Voice access command list - Microsoft Support (2023)

This article is for people who want to control their PC and author text using their voice with Windows.This articleis part of theAccessibility support for Windowscontent set where you can find more information on Windows accessibility features. Forgeneral help, visitMicrosoft Support home.

Voice access is a new feature in Windows 11that enables everyone, including people with mobility disabilities, to control their PC and author text using only their voice and without an internet connection. For example, you can open and switch between apps, browse the web, and read and author email using your voice. For more information, refer to.

Voice access is available in Windows 11, version 22H2 and later. For more information onWindows 1122H2 new features, and how to get the update, see What's new in recent Windows updates. Not sure which version of Windows you have? See: Find Windows version.

In this topic

Manage voice access and microphone

To do this

Say this

Get voice access to listen to you.

"Voice access wake up"
"Unmute"

Put voice access to sleep.

"Voice access sleep"
"Mute"

Turn off the voice access microphone.

"Turn off microphone"

Close voice access.

"Turn off voice access"
"Stop voice access"
"Close voice access"
"Exit voice access"
"Quit voice access"

Find out what command to use.

"What can I say"
"Show all commands"
"Show command list"
"Show commands"

Access voice access settings menu.

"Open voice access settings"

Access voice access help menu.

"Open voice access help"

Access the voice access tutorial.

"Open voice access guide"

Switch to commands only mode.

"Commands mode"
"Switch to command mode"

Switch to dictation only mode.

"Dictation mode"
"Switch to dictation mode"

Switch to default mode (command and dictation).

"Default mode"
"Switch to default mode"

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Interact with apps

To do this

Say this

Open a new app.

"Open <app name>"
"Start <app name>"
"Show <app name>"

Close an open app.

"Close <app name>"
"Close window"
"Exit <app name>"
"Quit <app name>"

Switch to an existing app.

"Switch to <app name>"
"Go to <app name>"

Minimize a window.

"Minimize window"
"Minimize <app name>"

Maximize a window.

"Maximize window"
"Maximize <app name>"

Restore a window.

"Restore window"
"Restore <app name>"

Open task switcher.

"Show task switcher"
"List all windows"
"Show all windows"

Go to desktop.

"Go to desktop"
"Go home"
"Minimize all windows"

Search on the browser, where "search engine" can be Bing, Google, or YouTube, and "x" is what you’re looking for.

"Search on <search engine> for <x>"

Snap window to a specific direction, where "direction" is left, right, top-left, top-right, bottom-left, or bottom-right.

"Snap window to <direction>"
"Snap the window to <direction>"

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Interact with controls

To do this

Say this

Select an item.

"Click <item name>"
"Tap <item name>"

Double-click an item.

"Double-click <item name>"
"Mouse double-click"

Put focus on an item.

"Move to <item name>"
"Focus on <item name>"

Expand a list.

"Expand <item name>"

Toggle between states.

"Toggle <item name>"
"Flip <item name>"

Scroll in a specific direction.

"Scroll <direction>"

Start scrolling in a specific direction.

"Start scrolling <direction>"

Stop scrolling.

"Stop scrolling"
"Stop"

Move a slider in a specific direction by a certain distance, where "direction" is up, down, left, or right and "value" is the distance.

"Move slider <direction> <value> times"

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Interact with overlays

To do this

Say this

Show number overlays on your screen.

"Show numbers"
"Show numbers everywhere"

Show number overlays on the app you are working on.

"Show numbers here"

Show number overlays on a specific app or window.

"Show numbers on <app name>"

Show number over the taskbar.

"Show numbers on taskbar"

Remove number overlays.

"Hide numbers"
"Cancel"

Select a numbered item.

"Click <number>"
"<number>"

Show grid overlay on your screen.

"Show grid"
"Show grid everywhere"
"Show window grid"

Show grid overlay on the window you are working on.

"Show grid here"

Remove grid overlay.

"Hide grid"
"Cancel"

Drill down into the grid.

"<number>"

Drilldown into the grid multiple steps at once.

"Mouse grid <number> <number> <number> <number> <number>"

Revert to the previous state of the grid.

"Undo"
"Undo that"

Mark an object to drag.

"Mark"
"Mark <number>"

Drop the marked object into a location.

"Drag"

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Control mouse and keyboard

To do this

Say this

Perform a left click.

"Click"
"Tap"
"Left click"

Perform a right click.

"Right click"

Perform a double-click.

"Double-click"

Perform a triple-click.

"Triple-click"

Press a key.

"Press <key>"

Press a key multiple times.

"Press <key> <count> times"

Press a key combination.

"Press <key1> <key2>..."
"Press <key1> and/plus <key2>..."

Press and hold down a key.

"Press and hold <key>"

Release the held down key.

"Release <key>"
"Release"

Press the keyboard Esc key to close menu flyouts like context menus or dropdown menus.

"Dismiss"

Press the keyboard Backspace key to fix mistakes made during dictation.

"Backspace"

Press the keyboard Enter key to move to a new line while dictating text.

"Enter"

Press the keyboard Tab key to quickly navigate through fields on the UI.

"Tab"

Press the keyboard Delete key to fix mistakes made during dictation.

"Delete"

Move your mouse pointer continuously in a specified direction, where "direction" can be up, down, left, right, top-left, top-right, bottom-left, or bottom-right.

"Move mouse <direction>"

Move your mouse pointer by a fixed distance in a specific direction, where "direction" can be up, down, left, right, top-left, top-right, bottom-left, or bottom-right.

"Move mouse <direction> <distance>"

Drag your mouse pointer in the given direction, where "direction" can be up, down, left, right, top-left, top-right, bottom-left, or bottom-right.

"Drag mouse <direction>"

Increase or decrease the speed of mouse pointer movement.

"Move faster"
"Faster"
"Move slower"
"Slower"

Stop moving your mouse pointer.

"Stop"
"Stop moving"

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Dictate text

To do this

Say this

Insert text in a text box.

"<text>"

Insert a voice access command as text in a text box.

"Type <voice access command>"
"Dictate <voice access command>"

Open the touch keyboard.

"Show touch keyboard"
"Show keyboard"

Close the touch keyboard.

"Hide touch keyboard"
"Hide keyboard"

Spell out text letter by letter.

"Spell that"

Correct the selected text or last dictated text.

"Correct that"

Correct specific text.

"Correct <text>"

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Select text

To do this

Say this

Select the last text you dictated.

"Select that"

Select all text in a text box.

"Select all"

Select specific text in a text box.

"Select <text>"

Select the previous or next word.

"Select previous word"
"Select last word"
"Select next word"

Select the desired number of previous or next words.

"Select previous <count> words"
"Select last <count> words"
"Select next <count> words"

Select the previous or next character.

"Select previous character"
"Select last character"
"Select next character"

Select the desired number of previous or next characters.

"Select previous <count> characters"
"Select backward <count> characters"
"Select last <count> characters"
"Select forward <count> characters"
"Select next <count> characters"

Select the previous line.

"Select previous line"
"Select last line"

Select the desired number of previous or next lines.

"Select previous <count> lines"
"Select backward <count> lines"
"Select last <count> lines"
"Select forward <count> lines"
"Select next <count> lines"

Select the previous or next paragraph.

"Select previous paragraph"
"Select last paragraph"
"Select next paragraph"

Select the desired number of previous or next paragraphs.

"Select previous <count> paragraphs"
"Select last <count> paragraphs"
"Select next <count> paragraphs"

Select the current word at the text cursor.

"Select word"
"Select this word"

Select the current line at the text cursor.

"Select line"
"Select this line"

Select the current paragraph at text cursor.

"Select paragraph"
"Select this paragraph"

Clear selected text.

"Unselect that"
"Clear selection"

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Edit text

To do this

Say this

Delete the selected text or last dictated text.

"Delete that"
"Scratch that"
"Strike that"

Delete specific text in a text box.

"Delete <text>"

Delete the previous or next character.

"Delete previous character"
"Delete last character"
"Delete next character"

Delete the desired number of previous or next characters.

"Delete previous <count> characters"
"Delete last <count> characters"
"Delete next <count> characters"

Delete the previous or next word.

"Delete previous word"
"Delete last word"
"Delete next word"

Delete the desired number of previous or next words.

"Delete previous <count> words"
"Delete last <count> words"
"Delete next <count> words"

Delete the previous line.

"Delete previous line"
"Delete last line"

Delete the desired number of previous or next lines.

"Delete previous <count> lines"
"Delete last <count> lines"
"Delete next <count> lines"

Delete the previous or next paragraph.

"Delete previous paragraph"
"Delete last paragraph"
"Delete next paragraph"

Delete the desired number of previous or next paragraphs.

"Delete previous <count> paragraphs"
"Delete last <count> paragraphs"
"Delete next <count> paragraphs"

Delete the current word at text cursor.

"Delete word"
"Delete this word"

Delete the current line at text cursor.

"Delete line"
"Delete this line"

Delete the current paragraph at text cursor.

"Delete paragraph"
"Delete this paragraph"

Cut the selected text or last dictated text.

"Cut that"

Cut the desired number of previous or next characters.

"Cut previous <count> characters"
"Cut last <count> characters"
"Cut next <count> characters"

Cut the previous or next word.

"Cut previous word"
"Cut last word"
"Cut next word"

Cut the desired number of previous or next words.

"Cut previous <count> words"
"Cut last <count> words"
"Cut next <count> words"

Cut the previous line.

"Cut previous line"
"Cut last line"

Cut the desired number of previous or next lines.

"Cut previous <count> lines"
"Cut last <count> lines"
"Cut next <count> lines"

Cut the previous or next paragraph.

"Cut previous paragraph"
"Cut last paragraph"
"Cut next paragraph"

Cut the desired number of previous or next paragraphs.

"Cut previous <count> paragraphs"
"Cut last <count> paragraphs"
"Cut next <count> paragraphs"

Copy the selected text or last dictated text.

"Copy that"

Copy the desired number of previous or next characters.

"Copy previous <count> characters"
"Copy last <count> characters"
"Copy next <count> characters"

Copy the previous or next word.

"Copy previous word"
"Copy last word"
"Copy next word"

Copy the desired number of previous or next words.

"Copy previous <count> words"
"Copy last <count> words"
"Copy next <count> words"

Copy the previous line.

"Copy previous line"
"Copy last line"

Copy the desired number of previous or next lines.

"Copy previous <count> lines"
"Copy last <count> lines"
"Copy next <count> lines"

Copy the previous or next paragraph.

"Copy previous paragraph"
"Copy last paragraph"
"Copy next paragraph"

Copy the desired number of previous or next paragraphs.

"Copy previous <count> paragraphs"
"Copy last <count> paragraphs"
"Copy next <count> paragraphs"

Paste text in a text box.

"Paste"
"Paste here"
"Paste that"

Undo/revert the effect of a previous action.

"Undo that"

Redo/restore the effect of an action that was previously reverted.

"Redo that"

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Format text

To do this

Say this

Apply bold formatting to specific text.

"Bold <text>"
"Boldface <text>"

Apply italic formatting tospecific text.

"Italicize <text>"

Underline specific text.

"Underline <text>"

Capitalize the first letter of a specific word.

"Capitalize <word>"

Capitalize all the letters of a specific word.

"Uppercase <word>"
"All caps <word>"

Lowercase all the letters in a specific word.

"Lowercase <word>"
"No caps <word>"

Capitalize, uppercase, or lowercase selected text or the last dictated text.

"Capitalize that"
"Cap that"
"Uppercase that"
"All caps that"
"Lowercase that"
"No caps that"

Take one of the following actions on the specified number of previous or next words: bold, italicize, underline, capitalize, uppercase, or lowercase.

"<action> previous <count> words"
"<action> last <count> words"
"<action> next <count> words"

Take one of the following actions on the specified number of previous or next lines: bold, italicize, underline, capitalize, uppercase, or lowercase.

"<action> previous <count> lines"
"<action> last <count> lines"
"<action> next <count> lines"

Take one of the following actions on the specified number of previous or next paragraphs: bold, italicize, underline, capitalize, uppercase, or lowercase.

"<action> previous <count> paragraphs"
"<action> last <count> paragraphs"
"<action> next <count> paragraphs"

Take one of the following actions on the specified number of previous or next characters: bold, italicize, underline, capitalize, uppercase, or lowercase.

"<action> previous <count> characters"
"<action> last <count> characters"
"<action> next <count> characters"

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Navigate text

To do this

Say this

Insert a new line and place the cursor at the beginning of the new line.

"New line"

Insert a new paragraph and place the cursor at the beginning of the new paragraph.

"New paragraph"

Place the cursor before or after specific text.

"Move before <text>"
"Move after <text>"
"Insert before <text>"
"Insert after <text>"

Place thecursor at the beginning/end of a text box or document.

"Go to top"
"Go to bottom"
"Go to end"
"Go to beginning of document"
"Go to start of document"
"Go to end of document"
"Move to top"
"Move to bottom"
"Move to end"
"Move to beginning of document"
"Move to start of document"
"Move to end of document"
"Move to bottom"

Place thecursor at the beginning or end of a word.

"Go to beginning of word"
"Go to start of word"
"Move to beginning of word"
"Move to start of word"
"Go to end of word"
"Move to end of word"

Place thecursor at the beginning or end of a line.

"Go to beginning of line"
"Go to start of line"
"Move to beginning of line"
"Move to start of line"
"Go to end of line"
"Move to end of line"

Place thecursor at thebeginning or end of a paragraph.

"Go to beginning of paragraph"
"Go to start of paragraph"
"Move to beginning of paragraph"
"Move to start of paragraph"
"Go to end of paragraph"
"Move to end of paragraph"

Move thecursor the desired number of steps left, right, up, or down.

"Move <direction> <count> times
"Go <direction> <count> times"

Move thecursor the desired number of characters left or right.

"Move left <count> characters"
"Move right <count> characters"
"Move forward <count> characters"
"Go left <count> characters"
"Go right <count> characters"

Move thecursor the desired number of words left or right.

"Move left <count> words"
"Move right <count> words"
"Go left <count> words"
"Go right <count> words"

Move thecursor the desired number of lines up or down.

"Move up <count> lines"
"Move down <count> lines"
"Go up <count> lines"
"Go down <count> lines"
"Go back <count> lines"

Move thecursor the desired number of paragraphs up or down.

"Move up <count> paragraphs"
"Move down <count> paragraphs"
"Go up <count> paragraphs"
"Go down <count> paragraphs"

Place thecursor at the beginning or end of selected text and clear selection.

"Move to beginning of selection"
"Move to end of selection"
"Go to beginning of selection"
"Go to end of selection"

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Dictate punctuation marks

To insert this

Say this

.

"Period"
"Full stop"

,

"Comma"

?

"Question mark"

!

"Exclamation mark"
"Exclamation point"

's

"Apostrophe-s"

:

"Colon"

;

"Semicolon"

" "

"Open quotes"
"Close quotes"

-

"Hyphen"

...

"Ellipsis"
"Dot dot dot"

' '

"Begin single quote"
"Open single quote"
"End single quote"
"Close single quote"

( )

"Left parentheses"
"Open parentheses"
"Right parentheses"
"Close parentheses"

[ ]

"Open bracket"
"Close bracket"

{ }

"Left brace"
"Open brace"
"Right brace"
"Close brace"

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Dictate symbols

To insert this

Say this

*

"Asterisk"

\

"Backslash"

/

"Forward slash"

|

"Vertical bar"
"Pipe character"

_

"Underscore"

"Paragraph sign"
"Paragraph mark"

§

"Section sign"

&

"Ampersand"
"And sign"

@

"At sign"

©

"Copyright sign"

®

"Registered sign"

°

"Degree symbol"

%

"Percent sign"

#

"Number sign"
"Pound sign"

+

"Plus sign"

-

"Minus sign"

×

"Multiplication sign"

÷

"Division sign"

=

"Equals sign"

< >

"Less than sign"
"Greater than sign"

$

"Dollar sign"

£

"Pound sterling sign"

"Euro sign"

¥

"Yen sign"

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See also

Set up voice access

Getstarted with voice access

Use voice to work with windows and apps

Usethe mouse with voice

Use voice to interact with items on the screen

Use the keyboard with voice

Voice access Frequently Asked Questions

Technical support for customers with disabilities

Microsoft wants to provide the best possible experience for all our customers. If you have a disability or questions related to accessibility, please contact the Microsoft Disability Answer Desk for technical assistance. The Disability Answer Desk support team is trained in using many popular assistive technologies and can offer assistance in English, Spanish, French, and American Sign Language. Please go to the Microsoft Disability Answer Desk site to find out the contact details for your region.

If you are a government, commercial, or enterprise user, please contact the enterprise Disability Answer Desk.

References

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