have the table add the content

After you have added the content you can add bubbles

• Go to Shapes and you will have a drop-down menu

• Go to basic shapes and click on the circle.

As a default, the circle will come filled in. To use it as a bubble remove the existing color.

• Click on the bubble to select. Once the bubble is selected you will have the Shape Format tab.
• Go to shape fill
• From the options click on white or the color of your page

• The bubble should look like this.

To create a multiple-choice sheet you will need to copy the bubble and paste it against the other questions or answers.

This tutorial looked at how to make a speech bubble on Word Online . We went over how to use the limited formatting options in Word online to create speech bubbles. The article then looked at how to add callouts using the desktop version of Word. Finally, it explored how to add bubbles for multiple-choice questions.

You may also like the following word online tutorials:

• How to make Word Online table of contents hyperlink?
• How to change pdf to Word Online?
• How to put spacing between bullet points in Word Online?

My name is Carissa Gudino and I am an expert in word online, using Word Online in my day-to-day tasks. In this blog, I will share with you tips and tutorials on how to use word online to its fullest potential. I work for various clients in various countries like the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, etc. My tutorials are designed to help beginners, as well as more experienced users, learn new tricks and tips on Microsoft word online. Check out more .

Word: speech bubble create how to

• May 08, 2024

If you want to create picture stories in Word, it is to use speech bubbles. We will show you how to create this.

Speech bubbles in Word to create

• Open Word on your Computer.
• Select the Insert tab.
• Click on "forms". Under the sub-item "legends" you find bubbles has several speech variants.
• Select a speech bubble and you click on your document. The speech bubble is thus created.
• Under "type" you can fill color, and border color of the speech bubble change.

• Auto & Mobility

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE

Word: Vertical line - so it goes

• Fri 26, 2024

Outlook: Blocked open attachments - how to

Leave a comment, recent posts.

Factory Fun: Exploring Online Slots with Production and Blue Elements

Thu 09, 2024.

How to Choose Best Software Development Company [10 Tips]

The Sports Betting for Dummies

Investing in Blockchain Startups: Identifying Promising Projects for High Returns

Subscribe to our newsletter to get notification about new updates, information, etc..

• ONLYOFFICE  / 
• ONLYOFFICE Tips and Tricks

Text bubbles: a big guide

Although a text bubble seems to be a simple element, not everyone knows how to make it. Today we’ll cover what it is and how to do a text bubble from zero or using ready templates.

What a text bubble is and when you can use it

First, it is worth understanding what does it mean. A text bubble, also called a speech bubble, speech balloon, or dialogue balloon is a rounded or irregularly shaped outline filled with text and features a tail pointing toward the speaker.

The concept is well-known thanks to Superman, Batman, and Disney characters who spoke through speech bubbles. In comics, they express the words, thoughts, or emotions of a given character. However, text bubbles have gone far beyond the pages of comic books.

It is widely used in presentations. Want to make your report less boring? Add a text bubble as a design element to your slide, creatively illustrate your words, highlight the main idea, or frame an inspiring quote with it. You can also use them to create memes or cues in visual materials.

In formal documents, text bubbles are often called “callouts” as they are designed to attract the reader’s attention to a specific point or give instructions.

How to create text bubble using ready png

Creating text bubbles for any purpose is not very difficult today. The first and most obvious way is to find a ready speech bubble template in png format on the Internet. For example, download it from Google or find suitable ones on specialized stocks. Many stocks offer free templates for any purpose and to any taste. Then you can add a text bubble to a photo in any image editor.

If you want to use a ready-made speech bubble, make sure it does not violate copyright law.

How to create text bubble online

The easiest and fastest way to create a text bubble is an online service (for example, Phrase it or FlexClip ). It does not require any professional skills. All you need is to follow these steps:

• Choose a background picture (You can add a speech bubble to any stock picture or upload a photo from your device);
• Choose a bubble form;
• Place it on the picture;
• Add and edit the text;
• Download the picture on your devices or send it by email.

How to create speech bubble in Word , Excel, and PowerPoint files

The previous methods describe how to add a text bubble to a photo. However, you may need to add it to a text document, spreadsheet, or presentation to make a note, pay attention to a specific statement or give an example. Another reason you might want to know how to add a text bubble is when you already have an illustration inserted into your document, but you want to enhance it. In this case, creating a new image using online services will take more time than doing it directly in the editors.

Let’s see how to make a speech bubble in Word, Excel, or PowerPoint formats with ONLYOFFICE editors.

• Using ready png image . If you have a ready-made png image to add to your document, go to Insert —> Image  —>  Image from File and choose the picture from your device.

• Using shapes in editors. It is also possible to create a text bubble from scratch in document, spreadsheet, or presentation editors using shapes. The task is much easier than it may seem.

The shape feature has different shapes of text bubbles: rectangular selection can be used for quotes, oval callouts often serve as speech balloons, and cloud – for thoughts.

Go to Insert —> Shape —> Callouts and choose the necessary one.

Draw a speech bubble shape on the page. Then, modify its size, make a tail longer or shorter, or change its direction by moving the yellow point. Ideally, the tail should be pointed to the mouth or head of the speaker, if there is an illustration, or to the sentence or part of the text whose brief thought a text bubble expresses.

If you have already set the size and added text to a shape and then decided to choose another shape, there’s no need to delete the shape and start over. Use Change Autoshape option on the right-side toolbar to change the shape but keep the size and text.

How to add text and change font

To add text to a speech bubble, you just need to double-click it and enter the text. To change the font, you can use the usual fonts or apply text art on the right-side toolbar.

There’s a handy feature here. Instead of manually changing the size of the text bubble so that all the text is visible, you can set the automatic adjustment.

Click the shape, go to Advanced Settings , and choose to Resize shape to fit text . That way, after you enter the text, the bubble will automatically resize.

How to change background color or make it transparent

Speaking about text bubbles, we shouldn’t forget the background color, as it also matters. The bubble color helps to convey emotions or feelings. For example, red implies the speaker’s anger and rage.

You can easily change the default background of the shape. Click it and choose another color on the right-side toolbar. It is possible to choose a pattern for the background or make a text bubble transparent or gradient. Just select the desired option from the drop-down list under Fill on the right-side toolbar.

That is how to create a text bubble in different ways. As you noticed, it can be easily done even in document editors, using simple shapes and your imagination. Try it now in ONLYOFFICE Editors:

START ONLINE GET DESKTOP EDITORS

Useful links

New features of ONLYOFFICE Desktop Editors v6.4

How to add Youtube video in presentation

How to create a Gantt chart in Excel sheets

How to save Word document as PDF

Recent posts

How to update to ONLYOFFICE DocSpace v2.5

Student opportunity: apply for ONLYOFFICE projects at OSPP 2024

Call for usability testing: ONLYOFFICE DocSpace 2.5

How to Make Bubble Letters in Microsoft Word

Make your flyer look all cutesy

If you’re using Microsoft Word to create an event flyer , party invitation, or greeting card, you’re probably looking for upbeat and fun styles. For the text, consider using bubble letters to add some whimsy to your creation.

Bubble letters appear curvy and bouncy with an almost cartoon-style feel, making them ideal for casual creations. You can use one of Word’s built-in font styles or download a bubble typeface from an online source. Then, simply apply the style and spruce it up to your liking. Here’s how to create bubble letters in Word on Windows and Mac.

Use a Word Font Style for Bubble Letters

Microsoft Word provides numerous font styles to pick from with one of them being perfect for bubble letters. The style is called Jumble and it’s available in Word on Windows and Mac.

• Select the text you want to turn into bubble letters and head to the Home tab. Tip : Bubble letter words often look better in all uppercase, but you can include lowercase if you prefer.
• Open the Font drop-down box which displays your current font style.
• Select Jumble .

You’ll then see those airy letters that you can leave as-is or add some flair as we’ll describe later.

Download and Install a Bubble Letter Font

If you’ve never added a new font on your computer before, there are many websites offering both free and paid styles. For bubble letters specifically, here are four free sites and a cool option for you to consider from each. We’ll then explain how to install the font on both Windows and Mac.

DaFont is a free font site suggested by Microsoft on their Add a Font support page . This site provides over 100 bubble styles for you to choose from. One great bubble font is called BubbleGum.

You can use the Search box at the top to find “BubbleGum” and then select Download to the right.

Another terrific source for fonts is FontSpace. They have an entire category dedicated to bubble style fonts with one standout option called Balloons!. This is a cute option if you want a bubble outline style rather than a filled font.

Like DaFont, use the Search box at the top to locate “Balloons” and choose the Download icon (cloud and arrow) on the right.

If you’re looking for something unique, take a look at the Ghostmeat bubble font from 1001 Fonts. This one is also outlined with white in the center but emits an almost scribble or hand lettering feel.

Search for “Ghostmeat” in the box at the top and select Download when you see the font.

One more site you may want to check out is Freepik. They have three pages of options with a super puffy style called Bamew which resembles a graffiti letter font.

This site’s Search is a bit more difficult when looking for a particular font name. So, it’s best to use this direct link to the Freepik bubble fonts .

Browse through the options for one you like or select the Bamew style and choose Download .

Install Your Bubble Letter Font

Once you find a bubble style you like and download it, you simply need to install the font on your Windows computer or Mac to make it available in Microsoft Word.

Install a Font on Windows

• You can select the Downloads option in the web browser you’re using or launch File Explorer and open your Downloads folder. The file should be in a ZIP format.

• When you double-click the ZIP file to extract the contents, you’ll see various files, depending on the exact font you picked. You may see TrueType, OpenType, or both file types. Right-click the one you want to install and choose Open .

• In the subsequent window, you’ll see a preview of the font. Select Install at the top and then close the window.

When you return to Microsoft Word, you should see your new bubble style in the Font drop-down box on the Home tab.

Note : You may need to restart Microsoft Word to display the new font .

Install a Font on Mac

• Like on Windows, you can open the Downloads location for your web browser or launch Finder and open the Downloads folder to install the font on Mac .

• Double-click the ZIP file and then open the folder inside. You may see more than one file, depending on the font you downloaded.

• Then, double-click the file you want to open and you’ll see a preview of it in the macOS Font Book showing the bubble letter alphabet. Select Install and then close the window.

Restart Microsoft Word, go to the Home tab, and you’ll see your new bubble style in the Font drop-down box.

Bonus: Enhance Your Bubble Letters

While you can certainly use the bubble font as-is, whether the Jumble style in Word or the one you install, you can also spruce it up a bit. To make it bubblier or more colorful, here are just a couple of suggestions using Word’s built-in font formatting features.

Add Color to the Font

If you have a color scheme for the item you’re creating, you can easily change the font from basic black.

Select the text, go to the Home tab, and pick the color in the Font Color drop-down menu.

You might want to take it a step further and add some depth to the letters using a text effect.

On the Home tab, pick a style in the Text Effects drop-down menu or on the Insert tab use the Word Art menu. Here, we select the orange, white, and shadow option.

Transform the Text to 3D

To make your letters look more like real bubbles, you can apply both a text and 3D effect.

• Go to the Home tab, open the Text Effects , and choose the light gray inner shadow option on the bottom right.

• Return to the Text Effects drop-down menu, move to Shadow , and select Shadow Options to open the formatting sidebar.

• Then, expand the 3-D Format section, open the Top bevel drop-down menu, and pick Round or Angle. You’ll then see your bubble letters pop.

• You can also apply a different color afterwards, again, using the Font Color menu on the Home tab.

Additionally, you can try out Word’s other font formatting features like Glow, Reflection, or Shadow to apply different unique looks to your letters.

Now that you know how to make bubble letters in Word, check out a related tutorial like how to change the default font in your Microsoft Office apps including PowerPoint.

Sandy Writtenhouse is a freelance technology writer and former Project, Department, and Program Manager. She turned her education, job experience, and love of technology into a full-time writing career. With all sorts of gadgets in her home and her hands, she seeks to help others make life easier through technology. Read Sandy's Full Bio

Read More Posts:

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

How to use speech to text in Microsoft Word

Speech to text in Microsoft Word is a hidden gem that is powerful and easy to use. We show you how to do it in five quick and simple steps

Master the skill of speech to text in Microsoft Word and you'll be dictating documents with ease before you know it. Developed and refined over many years, Microsoft's speech recognition and voice typing technology is an efficient way to get your thoughts out, create drafts and make notes.

Just like the best speech to text apps that make life easier for us when we're using our phones, Microsoft's offering is ideal for those of us who spend a lot of time using Word and don't want to wear out our fingers or the keyboard with all that typing. While speech to text in Microsoft Word used to be prone to errors which you'd then have to go back and correct, the technology has come a long way in recent years and is now amongst the best text-to-speech software .

Regardless of whether you have the best computer or the best Windows laptop , speech to text in Microsoft Word is easy to access and a breeze to use. From connecting your microphone to inserting punctuation, you'll find everything you need to know right here in this guide. Let's take a look...

How to use speech to text in Microsoft Word: Preparation

The most important thing to check is whether you have a valid Microsoft 365 subscription, as voice typing is only available to paying customers. If you’re reading this article, it’s likely your business already has a Microsoft 365 enterprise subscription. If you don’t, however, find out more about Microsoft 365 for business via this link . 

The second thing you’ll need before you start voice typing is a stable internet connection. This is because Microsoft Word’s dictation software processes your speech on external servers. These huge servers and lighting-fast processors use vast amounts of speech data to transcribe your text. In fact, they make use of advanced neural networks and deep learning technology, which enables the software to learn about human speech and continuously improve its accuracy. 

These two technologies are the key reason why voice typing technology has improved so much in recent years, and why you should be happy that Microsoft dictation software requires an internet connection. 

Once you’ve got a valid Microsoft 365 subscription and an internet connection, you’re ready to go!

Are you a pro? Subscribe to our newsletter

Sign up to the TechRadar Pro newsletter to get all the top news, opinion, features and guidance your business needs to succeed!

Step 1: Open Microsoft Word

Simple but crucial. Open the Microsoft Word application on your device and create a new, blank document. We named our test document “How to use speech to text in Microsoft Word - Test” and saved it to the desktop so we could easily find it later.

Step 2: Click on the Dictate button

Once you’ve created a blank document, you’ll see a Dictate button and drop-down menu on the top right-hand corner of the Home menu. It has a microphone symbol above it. From here, open the drop-down menu and double-check that the language is set to English.

One of the best parts of Microsoft Word’s speech to text software is its support for multiple languages. At the time of writing, nine languages were supported, with several others listed as preview languages. Preview languages have lower accuracy and limited punctuation support.

Step 3: Allow Microsoft Word access to the Microphone

If you haven’t used Microsoft Word’s speech to text software before, you’ll need to grant the application access to your microphone. This can be done at the click of a button when prompted.

It’s worth considering using an external microphone for your dictation, particularly if you plan on regularly using voice to text software within your organization. While built-in microphones will suffice for most general purposes, an external microphone can improve accuracy due to higher quality components and optimized placement of the microphone itself.

Step 4: Begin voice typing

Now we get to the fun stuff. After completing all of the above steps, click once again on the dictate button. The blue symbol will change to white, and a red recording symbol will appear. This means Microsoft Word has begun listening for your voice. If you have your sound turned up, a chime will also indicate that transcription has started. 

Using voice typing is as simple as saying aloud the words you would like Microsoft to transcribe. It might seem a little strange at first, but you’ll soon develop a bit of flow, and everyone finds their strategies and style for getting the most out of the software. 

These four steps alone will allow you to begin transcribing your voice to text. However, if you want to elevate your speech to text software skills, our fifth step is for you.

Step 5: Incorporate punctuation commands

Microsoft Word’s speech to text software goes well beyond simply converting spoken words to text. With the introduction and improvement of artificial neural networks, Microsoft’s voice typing technology listens not only to single words but to the phrase as a whole. This has enabled the company to introduce an extensive list of voice commands that allow you to insert punctuation marks and other formatting effects while speaking. 

We can’t mention all of the punctuation commands here, but we’ll name some of the most useful. Saying the command “period” will insert a period, while the command “comma” will insert, unsurprisingly, a comma. The same rule applies for exclamation marks, colons, and quotations. If you’d like to finish a paragraph and leave a line break, you can say the command “new line.” 

These tools are easy to use. In our testing, the software was consistently accurate in discerning words versus punctuation commands.

Microsoft’s speech to text software is powerful. Having tested most of the major platforms, we can say that Microsoft offers arguably the best product when balancing cost versus performance. This is because the software is built directly into Microsoft 365, which many businesses already use. If this applies to your business, you can begin using Microsoft’s voice typing technology straight away, with no additional costs. 

We hope this article has taught you how to use speech to text software in Microsoft Word, and that you’ll now be able to apply these skills within your organization. 

Webflow announces acquisition of Intellimize - expanding beyond visual development to become an integrated Website Experience Platform

Square Online review 2024: Top ecommerce platform pros, cons, and features tested

Apple iPad event 2024 – 9 things we learned from the Let Loose event

Most Popular

• 2 7 new horror movies in May 2024, on Prime Video, Paramount Plus, Shudder and more
• 3 I went looking for the inventors building real Star Wars lightsabers and was surprised at what I found
• 4 iPhone 16 Pro: latest news, rumors and everything we know so far
• 5 I ran an entire marathon with a Garmin, an Apple Watch and Strava – here are all the differences
• 2 A dangerous new malware is targeting Macs of all kinds — here's how to stay safe
• 3 Microsoft is tying executive pay to security performance — so if it gets hacked, no bonuses for anyone
• 4 I ran an entire marathon with a Garmin, an Apple Watch and Strava – here are all the differences
• 5 I tried Netflix’s Physical: 100 endurance test and it was one of the most difficult workouts I’ve ever done

Use the Speak text-to-speech feature to read text aloud

Speak is a built-in feature of Word, Outlook, PowerPoint, and OneNote. You can use Speak to have text read aloud in the language of your version of Office.

Text-to-speech (TTS) is the ability of your computer to play back written text as spoken words. Depending upon your configuration and installed TTS engines, you can hear most text that appears on your screen in Word, Outlook, PowerPoint, and OneNote. For example, if you're using the English version of Office, the English TTS engine is automatically installed. To use text-to-speech in different languages, see Using the Speak feature with Multilingual TTS .

To learn how to configure Excel for text-to-speech, see Converting text to speech in Excel .

Add Speak to the Quick Access Toolbar

You can add the Speak command to your Quick Access Toolbar by doing the following in Word, Outlook, PowerPoint, and OneNote:

Next to the Quick Access Toolbar, click Customize Quick Access Toolbar .

Click More Commands .

In the Choose commands from list, select All Commands .

Scroll down to the Speak command, select it, and then click Add .

Use Speak to read text aloud

After you have added the Speak command to your Quick Access Toolbar, you can hear single words or blocks of text read aloud by selecting the text you want to hear and then clicking the Speak icon on the Quick Access Toolbar.

Listen to your Word documents with Read Aloud

Listen to your Outlook email messages with Read Aloud

Converting text to speech in Excel

Dictate text using Speech Recognition

Learning Tools in Word

Hear text read aloud with Narrator

Using the Save as Daisy add-in for Word

Need more help?

Want more options.

Explore subscription benefits, browse training courses, learn how to secure your device, and more.

Microsoft 365 subscription benefits

Microsoft 365 training

Microsoft security

Accessibility center

Communities help you ask and answer questions, give feedback, and hear from experts with rich knowledge.

Ask the Microsoft Community

Microsoft Tech Community

Windows Insiders

Microsoft 365 Insiders

Was this information helpful?

Thank you for your feedback.

Clippy's revenge: assistant comes back to purge Windows 11 of bloatware, ads and annoyances

Open-source utility Winpilot uses the long-defunct Office assistant.

If you're of a certain age or just an astute student of Microsoft history, you'll remember Clippy. The paperclip-shaped digital assistant helped you perform guided tasks in versions of Office that came out between 1997 and 2004. The software giant officially ditched Clippy with the debut of Office 2007, but now it's back helping you with an open-source, third-party utility called Winpilot . It is designed to remove bloatware, disable annoying UI defaults, and purge ads from Windows 11.

Programmed by German developer Belmin Hasanovic, Winpilot has been around since 2023, when it was originally called BloatyNosy. Out today, version 2024.5.6 adds Tiny11builder , a utility that creates a stripped-down Windows 11 install ISO, to its suite of features. Other features include the ability to turn off personalized ads, restore full context menus, purge preloaded bloatware, and turn off Bing Cloud content search.

To help you navigate the various features of Winpilot, Clippy and its speech/interaction bubble sit on top of the application's UI. When you first launch Winpilot, and throughout your interactions, Clippy will present you with the ability to ask questions and with two suggested activities -- Check the Windows version or "Debloat my system," for example. 

If you haven't asked or clicked on anything in the bubble yet, you'll get a random suggestion or comment from Clippy. For example, when starting up one time, I got this nugget from the assistant: "You know something, champ? This is bullsh*t. I started this gig in '97. My ultimate goal was to take over Bill Gates job."

If you perform an action, such as removing a piece of bloatware, the status and confirmation will appear in place of Clippy's comment at the bottom of the speech bubble. For example, when I removed Microsoft Messaging, an item Winpilot suggested I get rid of, Clippy displayed the "Package removed successfully" message. As I used the Tiny11 tool, I saw all of its status updates, which would typically appear in a Powershell window in Clippy's speech bubble.

Unfortunately, I found the Clippy speech bubble to be kind of annoying as it often covered over key parts of the UI. The good news is that you can temporarily make the bubble, though not Clippy itself, go away by clicking on another part of the window. However, when you perform another action, the bubble will reappear to show you the status of what you've done and it will still have the two suggested actions in it.

If you close the speech bubble, you might notice a text box that says "Ask the savvy Clippy," which I thought would invoke a natural-language search where the assistant could help me use Winpilot. Instead, it's just a very basic search box that almost never found what I was looking for. For example, when I typed "bloatware," it told me that it had "no matches found" and suggested that I "ask @Copilot." However, when I typed just "bloat," it gave me the option to "Debloat my system."

Stay On the Cutting Edge: Get the Tom's Hardware Newsletter

Join the experts who read Tom's Hardware for the inside track on enthusiast PC tech news — and have for over 25 years. We'll send breaking news and in-depth reviews of CPUs, GPUs, AI, maker hardware and more straight to your inbox.

Hasanovic did not build the Clippy functionality himself but instead used the code from another open-source project called Clippy by FireCube . Unlike Winpilot, this FireCube app allows you to put Clippy directly on the Windows 11 desktop and connect it to GPT 3.5 (with an API key) so you can use it as a true AI chatbot. 

Once I got past the novelty of seeing Clippy on my screen, I focused on the many useful features of Winpilot that would work just as well -- or better -- if the assistant weren't there. The main menu has four options: Block Ads in Windows 11, Skip the Bloat, Community Power and Tiny 11.

Block Ads in Windows 11 has a series of toggles that allow you to disable/enable features from the OS. These start with a list of ad locations such as Start Menu ads and File Explorer ads, though File Explorer ads aren't a thing right now (they were in one Insider Build). You can also turn off sending diagnostic data to Microsoft or disable the annoying Privacy Settings experience at sign-in (if you skipped that during install). You can also turn on Full context menus in Windows 11 or remove Bing results from Windows search , which I recommend.

The Skip the Bloat menu has a list of apps or features that Winpilot recommends that you remove. In my case, this included Microsoft.ZuneVideo and Windows Maps. It also has a list of all apps you have installed so you can decide what to remove.

The Community Power menu gives you a list of other features and optional extensions for Winpilot that you can install. I installed one feature called the Chris Titus Tool, a PowerShell-based program that seems a lot like Winpilot. It allows you to turn off a variety of Windows features and remove bloatware. There's also an extension that enables secure AutoLogon and another that clears event logs.

New for this version of Winpilot, the Tiny11 feature runs the popular Powershell tool, which generates a debloated Windows 11 ISO without many unnecessary features installed. It's just as easy—or easier—to use Tiny11 on its own as it is to invoke it from Winpilot, but I guess some users will like the convenience of seeing it here.

To use Tiny11, you must first download a Windows 11 ISO from Microsoft and then select the location of the ISO file when prompted by Winpilot, which will mount the ISO and assign it a drive letter. Tiny11 will then appear in a Powershell window and ask you which drive letter it's on (shouldn't it know?) and what version of Windows 11 you are installing if multiple versions are in the ISO. Then it will take several minutes to generate the ISO for you.  

Overall, Winpilot doesn't do anything you couldn't do without it. However, it does put a lot of interesting functions in one place. Clippy is cute, if not particularly helpful.

Microsoft is switching RAM speed units in Task Manager — finally moving to the more technically correct MT/s

Windows 11 24H2 will enable BitLocker encryption for everyone — happens on both clean installs and reinstalls

Sabrent debuts 5GB/s Rocket Nano 2242 Gen 4 SSD — a good fit for Lenovo Legion Go, laptops, and NUCs

Clippy is cute, if not particularly helpful.

• EdwardB78 Very funny about the Clippy, I'd like to try that. And where can I download it, please? Not a single word in your article mentions a download link. Reply
• apiltch My bad. I have put the link in the story. It's https://github.com/builtbybel/Winpilot Reply

apiltch said: My bad. I have put the link in the story. It's https://github.com/builtbybel/Winpilot

• JamesJones44 OMG... Now they just need to bring back Microsoft Bob and the circle will be complete. Reply

Overall, Winpilot doesn't do anything you couldn't do without it.

• 35below0 I know Microsoft is to blame, but why are there so many tools that can switch off and change settings you can just switch off and change yourself? Like ads? Or sponsored search links. Reply

35below0 said: Like ads? Or sponsored search links.

35below0 said: I know Microsoft is to blame, but why are there so many tools that can switch off and change settings you can just switch off and change yourself? Like ads? Or sponsored search links.

• View All 9 Comments

Most Popular

Contribute to the Microsoft 365 and Office forum! Click  here  to learn more  💡

April 9, 2024

Contribute to the Microsoft 365 and Office forum!

Click  here  to learn more  💡

• Search the community and support articles
• Microsoft 365 and Office
• Search Community member

Ask a new question

Can you move the location of comment bubbles?

My version of Word just updated. Now, comment bubbles are slow to load and are set far off to the right side of documents. If you aren't looking closely, you will miss them. Is there a way to move them back to the margin of the document, like in previous versions of Word?

Report abuse

Reported content has been submitted​

Replies (1) 

• Volunteer Moderator

The redesigned comments interface, referred to by Microsoft as modern comments, should display the comments next to the document page.

However, resolved comments will be moved to the new Comments pane on the far right of the document window. See https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/using-modern-comments-in-word-edc6ae71-0a2d-49fe-8faa-986f1e48136a .

You can send feedback to Microsoft using File > Feedback.

1 person found this reply helpful

Was this reply helpful? Yes No

Sorry this didn't help.

Great! Thanks for your feedback.

How satisfied are you with this reply?

Thanks for your feedback, it helps us improve the site.

Thanks for your feedback.

Question Info

• Norsk Bokmål
• Ελληνικά
• Русский
• עברית
• العربية
• ไทย
• 한국어
• 中文(简体)
• 中文(繁體)
• 日本語

How-To Geek

Today's nyt connections hints and answer for may 8 (#332).

Mind the spoilers at the end!

Quick Links

What is connections, hints for today's connections groups, what are today's connections groups, today's nyt connections answers, how did we solve this connections game, how do you guess connections groups.

Connections is a game from the New York Times that challenges you to find the association between words. It sounds easy, but it isn't—Connections categories can be almost anything, and they're usually quite specific. If you need a hand getting the answers, we've got you covered.

Connections is a game from the New York Times. The objective is simple: sort 16 words into groups of 4. Each group of words will be connected by some common idea or theme. That common element could be anything. We have seen everything from games that rely on the number of letters in the words to categories that require you to spot an extra letter at the end of the word. Sometimes they're references to economics, other times they reference fairy tales. There is no telling what sort of association there will be between words.

Once you're confident you understand the connection, select 4 words, then hit "Submit." You have only four attempts in total, so don't be too guess-happy.

Here are a few hints for the 332nd Connections game to get you started:

• Yellow: Scarlett.
• Green: A tiny amount.
• Blue: The nicest option available.
• Purple: Not a shower, but similar.

If you still need help, the actual group names are:

• Yellow: Shades of Red
• Green: Little Bit of a Beverage
• Blue: Choicest
• Purple: ___ Bath

Shades of Red (Yellow):

Brick, Cherry, Rose, Ruby

Little Bit of a Beverage (Green):

Drop, Splash, Spot, Sprinkle

Choicest (Blue):

Best, Cream, Pick, Top

Round of ____ (Purple):

Bird, Bubble, Mud, Sponge

May 8th was a bit harder than usual, but not terrible.

Brick, cherry, rose, and ruby all stood out immediately because they're all typically red. That seemed like a strong enough connection to risk a guess, and it paid off. Yellow was "Shades of Red."

The next word I latched on to was best. Top seemed like a reasonable word to go with it, but the others were a bit more difficult to pick out. What context were best and top being used in? The best option? The best or top choice? Pick seems vaguely related ot these ideas, as in "my first pick," so I threw that one in too. Eventually, the idiom "cream of the crop," which means "the best in the group," led me to add that as my fourth word. Together, best, cream, pick, and top were "Choicest," the Blue group. That one felt rougher than Blue usually is.

Drop, splash, spot, and sprinkle were a bit more obvious with some confounding words out of the way. They can all sometimes mean "a little bit of something," typically a liquid, though sprinkle is probably more commonly used to describe solid food or seasonings. The Green group was actually titled "Little Bit of a Beverage."

That left bird, bubble, mud, and sponge. I was thoroughly stumped by these until they were the only words left, but saying them aloud make it click instantly. They're all words that can go before the word bath. Purple was "____ Bath."

There is no quick, reliable way to approach Connections like there is with Wordle, since Connections isn't algorithmic. However, there are a few things to keep in mind that can help.

• Look for similar parts of speech . Are some words verbs and others nouns? Are some adjectives? Try mentally grouping them based on those categories and see if any other patterns jump out at you.
• Are the words synonyms? Sometimes categories will just be synonyms for a phrase, or very close to synonyms. Don't rely too closely on this, though. Occasionally, Connections will deliberately throw in words that are sometimes synonyms to mislead you.
• Try saying the words. Sometimes, saying the words helps. One puzzle we saw included the words go, rate, faster, clip, pace, speed, move, commute, and hurry—all of which are obviously related to the idea of motion. However, when you say them, it becomes a little more obvious that only four (go, move, hurry, faster) are things you'd actually say to prompt someone to get moving.
• Expect the red herring . Connections usually has words that could be plausibly, yet incorrectly, grouped together. Take the words Bud, Corona, and Light, as an example. You might instinctively see those three words together and assume they're lumped together in a category related to beer—but they weren't.
• Look for distinct words. If a word on your board doesn't have multiple meanings or can really only be used in one context, try using that word as the basis for a category.
• Shuffle the board. Sometimes, moving words around will help you look at them in new ways.

If you didn't solve this one, don't feel too bad—there's always tomorrow! And those words may align with a topic you're interested in, giving you a leg up on the competition.