Google Docs Now Supports Voice. Bye-bye Keyboard!

It has been a while since Google Docs was updated with any new cool feature. Many of us use Google Docs for real-time collaboration purposes but Google wants to change that. The big G wants us to use Google Docs for taking notes and capturing our thoughts. Keeping that in mind, it has now enabled Google Docs with voice support.

Starting today, you will be able to write whatever you want in Google Docs without even typing a single word. Yes, you can keep your keyboard aside and dictate whatever you want to write to Google Docs.

“We launched Voice typing in Docs to help you capture ideas, compose a letter, or even write the next great novel—all without touching your keyboard,” said Google in a blog post.

Besides typing, you can also format and edit your documents with voice on Google Docs now.

It is also very easy to get started with this new ‘Voice’ functionality in Google Docs. When you are using Google Docs using Chrome web browser, just go to ‘Tools’ and select ‘Voice typing’. Now, click on the ‘microphone icon’ that appears on the left side and you’re all set.

You can use various voice commands related to text selection, editing and formatting, insert and edit tables, navigating, and resume voice typing from a particular position.

To check the full list of commands just say ‘Voice commands help’ and you’ll see all the supported voice commands.

“Say what comes to mind—then start editing and formatting with commands like ‘copy’, ‘insert table’, and ‘highlight’,” the blog post mentioned.

Google Docs only support a limited number of commands at the moment, and my experience was not as interactive as it should have been. However, it did recognize my Indian accent without any error, which is impressive. As far as the overall experience is concerned, it will get better with various optimisations over time.

It is always better to dictate whatever is in your mind to somebody. Isn’t it?

Try out the voice functionality in Google Docs today and let us know.