Controlling your computer with a mouse and keyboard can often be inconvenient or impossible. Windows includes a program called Speech Recognition as an alternative to traditional input methods. After turning on Speech Recognition and training your computer to respond to your voice, opening programs and controlling your desktop can feel more natural than it did before. Speech Recognition enables you to perform many computing tasks, such as opening programs, handling files, minimizing windows and dictating text.
Training Your PC
Enable your computer to respond to voice input by setting up a microphone. Plug your microphone into your computer and then open Control Panel by holding down the “Windows” key, pressing “X” and clicking “Control Panel.” Choose “Ease of Access,” select “Speech Recognition” and click “Set Up Microphone” to start the setup wizard, which guides you through the process of testing your microphone's volume and dictating commands to your computer. As you read the speech prompts from the setup wizard, Speech Recognition learns the subtleties of your voice, including your regional accent and inflection.
Learning Your Way Around
Familiarize yourself with Speech Recognition by taking the built-in tutorial. Launch the tutorial by clicking “Take Speech Tutorial” and then follow the on-screen instructions. The tutorial walks you through the orientation process by providing simple examples of Speech Recognition's uses, such as opening and closing windows and turning Speech Recognition on and off. If you're ever unsure of a command, view a list of possible phrases by saying “What can I say?” A list of commands pops up from the Speech Recognition icon in the system tray.
Opening Applications
Open a program from a desktop shortcut by saying “Double-click” followed by the program's name. For example, open Internet Explorer by saying “Double-click Internet Explorer.” Alternatively, open a program from a taskbar shortcut by saying “Click” and then the program's name. This method is analogous to opening a program using mouse clicks. To open a program without a desktop shortcut, say “Start” followed by the program's name. For example, say “Start Internet Explorer.” This method also works when the program's shortcut is on your desktop, and it can save a significant amount of time compared to locating a shortcut with the Search charm.
Working with Multiple Programs
When using more than one program at a time, navigating between windows can become a little more complicated. To help you remember essential commands without opening another pop-up window, make a cheat sheet by printing the Speech Recognition reference card, which contains commonly used methods and commands. From the Ease of Access Center in Control Panel, click “Open the Speech Reference Card,” choose “Controlling Your PC with Speech Recognition” and click “Print.” The basic command for switching between open programs is the “Switch” command. For example, say “Switch to Internet Explorer” to bring that program's window above the others.