Voice to Text: Dictation Tips, Commands, and Character Limits

Voice to text (also called speech to text, voice typing, or dictation) lets you speak and instantly turn your words into written text. It is one of the fastest ways to draft emails, notes, captions, and even full articles, especially when you are on mobile or your hands are busy.

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Quick answer / TL;DR

Use built-in dictation first: it is already on your phone and PC.
Speak in short chunks (10-30 seconds), and say punctuation out loud.
Fix obvious errors as you go, then do one focused proofreading pass.
If you are dictating for social, always check character limits before you post.

Voice to text in 60 seconds

Choose a quiet spot and hold your mic 15-25 cm (6-10 in) from your mouth.
Tap the microphone/dictation button where you would normally type.
Speak naturally. Say comma, period, question mark, and new paragraph when needed.
Stop dictation, read the sentence back once, and correct names and numbers.
Paste the final text where you need it, and run a quick character check.

Fast start by device

iPhone/iPad: Tap in a text field, then tap the Dictate (mic) button on the keyboard to start speaking.
Android (Gboard): Tap the mic at the top of the keyboard and speak when you see Speak now.
Windows 11/10: Use Windows key + H to open voice typing, then start dictating in any text box.
Google Docs: Open a doc and go to Tools then Voice typing (in a supported browser), then click the mic.

A no-tool workflow that works anywhere

If you want reliable results without relying on any specific app, use this simple workflow. It is slower by a few seconds, but it prevents most messy transcripts.

Plan one sentence first: Say the idea in your head once before you turn the mic on.
Dictate in blocks: Aim for 1-3 sentences, then stop. Long continuous dictation increases error drift.
Use spoken punctuation: If your tool does not auto-punctuate, you must say it.
Mark unclear words: If a name or term keeps failing, spell it manually after dictation.
Clean up in two passes: First pass fixes obvious mishears; second pass improves flow and removes filler.

When voice to text shines (and when it does not)

Best for: first drafts, brainstorming, walking notes, quick replies, and long captions where typing is slow.
Not ideal for: dense technical formatting, lots of code, or anything that must be perfect on the first pass.

Voice to text for social posts and captions

Dictation is great for writing in a natural voice, but social platforms cut you off when you hit the character limit. Limits can change - check the platform help center for the latest.

Voice to Text Character Limits Table

Where you will paste it	Typical max length	Dictation-friendly tip
X post	280 characters (up to 25,000 for long posts)	Dictate a one-sentence hook first, then stop and trim with your character counter.
LinkedIn post	3,000 characters	Dictate the body, then rewrite the first 200 characters to be punchy before you hit post.
Instagram caption	2,200 characters	Dictate the story, then add hashtags last so you can cut them easily if needed.
Facebook post	5,000 characters	Dictation works well for longer context, but keep the first two lines tight for mobile readers.

Turn voice notes into a blog draft

Repurpose transcripts into structured posts, then trim to the exact character count you need.

Try Blogify

Dictation commands that save time

Most voice to text tools understand spoken punctuation and basic formatting. The exact phrasing can vary, but these commands are common and worth practicing:

Punctuation: comma, period/full stop, question mark, exclamation point, colon, semicolon.
New lines: new line, new paragraph.
Quotes and parentheses: quote, end quote, open parenthesis, close parenthesis.
Capitalization: caps on, caps off (useful for product names and acronyms).

Tip: If your transcript keeps adding extra spaces around punctuation, do not fight it with voice commands. Dictate the idea, then fix spacing with your keyboard in one quick sweep.

Accuracy checklist

Microphone matters: wired earbuds or a close mic usually beat laptop mics in noisy rooms.
Reduce echo: soft surfaces (curtains, rugs) help; avoid speaking toward a bare wall.
Speak phrases, not words: most engines perform better with natural phrasing than with word-by-word dictation.
Say names twice: for people or companies, dictate the name, pause, and repeat it once to improve recognition.
Numbers: dictate numbers slowly and confirm them immediately (dates, prices, addresses).

Editing tricks that keep you moving

Highlight the problem spots: fix proper nouns first (names, brands, places).
Remove filler: cut repeated openers (so, basically, you know) and keep one clear verb per sentence.
Shorten for screens: if the destination is social, rewrite long spoken sentences into 1-2 shorter lines.

Privacy and permissions

Voice to text usually sends audio to a speech recognition service (often controlled by your OS or browser). If you are dictating sensitive information, check your device settings and the app or browser permissions before you start, and consider turning dictation off when you do not need it.

Mistakes to avoid

Dictating in a loud room: background chatter produces confident but wrong words.
Never proofreading: voice typing is fast, but errors slip into names, numbers, and homophones.
Letting one giant paragraph happen: say new paragraph and keep your text scannable.
Forgetting the destination limit: what fits in a doc might not fit in a post.

Repurpose audio and video faster

Turn transcript into post

FAQ

Is voice to text the same as speech to text?

In everyday use, yes. Voice to text usually means real-time dictation, while speech to text can also mean transcribing an audio recording after the fact.

How do I add punctuation while dictating?

Many tools expect you to say punctuation out loud (for example, comma, period, question mark, exclamation point) and formatting like new line and new paragraph.

Can I use voice to text in Google Docs?

Yes. Google Docs has voice typing (in supported browsers) so you can dictate and also use voice commands to edit.

Why is my dictation inaccurate?

Most errors come from noise, a distant microphone, or fast speech. Move closer to the mic, speak in phrases, and correct names and numbers immediately.

Does voice to text work offline?

Sometimes. Some keyboards and devices support offline voice typing for certain languages, but many dictation features use online speech recognition. If offline matters, test it in airplane mode before you rely on it.

What is the fastest way to dictate a caption that fits the limit?

Dictate the caption first, then trim it with a character counter. Save your hashtags or extra context for the end, because that is where cuts are easiest.

From messy transcript to publishable copy

Voice to text gets you a draft fast, but raw transcripts are rarely ready to publish. The next step is turning that spoken draft into a clear structure: headline, sections, and an ending that reads like writing (not like audio).

If you regularly record voice notes, podcasts, meetings, or video scripts, Blogify is built for repurposing those long assets into a structured blog post with a consistent outline-first approach. You can also use it as a repeatable workflow alongside your own editing process.

Turn a transcript into a blog-ready structure faster than starting from a blank page.
Keep a consistent format across posts, even when the source is messy spoken audio.
Speed up repurposing for creators and content teams that publish frequently.

When you are ready, try turning a transcript into a clean blog draft, then tighten the final version to your target character count.

Related reading: Repurposing and Workflows.

Conclusion

Start with built-in dictation, speak in short chunks, and treat your transcript as a fast draft, not a finished product. If your text is headed to social, check the character limit before you post, then do one quick polish pass for clarity.