Yes, you can use your voice to write in Google Docs. Here's how.

Today I learned that Google Docs has a speech-to-text feature.
 By 
Kimberly Gedeon
 on 
Google Docs voice typing
Google Docs voice typing Credit: Kimberly Gedeon/Mashable

Why did no one tell me that Google has a speech-to-text feature? I only discovered the cool perk because of a mistake I made while typing. While in Google Docs, I accidentally hit COMMAND + SHIFT + S instead of the COMMAND + SHIFT + 3 combo for screenshots. (Give me a break, I'm still getting used to my new MacBook Pro as a former Windows stan.)

And with that typo, I discovered something magical. You can actually use your voice to write in Google Docs. This means you can type hands-free.

Yes, as mentioned, you can use the COMMAND + SHIFT + S shortcut (or CTRL + SHIFT + S for Window users) to launch Google Docs' speech-to-type feature. But if you, for some odd reason, want to access it to the long way, here are the steps to get there.


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How to use voice typing in Google Docs

Total Time
  • 2 min
What You Need
  • Google Docs

Step 1: Open Google Docs

Be sure to open Google Docs in Chrome because voice typing is not supported in browsers like Safari and its ilk.

Red arrow pointing at Google Docs icon
Credit: Kimberly Gedeon/Mashable

Step 2: Click on "Tools"

Red arrow pointing to Tools menu in Google Docs
Credit: Kimberly Gedeon/Mashable

Step 3: Click on "Voice Typing"

Now, you may begin speaking and Google Docs will start transcribing your words.

Red arrow pointing at Voice Typing in Google Docs
Credit: Kimberly Gedeon/Mashable

It looks like Google Docs voice typing has been around for at least three years now, so I'm late to the party. However, I hope I'm not the only one living under a rock and that I've helped someone else who's been in the dark about Google Doc's speech-to-text feature.

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Kimberly Gedeon
East Coast Tech Editor

Kimberly Gedeon, at Mashable since 2023, is a tech explorer who enjoys doing deep dives into the most popular gadgets, from the latest iPhones to the most immersive VR headsets. She's drawn to strange, avant-garde, bizarre tech, whether it's a 3D laptop, a gaming rig that can transform into a briefcase, or smart glasses that can capture video. Her journalism career kicked off about a decade ago at MadameNoire where she covered tech and business before landing as a tech editor at Laptop Mag in 2020.

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