# Voice typing for Windows

> Latch is voice typing for Windows built for longer writing, not just one line. Windows has voice typing built in: press Win+H and talk. Latch adds one chord that works in any app, text cleaned up before it lands, and the names you teach it spelled your way.

Type with your voice in every app, without the stop-start. Last updated 2026-10-04. HTML version: https://latchvoice.less.style/voice-typing

## Example

You say: "I think we should, we should, uh, we should move the call to next week"

Latch pastes:

> I think we should move the call to next week.

## How voice typing works on Windows.

Windows voice typing uses online speech recognition. Put your cursor in a text box, press Win+H, wait for “Listening...”, and talk. It works on Windows 10 and 11, in most text boxes, and it is free.

It is a good tool for a quick message. Where it stops is longer writing: you get the recognized text as spoken, switching language means changing your input language, and the microphone switches off if you wait about 10 seconds before speaking. Filler-word clean-up (Fluid dictation) is a feature of Copilot+ PCs.

## Voice typing for the long run.

- **A chord that is also push-to-talk.** Tap Ctrl+Win to latch recording on while you think, and tap again to finish. Or hold it for a short line and let go. One chord, no setting.
- **[Clean text on any PC](https://latchvoice.less.style/dictation-software-that-removes-ums-windows.md).** Hesitations, restarts, and “no wait” corrections are removed, and numbers come out as numbers. This does not depend on the kind of PC you own.
- **[A new language every take](https://latchvoice.less.style/voice-dictation-with-translation-windows.md).** Latch detects the language on every take, so you can answer in Italian, then in English, without changing a setting. Add a Translate row to speak in one language and paste in another.
- **[Edit by voice](https://latchvoice.less.style/rewrite-selected-text-by-voice-windows.md).** Select text and say what to change: “make this shorter”, “change Thursday to Friday”. The selection is rewritten in place.
- **[A dictionary for your words](https://latchvoice.less.style/custom-dictionary-for-voice-dictation-windows.md).** Select a misspelled name, click Custom on the badge, and type it right. It is fixed in place and spelled your way on every later take, on every PC you sign in to.
- **Safe when things go wrong.** A dropped connection keeps your take on your PC for up to 24 hours, with Retry. Silence pastes nothing and uses no minutes. In a terminal, Latch only pastes; it never presses Enter.

## Windows voice typing vs Latch, side by side.

They can live side by side. Here is where they differ.

| What differs | Windows voice typing | Latch |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Start | Win+H, then wait for “Listening...” | Ctrl+Win: tap to latch, or hold to talk |
| Stop | Say “Stop listening” or click the microphone button | Tap Ctrl+Win again, or let go |
| Language | Change your input language to switch | Detected on every take |
| Output | Recognized text with automatic punctuation. Copilot+ PCs add Fluid dictation for grammar and filler words | Cleaned text on any PC: hesitations and self-corrections removed, numbers as numbers |
| Editing | Voice commands such as “delete that” and “select that” | Select text and say what to change: shorter, friendlier, bullets, another language |
| Internet | Needed | Needed |
| Price | Included with Windows | 60 free minutes a month, then $8 for unlimited |

## Who it fits

Good fit:

- You dictate paragraphs, not only one line.
- You use voice typing in several apps, including an editor or a terminal.
- You switch between languages.
- You want fewer edits afterwards.

Not a good fit:

- You need full hands-free control of the PC. Windows Voice Access is built for that, and Latch needs a key chord to start.
- You need to work offline. Each take is processed online.
- You are on a Mac, Linux, iPhone, or Android. Latch is Windows only for now.

## Voice typing where you type most.

- [Email](https://latchvoice.less.style/voice-dictation-for-email-windows.md): Reply to a thread in one take.
- [Slack and Teams](https://latchvoice.less.style/voice-typing-for-slack-and-teams.md): Answer without leaving the message box.
- [Documents](https://latchvoice.less.style/voice-dictation-for-documents-windows.md): A first draft at the speed you think.
- [A Windows voice typing alternative](https://latchvoice.less.style/windows-voice-typing-alternative.md): Clean, rewritten text at your cursor.

## Questions

### How do I use voice typing on Windows?

Click in a text box, press Win+H, wait for “Listening...”, and speak. To stop, say “Stop listening” or click the microphone button. It works on Windows 10 and 11 and needs an internet connection. With Latch, press Ctrl+Win instead.

### Why does Windows voice typing stop listening?

The microphone switches off if you wait about 10 seconds before speaking, and you click it to start again. With Latch a tap on Ctrl+Win latches recording on while you think, and a single take can run up to 10 minutes.

### Is Latch a replacement for Win+H?

It is a separate app. You press Ctrl+Win instead of Win+H, and you can keep both. Use Win+H for a quick line and Latch when you want the text cleaned up.

### Does voice typing work in Word and Google Docs?

Both have their own dictation. Latch types in them like in any other app, and the same chord works everywhere else too.

### Is voice typing good for sore hands or wrists?

Many people dictate to give their hands a break. Latch is for writing text: it needs a key chord to start and does not click or navigate by voice. If you need to control the whole PC by voice, Windows Voice Access is built for that.

### Is it really free?

Yes. Every account gets 60 recorded minutes a month with every feature. No card needed. Past 60 minutes you get a reminder, never a cut-off.

### Do you keep my audio or transcripts?

No. Audio and text pass through our server in memory for a single take and are dropped when the text comes back.

### How long does setup take?

About a minute: run the installer, sign in from the badge, and press Ctrl+Win in any text field.

## Related guides

- [Dictation software for Windows](https://latchvoice.less.style/dictation-software.md)
- [Voice to text for Windows](https://latchvoice.less.style/voice-to-text.md)
- [Speech to text for Windows](https://latchvoice.less.style/speech-to-text.md)
- [AI dictation for Windows](https://latchvoice.less.style/ai-dictation.md)

## Try it

- [Download for Windows](https://latchvoice.less.style/download)
- [Pricing](https://latchvoice.less.style/pricing)