Dictate emails in Outlook on Windows

Set up the first dictation

Select the microphone in Menu and choose your processing source under Model. Open a new message in Outlook and place the cursor in its editable message body.

Check the dictation shortcut in Settings. Hold it while speaking in Hold mode. In Activate / stop mode use it once to begin and again to finish. Keep the destination field focused until the result is ready.

• Use a short test message before drafting an important reply.
• If the text appears in the result panel, choose Copy and paste it into the message.
• Check the settings on your device instead of assuming a default shortcut.

Use Mail instructions when they help

Open Mode to edit the Mail preset. Associate its instructions with your Windows email app if you want that app to select them automatically when an editable field is detected.

Mail instructions ask the Assistant to turn spoken notes into a clear email while preserving the facts and tone. Local Mode uses an installed Qwen Assistant model. Cloud and OpenAI KEY use their corresponding online text processing. Keep that extra step in mind when comparing the waiting time.

Speak the facts before polishing the sentence

Give the recipient, purpose and next step. Then add the details that must remain exact. A brief such as the example below is easier to review than a long stream of corrections.

After dictation, read the draft against those facts. Check names and attachments. Make sure a possible date has not become a firm promise.

Review the draft in the email app

Use the keyboard for small changes after the draft arrives. Read it once as the recipient before sending. Judge the workflow by the effort needed to produce that finished message rather than an assumed words-per-minute saving.

Outlook also has Microsoft's own Dictate feature. Its setup and availability differ from using a WhisperARC shortcut. Microsoft's guide is linked below if you want to compare the two routes.