How to control Windows 11 with your voice

Go to Settings > Windows Update and click the button for Check for updates. If the 22H2 update is waiting, click the button for Download and Install. For now, Microsoft is still doling out this update in a staggered way, so it may not yet be available for your PC. 

If you still want to snag the update, head to the Download Windows 11 page. In the section for the Windows 11 Installation Assistant, click the Download now button. Then run the downloaded Windows11 InstallationAssistant.exe file to install the update.

Next, go to Settings > Accessibility > Speech. Turn on the switch for voice access (preview).

A voice access guide pops up, prompting you to set up your microphone. Your default microphone is shown on the screen. If you wish to set up a different one, click the button for Add new microphone. Otherwise, click the right arrow in blue.

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Follow any steps to set up your microphone if they appear. Then click the Start guide button to learn how to use voice access. Say, "Voice access, wake up." Follow the instructions to try different commands and options using your voice.

Windows congratulates you on making it through the guide. To view a list of commands that you can say with voice access, click the View commands button. A screen for voice access commands appears. 

Browse or print the list to read the commands you can say and how to say them. You can also click the link at the top for "Voice access help article" to view a Microsoft support article on the feature.

Now, it's time to try voice access for real. First, you'll want to learn how to turn the feature on and off. Say, "Voice access, wake up" to move from sleep mode to listening mode. Say, "Voice access, sleep" to go from listening mode to sleep mode."

To stop it from listening, say, "Turn off microphone." To turn it on again at this point, click the microphone icon on the voice access toolbar at the top. To turn off the feature and close the toolbar, say, "Turn off voice access." To display the toolbar again, return to Settings > Accessibility > Speech. Turn off the switch for voice access and then turn it on again.

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Next, try navigating Windows and issuing different commands using your voice. You can open an application by saying, "Open [name of app]." For example, say, "Open File Explorer." Once in File Explorer, navigate using your voice. To open a specific folder, say, "Double-click [name of folder]." 

For example, say: "Double-click Pictures." To open a subfolder, say: "Double-click [name of subfolder]." For example, to open a subfolder named Wallpaper in the Pictures folder, say: "Double-click Wallpaper." 

If there are two of the same folders or subfolders visible, Windows asks which one you mean by displaying a number next to each. Say the number for the folder you wish to open.

To open a specific file in the selection folder, say, "Double-click [name of file]." For example, to open a file named Star Trek 05.jpg, say, "Double-click Star Trek 05.jpg."

Next, try dictating text in a document. Let's use Microsoft Word for this. Say, "Open Word." In a new blank document, just start dictating your text. Remember to dictate punctuation marks, navigation commands (such as new line or new paragraph), and formatting commands.

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If you need to move around the document to correct mistakes and format text, say things like, "Go to top," "Move up five times," and "Move after [specific word]." 

To delete a word, say "Delete [word]." To format a word, issue the specific formatting command followed by the word. For example, say, "Capitalize you." If the word appears multiple times in the document, voice access displays a number next to each occurrence. 

Say the number next to the instance you wish to format.

To save the file, use a combination of navigation commands and the numbered grid to select the correct menus and dialog boxes.

If you get stuck figuring out what to say, click the question mark in the upper right of the voice access toolbar. From the menu, you can view all the commands, start the interactive guide, and learn about voice access through Microsoft's support document.

Finally, you can tweak a few key settings for voice access. Click the gear icon in the upper right to change the microphone and manage certain options. Return to Settings > Accessibility > Speech. 

Here, you can turn voice access on and off, set the feature to start every time you sign into Windows, learn how to activate voice typing in text boxes, and use the classic speech recognition tool to interact with Windows.