Dictate better: six habits for clean text on the first try
Talking to your computer takes just a few days to learn. Six simple habits for text that's ready to send, with no editing.
· 2 min read
Voice dictation changes the way you write, but for the first few days, you find yourself searching for words. The good news: a few habits are all it takes for your text to come out clean the very first time.
1. Think your sentence, then speak
No need to recite. Give yourself a second to know where you're headed, then say it in one go. Hesitations ("um", "so, like") are removed, but a clear idea makes for clear text.
2. Talk like you're talking to someone
A natural tone is understood best. No need to over-enunciate or slow down: speak as if you were explaining something to a colleague.
3. Leave punctuation to Speedy Flow
Periods, commas and capital letters are added for you.
4. Add your proper nouns to the dictionary
Clients, products, acronyms: add them once, or correct them after a dictation, and they'll always be spelled right.
A well-stocked dictionary is the difference between "almost right" and "perfect".
5. Pick a Speed for each app
You don't write an email the way you text a friend. Assign a Speed to each app — formal for Mail, relaxed for WhatsApp — and the same dictated text adapts on its own.
6. Hold fn down, release when you're done
Hold fn while you speak and let go at the end: the text is inserted wherever your cursor is. For a long dictation, there's no rush — the recording waits for you to finish your sentence.
