How to Fix Windows 11 Voice Typing Not Working Issue

Voice Typing is a handy feature in Windows 11 that allows users to dictate text instead of typing it manually. If the Voice Typing feature is not working, it can be frustrating. This guide provides detailed steps to help you troubleshoot and fix the issue.

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Table of Contents

1. 1. Check Microphone Connection and Settings

1. 1. Ensure Voice Typing Is Enabled

1. 1. Update Windows 11

1. 1. Check Privacy Settings for Microphone Access

1. 1. Run the Speech Troubleshooter

1. 1. Update or Reinstall Audio and Microphone Drivers

1. 1. Restart Windows Audio Services

1. 1. Reset Voice Typing Settings

1. 1. Try Using On-Screen Keyboard Voice Typing

1. 1. Perform System File Check (SFC) and DISM

1. 1. Additional Tips

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1. Check Microphone Connection and Settings

• • Ensure your microphone is properly connected:
    • • For external microphones or headsets, ensure the device is plugged in securely.
    • • Use a different USB port or audio jack if possible.

• • Test microphone functionality:
    • • Right-click the Start button > Select Settings.
    • • Navigate to System > Sound.
    • • Under Input, select your microphone.
    • • Speak to check “Test your microphone” level bar to confirm it registers sound.

• • Set proper microphone as default:
    • • Open Control Panel > Sound > Tab Recording.
    • • Right-click your microphone device and select Set as Default Device if it’s not already.

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2. Ensure Voice Typing Is Enabled

• • Windows Voice Typing uses speech services.

• • Go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Speech.

• • Toggle Online speech recognition to On.

• • Make sure Voice Typing is enabled (type Voice settings in the Start menu to open related options).

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3. Update Windows 11

• • Microsoft regularly releases fixes through Windows Update.

• • Go to Settings > Windows Update.

• • Click Check for updates.

• • Install available updates and restart your PC.

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4. Check Privacy Settings for Microphone Access

• • Go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Microphone.

• • Ensure the toggle Microphone access is turned On.

• • Under “Let apps access your microphone,” ensure Voice Typing or apps you want to use voice typing with have access.

• • Some desktop apps require microphone permission separately.

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5. Run the Speech Troubleshooter

• • Go to Settings > System > Troubleshoot > Other troubleshooters.

• • Find Speech and click Run.

• • Follow the on-screen instructions to detect and fix problems with speech recognition.

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6. Update or Reinstall Audio and Microphone Drivers

• • Press Win + X and select Device Manager.

• • Expand Audio inputs and outputs.

• • Right-click the microphone device and choose Update driver.

• • Select Search automatically for drivers.

• • If no updates available, you can try uninstalling the driver and restarting the computer — it will reinstall automatically.

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7. Restart Windows Audio Services

• • Press Win + R, type services.msc, and press Enter.

• • Scroll down to locate:
    • • Windows Audio
    • • Windows Audio Endpoint Builder

• • Right-click each and select Restart.

• • If not running, select Start.

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8. Reset Voice Typing Settings

• • Press Win + H to open Voice Typing.

• • Click the Settings icon (gear).

• • Look for any reset or default options and reset any custom settings.

• • Alternatively, you can reset your speech configuration by deleting related files:
    • • Navigate to %LOCALAPPDATA%\Packages\Microsoft.Windows.Cortana_cw5n1h2txyewy\LocalState and try deleting speech cache files if present (backup first).

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9. Try Using On-Screen Keyboard Voice Typing

• • Press Win + H to open the voice typing toolbar.

• • Ensure you see the microphone icon.

• • Try dictating in Notepad or WordPad.

• • If this works, the issue might be app-specific.

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10. Perform System File Check (SFC) and DISM

• • Open Command Prompt as administrator:
    • • Press Win + S, type cmd, right-click and select Run as administrator.

• • Run System File Checker:

    sfc /scannow

• • Wait for it to complete.

• • Then run Deployment Image Servicing and Management (DISM) tool:

    DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

• • Restart the PC and check Voice Typing again.

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11. Additional Tips

• • Language Settings:
    Ensure that the speech language matches your input language – Go to Settings > Time & Language > Language & Region and verify.

• • Microphone Hardware Issues:
    Try testing your microphone on another device.

• • Third-Party Interference:
    Sometimes antivirus or privacy software block microphone access. Temporarily disable such software and test.

• • Use Speech Recognition App:
    As an alternative, you can try enabling Windows Speech Recognition from Control Panel > Ease of Access > Speech Recognition.

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Summary

Step	Action
1	Check and test microphone connection and default device.
2	Enable voice typing and online speech recognition.
3	Update Windows 11 to latest version.
4	Allow microphone access in Privacy Settings.
5	Run built-in Speech troubleshooter.
6	Update/reinstall audio/microphone drivers via Device Manager.
7	Restart Windows Audio services.
8	Reset Voice Typing settings or delete speech cache files.
9	Try Voice Typing in different apps or on-screen keyboard.
10	Run SFC and DISM for system file corruption repair.

By following this detailed guide, you should be able to resolve issues with Voice Typing not working on Windows 11 effectively.

If the problem persists, consider contacting Microsoft Support for further assistance.