Use Microsoft Search with your voice in Word to find actions, definitions, files, people, and more. Just say what you’re looking for and Microsoft Search will go to work for you.
You're probably already familiar with Microsoft Search which you can find in most Microsoft 365 apps. In Word, you can discover even more ways to interact with Microsoft Search and make it easier to find what you need. We’ve built Microsoft Search to deliver what you are looking for in the way that you phrase it. Whether you have a long or short query, Microsoft Search can provide you with results.
Notes:
-
To use Microsoft Search with your voice, you must have a computer with a microphone enabled. You must also opt into Microsoft 365 Intelligent Services.
-
Microsoft Search doesn’t store your content or audio data. Microsoft only uses your audio content to provide the search results. For more information about experiences that analyze your content, go to Connected experiences in Microsoft 365.
In this topic
Use your voice to search for and perform an action in Word
Use your voice to search for and apply an action, for example, to quickly format your Word document. In this example, let's insert an icon.
-
In your Word document, select (the microphone button) in the right corner of the Search box. Alternatively, press Alt+Q to place the focus inside the Search box, then press the Right arrow key once, and press Enter.
Note: If this is your first time using Search, you might see a dialog box asking you to opt into Microsoft 365 Intelligent Services. Follow the prompts to opt in.
-
Wait until you see the text in the Search box change to “Listening….” If your computer sound is on, you’ll hear a sound effect when the mic is ready.
-
You can now say what you’re looking for. For example, say: “Insert icon.” Your search term appears in the Search box, and the matching options are shown in a dropdown list. If your computer sound is on, you’ll hear a sound effect when the search has finished.
-
Select the item you’re looking for from the dropdown list. For example, select Insert Icons. The Icons gallery opens. Choose the icon you want to insert.
Note: If the words that appear in the Search box are incorrect, or the search didn’t return what you were looking for, select in the right corner of the Search box to clear the current search term, and try again. You can also send feedback to Microsoft by selecting Help > Feedback.
Try out other search scenarios using your voice
Feel free to experiment and try out a variety of different types of searches and search terms using your voice. You can search in several ways and get accurate results. Searching in one way might bring the result you want higher in the list of search results. You might simply find some search terms better than others. The ones below are just examples, so just say it in the way that works for you.
-
Definitions: To look up a term in the dictionary, try saying “What does [word] mean.” For example, say: "What does iconic mean."
-
Files: To find a file, just say the keywords you're looking for.
-
Help topics: Try asking for a specific Help topic. For example, say “Track changes,” "How to track changes," or "How do I use track changes."
Send us feedback
Send us a smile or a frown and tell us what went well and what to improve.
-
Select Help > Feedback.
-
In the Feedback to Microsoft pane, select I like something, I don't like something, or I have a suggestion.
-
Type your feedback and mention Microsoft Search.
-
When you're ready, select Submit.
