Speech-to-text can be a convenient tool on a variety of devices, but inaccurate transcriptions can be maddening. Sometimes it takes longer to correct the errors than to just have typed it in the first place.
In this post, we’ll cover some ways to improve speech recognition accuracy with the built-in tools on:
- Android
- iPhone/iPad
- Windows PCs
- Mac computers
Opinions vary on the efficiency and accuracy of built-in speech-to-text tools across platforms, but they are a good place to start. At the end of this post, I’ll provide some links for researching speech-to-text tools beyond what’s built into your device.
Tips That Improve Speech Recognition on Any Device
Use a Better Microphone
Your microphone is clear. Built-in microphones work, but external mics or earbuds often sound clearer. Bluetooth headsets can reduce room echo. Avoid cheap microphones with static or muffled audio.
You may want to test your microphone in a quiet room before using dictation regularly.
Reduce Background Noise
- Turn off TVs or fans
- Move away from traffic or crowds. Beeping horns and overlapping voices can confuse speech systems.
- Avoid speakerphone mode
Speak Naturally and Clearly
- Don’t shout
- Don’t speak too fast
- Enunciate
- Pause briefly between sentences
Enable Automatic Punctuation
Many modern systems can automatically add:
- Commas
- Periods
- Question marks
If punctuation does not appear automatically, check your device’s documentation to learn how to turn it on. Microsoft, Android, Apple iPhone, and Mac all document punctuation support in their dictation systems.
Add Words to the Device Dictionary
Some words are tough for generic models to understand. For example:
- Names: This Tech-Talk article details how to update your contacts to include pronunciations
- Technical terms
- Slang
For example, if your device always misunderstands your company name, adding it to your personal dictionary may help. Here is another Tech Tips article about customizing your device’s dictionary.
Keep Software Updated
AI speech models are continually being improved. Updating your software ensures that you have the latest and greatest recognition tools available.
Improve Speech Recognition on Android
- Check Your Voice Typing Settings:
- Settings > System > Keyboard > On-screen keyboard > Turn on Google Voice Typing
- Tap Gboard > Voice typing and turn on: faster voice typing, advanced features, and add punctuation.
- The Getting started voice typing support page has more information about the available settings. iOS is also listed as a tab for those who use the Gboard keyboard on iPhone or in Chrome.
- Advanced voice typing features support page. These features may not be available on all Android phones.
You can also turn on Voice Match to train it to your voice specifically.
Improve Speech Recognition on iPhone/iPad
- Turn Dictation On. Settings > General > Keyboard > Enable Dictation. Troubleshooting tip: turn dictation off and on again. More information about Dictation
- Use Voice Control for Advanced Recognition. Accessibility > Voice Control. Note: this turns off standard dictation. Learn more about Voice Control
- Speak Near the Microphone. The ideal distance is 6-12 inches away
- Correct Errors Regularly. iOS learns from corrections over time (to a limited degree). This discussion thread contains detailed instructions for correcting transcription errors.
Similar to Android, you can train (or re-train) Siri to recognize your voice.
Improve Speech Recognition on Windows
Before Windows 11, there was a version of voice recognition that has since been retired. To ensure the best possible results, confirm you are using Voice Access.
Voice Access is a robust app that not only assists with dictation, but also contains commands for controlling your device. If you are interested in learning more, check out this Microsoft article titled Getting Started with Voice Access.
To train your computer to better understand you, go to Control Panel > Ease of Access > Speech Recognition > Train your computer to better understand you. Note: You must search Windows to access the Control Panel. On the Ease of Access page, search for “speech recognition” to find those options.
Improve Speech Recognition on Mac
To activate speech recognition on a Mac, open the Apple menu and select System Settings. Select Keyboard in the left menu and activate the toggle in the Dictation section to turn it on. Although older articles mention enabling “Enhanced Dictation” to enable offline use and improve speed, I could not find this option in the latest macOS.
Here is some more information on using Dictation on a Mac, along with an article for troubleshooting dictation.
If you’d like to take it to the next level and control your device with your voice, you may opt to use Voice Control instead. Voice Control has many customization options, including changing command words.
Beyond Built-In Tools
If the built-in speech recognition tools on your device don’t perform as you need them to, there are both free and paid aftermarket apps you can install to take on this task. Here is an article from Medium about third-party speech recognition platforms. This article from Zapier highlights additional speech recognition options.
Summary
Each of the devices we’ve highlighted has a native speech recognition functionality that you may find useful. Good microphone quality, minimized background noise, speaking naturally, and platform-specific customization tools can work together to improve your speech-to-text experience.
