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If you have a microphone and a desire to speak to your computer and tell it what to do, this guide is for you. In this guide, you’ll learn how to calibrate Windows Speech Recognition and where to learn how to use it.
Configuring Speech Recognition
Speech recognition configuration is easy; all you need is a microphone and a few minutes to run some tests.
Press the Start button, type speech and click Speech Recognition. If this is the first time you’ve run speech recognition, you’ll see the wizard pop up straight away. If you’ve run it before and didn’t complete the setup, you may have to click on Speech Recognition Options, on the start menu, instead.
After clicking next, you’ll need to tell Windows what type of microphone you have.
Now you’ll need to set up your microphone so Windows can hear you accurately.
Speak into the microphone and try to keep it at a distance where you a speaking at a normal level and the noise levels fall within the green area.
Once you’ve successfully set up your microphone, you are ready to move on.
You can improve accuracy by reading a document, while Windows figures out both how you pronounce certain words and what words you merge together when you speak.
You now have an opportunity to print the speech reference card. This card has commands you can speak; this is useful when you are first learning the potential of Windows Speech Recognition.
If you plan to use speech recognition frequently, you can choose to run it at Windows startup. You can always change this option later via the Speech Recognition options screen.
At this step, I advise taking the tutorial; this is where you’ll learn how to become a pro with the software.
If you need to change any settings, press the Start button, type speech, and click Speech Recognition Options. Here you can configure settings and even run the wizard again. If you need to set up speech recognition for two users, you’ll need to set up a user account for them to use.
About Rich
Rich is the owner and creator of Windows Guides; he spends his time breaking things on his PC so he can write how-to guides to fix them.
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I have given the speech recognition a go on Vista. I must admit, at first, it is awesome. opening and closing windows, scrolling through your start menu, all manner of everyday mouse and keyboard tasks even dictating a letter in MS Word. As fascinating and fun as this is at first, the practical application of controlling your pc by voice command to any achievable productive level is questionable and therefore this feature should remain just that…….a fun interaction, a party trick for when your kids are on the computer again and you walk over and halt their internet experience with two words “Close Firefox”. My only gripe with voice recognition, apart from its apparent productivity limitations is that it gets easily confused with Scottish accents! lol.
I have given the speech recognition a go on Vista. I must admit, at first, it is awesome. opening and closing windows, scrolling through your start menu, all manner of everyday mouse and keyboard tasks even dictating a letter in MS Word. As fascinating and fun as this is at first, the practical application of controlling your pc by voice command to any achievable productive level is questionable and therefore this feature should remain just that…….a fun interaction, a party trick for when your kids are on the computer again and you walk over and halt their internet experience with two words “Close Firefox”. My only gripe with voice recognition, apart from its apparent productivity limitations is that it gets easily confused with Scottish accents! lol.
I have given the speech recognition a go on Vista. I must admit, at first, it is awesome. opening and closing windows, scrolling through your start menu, all manner of everyday mouse and keyboard tasks even dictating a letter in MS Word. As fascinating and fun as this is at first, the practical application of controlling your pc by voice command to any achievable productive level is questionable and therefore this feature should remain just that…….a fun interaction, a party trick for when your kids are on the computer again and you walk over and halt their internet experience with two words “Close Firefox”. My only gripe with voice recognition, apart from its apparent productivity limitations is that it gets easily confused with Scottish accents! lol.
I must have a very different voice because these voice recognition things ALWAYS struggle to understand what I’m trying to say…then again so do people…hmm…
I must have a very different voice because these voice recognition things ALWAYS struggle to understand what I’m trying to say…then again so do people…hmm…
I must have a very different voice because these voice recognition things ALWAYS struggle to understand what I’m trying to say…then again so do people…hmm…
Hmm speech recognition doesn’t always understand me, I guess I’ll try it again.
Hmm speech recognition doesn’t always understand me, I guess I’ll try it again.
Hmm speech recognition doesn’t always understand me, I guess I’ll try it again.
Very cool!
Very cool!
Very cool!
I was wondering if there is a way to activate Speech Recognition in non-English (in my case, Russian) Windows Vista. Please post here if you know a workaround.
I was wondering if there is a way to activate Speech Recognition in non-English (in my case, Russian) Windows Vista. Please post here if you know a workaround.
I was wondering if there is a way to activate Speech Recognition in non-English (in my case, Russian) Windows Vista. Please post here if you know a workaround.
You’ll need Windows Vista Ultimate or Enterprise:
In Windows Vista, Windows Speech Recognition works in the current language of the OS. That means that in order to use another language for speech recognition, you have to have the appropriate language pack installed. Language packs are available as free downloads through Windows Update for the Ultimate and Enterprise versions of Vista. Once you have the language installed, you’ll need to change the display language of the OS to the language you want to use. Both of these are options on the “Regional and Language Options” control panel. You can look in help for “Install a display language” or “Change the display language”.
Source
You’ll need Windows Vista Ultimate or Enterprise:
In Windows Vista, Windows Speech Recognition works in the current language of the OS. That means that in order to use another language for speech recognition, you have to have the appropriate language pack installed. Language packs are available as free downloads through Windows Update for the Ultimate and Enterprise versions of Vista. Once you have the language installed, you’ll need to change the display language of the OS to the language you want to use. Both of these are options on the “Regional and Language Options” control panel. You can look in help for “Install a display language” or “Change the display language”.
Source
You’ll need Windows Vista Ultimate or Enterprise:
In Windows Vista, Windows Speech Recognition works in the current language of the OS. That means that in order to use another language for speech recognition, you have to have the appropriate language pack installed. Language packs are available as free downloads through Windows Update for the Ultimate and Enterprise versions of Vista. Once you have the language installed, you’ll need to change the display language of the OS to the language you want to use. Both of these are options on the “Regional and Language Options” control panel. You can look in help for “Install a display language” or “Change the display language”.
Source
That’s the problem. I have Home Premium.
That’s the problem. I have Home Premium.
That’s the problem. I have Home Premium.
Hey this is really hitech, like this so much. Awesome post.
Hey this is really hitech, like this so much. Awesome post.
Hey this is really hitech, like this so much. Awesome post.
Ah speech recognition.. we spend a lot of time configuring it and a Windows re-install due to an event, and we lost all our hardward.
Luckily for us, Microsoft released a backup system for the speech recognition avoiding us a full recalibration.
Here is the link:
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?displaylang=en&FamilyID=1d60a5a6-85d4-4db2-a581-a41f66561a7d
Enjoy :)
Ah speech recognition.. we spend a lot of time configuring it and a Windows re-install due to an event, and we lost all our hardward.
Luckily for us, Microsoft released a backup system for the speech recognition avoiding us a full recalibration.
Here is the link:
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?displaylang=en&FamilyID=1d60a5a6-85d4-4db2-a581-a41f66561a7d
Enjoy :)
Ah speech recognition.. we spend a lot of time configuring it and a Windows re-install due to an event, and we lost all our hardward.
Luckily for us, Microsoft released a backup system for the speech recognition avoiding us a full recalibration.
Here is the link:
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?displaylang=en&FamilyID=1d60a5a6-85d4-4db2-a581-a41f66561a7d
Enjoy :)
Thanks for the heads up and link!
Thanks for the heads up and link!
Thanks for the heads up and link!