Talking to your computer used to mean training a headset and speaking like a robot. Today there are three practical routes on Windows: the built-in accessibility feature, dictation for typing, and phone-based voice remotes for commands from across the room. They solve different problems, and knowing which is which saves a lot of frustration.
Option 1: Windows Voice access (Windows 11)
Voice access is Windows 11's built-in voice control, and the replacement for the old Windows Speech Recognition, which Microsoft deprecated and began removing from Windows 11 in 2024. Turn it on in Settings → Accessibility → Speech → Voice access. You can say things like "open Edge", "click Save", "scroll down" and "show numbers" (to click anything by number), and dictate into text fields.
Strengths: complete hands-free control of the whole desktop, free, and speech is processed on the device after the language files download. Limits: it listens through the PC's microphone, so it works best with a headset or a mic near you — from a sofa across the room with a TV playing, accuracy drops. Language support is narrower than dictation.
Option 2: Dictation (Windows + H)
Press Win+H in any text box and speak — Windows types it. It's the quickest way to write emails or search queries by voice, but it only types; it won't open apps or press buttons.
Option 3: Phone voice remotes
A phone voice remote uses the phone's microphone — which is in your hand, right next to your mouth — and sends the recognised command to the PC. That makes it far more reliable at couch distance than a PC microphone. SofaDeck works this way: tap the mic button on the deck, say "volume down", "pause", "close window" or the name of any button you've made, and release. See the full command list.
Strengths: great accuracy from across a room, push-to-talk so nothing listens by accident, and your own buttons become voice commands automatically. Limits: it runs commands you've defined rather than letting you click anything on screen, and the speech-to-text is done by the phone browser's speech service.
Which one should you use?
| Situation | Best fit |
|---|---|
| You can't use a mouse or keyboard at all | Voice access (plus other accessibility tools) |
| Writing a lot of text | Dictation (Win+H) or Voice access |
| Controlling media and apps from the sofa | A phone voice remote |
| Hands busy with a controller or instrument | A phone voice remote on a stand, or Voice access with a headset |
Getting better recognition, whichever you use
- Use a decent microphone close to you — a headset for Voice access, the phone itself for a phone remote.
- Turn down background audio when you speak, or use push-to-talk.
- Keep commands short and distinct; rename buttons that sound alike.
- For Voice access, a USB headset with a noise-cancelling mic makes a bigger difference than any setting.
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If you're setting up voice control for accessibility reasons, our accessible PC control guide goes further.
Sources
Frequently asked questions
How do I control my PC with my voice on Windows 11?
Turn on Voice access in Settings → Accessibility → Speech. It uses your PC's microphone to open apps, click things by name, scroll and dictate. For short commands from across a room, a phone-based voice remote such as SofaDeck is often more reliable because the microphone is in your hand.
Is Windows Speech Recognition still available?
Microsoft deprecated the classic Windows Speech Recognition and began removing it from Windows 11 in the second half of 2024, pointing users to Voice access instead. Windows 10 still includes it.
What's the difference between dictation and voice control?
Dictation (Windows + H) types what you say into the current text box. Voice control runs commands: open an app, press a button, change the volume. Many tools do both.