Talking is often faster than typing. Most people speak at 120–150 words per minute but type at 40 or fewer. This free speech to text tool lets you dictate into your browser and watch your words appear as text — handy for notes, emails, essays, captions and messages. It supports more than 25 languages, including English (US, UK and India), Hindi, Bengali, Tamil, Telugu, Marathi, Spanish, Portuguese, French, German, Japanese and Korean, and you do not need to sign up.
How to use voice typing online — step by step
- Choose your speaking language. The list includes regional variants such as English (India), Spanish (Mexico) and Portuguese (Portugal). Pick the one closest to how you speak.
- Press the microphone button. Your browser asks for permission to use the microphone. Choose Allow. The button turns red and pulses while it is listening.
- Speak naturally. A grey line under the text box shows what the browser is still working out; once a phrase is finished, it is added to the text.
- Pause or stop. Press the button again to stop. If you stay silent for a while, the browser may pause listening, and the tool automatically starts listening again while the microphone is on.
- Edit and save. Correct any mistakes in the box, then copy the text, download it as .txt or open it in the notepad. Your text is also kept in your browser so you do not lose it if you close the tab.
Which browsers and devices work?
| Browser | Support | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Google Chrome (desktop and Android) | Yes | Best language coverage. Audio is processed online. |
| Microsoft Edge | Yes | Similar to Chrome. |
| Safari (Mac, iPhone, iPad) | Yes, in recent versions | Behaviour can differ; allow microphone and dictation when asked. |
| Firefox | No | Does not include the speech recognition feature. You will see a notice on this page. |
You also need a working microphone. Built-in laptop and phone microphones are fine; a headset microphone close to your mouth gives noticeably better accuracy.
Getting accurate results
- Reduce background noise. A quiet room beats any software setting.
- Keep the microphone close, about a hand’s width from your mouth, and avoid breathing into it.
- Speak at a steady pace. Clear and natural works better than slow and robotic.
- Choose the right regional language. Dictating Indian English with the US English setting may misrecognise names and words.
- Pause between thoughts. Short pauses help the recogniser decide where phrases end.
- Say proper names slowly, then check and correct them afterwards.
Speech to text in Hindi and other Indian languages
If you want to dictate in Hindi, choose हिन्दी — hi-IN. Bengali, Tamil, Telugu, Marathi and Urdu are also on the list. Recognition quality depends on your browser’s own service, your accent and the clarity of your audio. Many people mix English words into Hindi sentences; browsers vary in how they handle that, so check the result carefully. For notes that mix languages, dictate a sentence at a time and switch the language selector when you change language — the tool restarts listening for you.
Practical ways to use dictation
Quick notes and ideas
Capture a thought hands-free while walking, cooking or commuting, then tidy it up later in the notepad.
First drafts of essays, blog posts and emails
Many writers dictate a rough draft to get past the blank page, then edit by keyboard. Pair it with the Word Counter to track length.
Meeting and lecture notes
Dictate a summary right after a meeting while it is fresh. Use the Case Converter or Remove Duplicate Lines tools to tidy lists afterward.
Accessibility
For people with repetitive strain injuries or difficulty typing, voice typing reduces keyboard use. It is not a medical tool, but it can make everyday writing more comfortable.
Language practice
Speak sentences in a language you are learning and see whether the browser understands you — a quick, informal pronunciation check.
A simple workflow for dictating a document
The fastest way to write by voice is to separate drafting from editing. First, outline your points on paper or in the notepad — three to six headings are enough. Then dictate one section at a time, speaking in complete sentences. After each section, stop, read it, and fix obvious errors before moving on; it is much easier to correct fifty words than five hundred. When the draft is done, paste it into the Word Counter to see the length, and use the Case Converter if you need to change headings to Title Case.
Experienced dictators also learn to “talk in paragraphs”. Instead of speaking in fragments, think of the sentence first and then say it in one go. This gives the recogniser more context, which improves accuracy, and it makes your writing sound more natural. Finally, remember that dictation is a skill: your first session may feel awkward, but most people become comfortable within a few attempts.
Speech to text vs. transcription of recorded audio
People often search for “speech to text” when they actually want to transcribe a recording, such as an interview, a lecture or a voice note. These are two different jobs. Live dictation, which this page provides, listens to your microphone in real time. Transcribing a file requires software that can analyse recorded audio, and that is not part of this tool. If you have a recording you want to type up, one workable approach is to play it back quietly and repeat the words into the microphone — though for long files, a dedicated transcription service is the better choice. Whichever you choose, check any transcript carefully before sharing it, especially names, numbers and quotes.
Privacy: what happens to your voice
Speech recognition is provided by your browser, not by TextAgo. In Chrome and Edge, audio is typically sent to the browser vendor’s servers for processing, and their privacy policies apply. TextAgo itself does not receive, record or store your audio or the transcript. The text box content is kept in your browser’s local storage so you can come back to it, and you can erase it with the Clear button. Avoid dictating passwords, bank details or other highly sensitive information, and use a different method if your organisation forbids sending voice data to third parties.
Troubleshooting
“Microphone access was blocked”
Click the padlock or microphone icon in your browser’s address bar, set Microphone to Allow for this site, and press the button again. On phones, also check the system settings for your browser’s microphone permission.
Nothing appears when I speak
Check that the correct microphone is selected in your device settings, that it is not muted, and that no other app is using it. Reload the page and try again.
It stops after a few seconds of silence
Browsers end a listening session after silence. The tool restarts it while the microphone button is red; if it still stops, press the button once more.
Text is repeated on my Android phone
Some Android versions repeat phrases in continuous mode. The tool uses a more cautious mode on Android; if you still see duplicates, speak in shorter sentences.
This feature is not supported
Switch to Chrome, Edge or a recent Safari.
Frequently asked questions about speech to text
Is there a time limit on dictation?
TextAgo sets none. Browsers may pause listening after silence or after long sessions; the tool restarts it automatically.
Can I upload an audio file to transcribe?
No. This tool listens to your microphone live. It does not transcribe recorded files.
Does it work offline?
Usually not. Most browsers use online recognition services.
How accurate is it?
For clear speech in a quiet room it can be very accurate, but names, technical terms, accents and noise reduce accuracy. Always proofread.
Can I dictate in two languages?
Yes: change the language selector when you switch language. It will restart listening automatically.
Is my text private?
The transcript stays in your browser. The audio is handled by your browser’s speech service as explained above.