Speech to text
Speech to text, online and free
Dictate in your browser and watch your speech become text in real time, in 12 languages. Copy the result anywhere. It's a live preview of what voice typing feels like.
Press Start dictation, allow the microphone, and start speaking. Your words appear here in real time.
This demo uses your browser's built-in speech engine, which may send audio to the browser vendor's servers. For fully offline, on-device dictation that types into any app, use OpenBroca.
Turn your voice into text in real time
Press start, allow the microphone, and speak naturally — your words are transcribed live as you talk, with interim results shown in grey before they're finalised. Pick from a dozen languages, keep dictating across pauses, and copy the finished text into an email, document, or message. It's a fast way to draft hands-free or just to see how accurate modern speech recognition has become.
Browser speech-to-text vs OpenBroca
This tool uses your browser's built-in Web Speech API. It's great for a quick demo, but it has real limits:
- It only types into this page — not into your editor, chat, or terminal.
- Support is uneven: it works best in Chrome and Edge and is missing in some browsers entirely.
- Depending on the browser, your audio may be sent to the vendor's servers to be recognised.
OpenBroca fixes all three: it types into any app system-wide, runs on macOS, Windows, and Linux, and can recognise speech fully on-device so your audio never leaves your machine. Read more about offline speech-to-text or open-source dictation.
Tips for better accuracy
- Use a decent microphone in a quiet room.
- Speak at a steady, natural pace — no need to over-enunciate.
- Pick the language and accent variant that matches your speech.
- Say punctuation explicitly (e.g. “comma”) where the engine supports it.
Frequently asked questions
- Is this speech-to-text free?
- Yes. It's free, requires no account, and has no usage limits — it uses the speech engine already built into your browser.
- Does it work offline?
- Not reliably — most browsers send audio to the vendor's servers for recognition. For truly offline, on-device dictation, OpenBroca can run local models so your audio never leaves your machine.
- Why doesn't it work in my browser?
- The Web Speech API isn't available everywhere — Firefox and some browsers don't ship it. Use the latest Chrome or Edge, or install OpenBroca for cross-platform dictation.
- What languages are supported?
- This demo offers 12 common languages including English, Spanish, French, German, Chinese, Japanese, and more. OpenBroca supports many more through its choice of recognition providers.
- Can I dictate into other apps with this?
- No — the browser tool only types into this page. OpenBroca delivers recognised text into whatever app is focused, system-wide on macOS, Windows, and Linux.
More free tools
- Microphone test
- Mic test — record & playback
- Online voice recorder
- Text to speech
- Speaking speed (WPM) test
- Speech time calculator
- Background noise test
- Speaker & headphone test
See all free voice & audio tools, or learn about OpenBroca.