speech to text app chrome

Voice In - Speech-To-Text Dictation

1.7K ratings

Use dictation to type in 10k+ sites in 50+ languages. VoiceIn transcribes your speech to text in real time.

Voice In enables voice typing --- it makes it easy to type in the browser using voice-to-text. Whether it is writing emails in Gmail, answering assignments in Classroom, responding to customer tickets, replying to chats or learning pronunciations, Voice In Speech-To-Text capability lets you do them all using your voice. For more information, visit https://dictanote.co/voicein/ WORKS WHERE YOU DO Voice In for Chrome allows you to use the power of speech recognition to type emails in Gmail or write blog posts on Wordpress or send messages in Slack. Voice In works in Gmail, Outlook, web-based CRMs and EHRs, dating sites, Teladoc, and in any site that contains a text box. TRUSTED BY THOUSANDS OF USERS Voice In is trusted by 300K+ users across more than 50 countries who record over 5 million minutes every month. Students, journalists, salespeople, medical professionals, elders, and anyone who wants to work more effectively use Voice In daily. FREE TO USE Our Basic plan comes with everything you need to dictate for free. DICTATE IN 40+ LANGUAGES Voice In recognizes 40+ languages including Portuguese, Italiano, Deutsch, Français​. You can also use Voice In to practice your pronunciation in all these languages. VOICE IN IN THE NEWS "If you’ve ever been using a website and wished it had a voice input, now you can add one yourself." – LifeHacker SUPPORT Would love to hear your feedback! If a particular site does not work or you have feedback, email us at [email protected]

4.4 out of 5 1.7K ratings Google doesn't verify reviews. Learn more about results and reviews.

Jason Safoutin Mar 31, 2024

Far too expensive to pay for. I have been using this extension for years. it used to be free. Now you only get 60 mins free, then you get locked out. What a shame.

Nicholas Shears Mar 30, 2024

i needed this

Voice In - Speech-To-Text Dictation handles the following:

This developer declares that your data is.

• Not being sold to third parties, outside of the approved use cases
• Not being used or transferred for purposes that are unrelated to the item's core functionality
• Not being used or transferred to determine creditworthiness or for lending purposes

For help with questions, suggestions, or problems, visit the developer's support site

SpeechAgent - Live Voice Typing

Speech to text converter to fill active text area with your voice using the built-in speech recognition engine of your browser

Speech to text

Helps to convert speech into text

DictationBox

Live Speech and Commands Recognition using DictationBox. Click on DictationBox extension icon and start dictation, that simple.

Speech Recognition Anywhere 365

Use Voice Recognition to fill out forms and dictate email with speech to text. Control the Internet with custom voice commands!

Talk & Write

A listening notepad

Speech Recognition Anywhere

Speech to Text (Voice Recognition)

An easy to use speech synthesis and recognition tool for your browser!

Voice Typing

Use your voice to type on any website

Speech to Text

Speech recognizer application to keep it as text.

V2T: Voice To Text

Use speech recognition to convert your voice to text on any tab without typing

ChatGPT専用”生成AIプロンプト研究所”プラグイン版

ChatGPT用プロンプト登録サイト”ChatGPTプロンプト研究所”のプラグイン版です。各種便利機能を多数搭載してます。（このプロンプトは日本語特化です）

This extension listens to you and copies what you said to the clipboard.

10 Best Speech to Text Chrome Extensions (Complete List)

Saving time and effort with Notta, starting from today!

For any online work, typing is essential. But if you have limited mobility, injuries that affect your typing, or your brain works faster than your hands, it can feel time-consuming.

As a writer, I spend hours at my desk writing down ideas, structuring my work, and turning it into finished articles like this one. But even with my ergonomic keyboard, typing hurts my hands and sometimes speaking my ideas out loud is quicker than typing.

That’s where dictation comes in handy. Using a dictation Chrome extension means you can speak into a microphone and speech recognition software writes it out for you (without the need to slog over your keyboard).

I’ve researched and tested several extensions to see how they stack up. Here’s a list of the 10 best speech to text Chrome extensions, complete with a list of features, drawbacks, and pricing information.

The 10 Best Speech to Text Extensions for Chrome

Best for transcribing web page audio

With our Chrome extension, you can turn any web-based audio into text with up to 98.86% accuracy. Download the Notta extension from the Chrome web store and transcribe any web page containing speech audio . This is handy for turning YouTube videos, podcasts, or webinars into text. Just like our Web app, the extension supports 58 languages. When you’re finished recording, your transcript is saved to your Notta dashboard where you can edit, summarize, share, and export it.

Notta Features

Up to 98.98% accuracy with high-quality audio

Lightweight Chrome extension

Notta AI summarizes transcription 

Condense transcript into chapters and actionable insights with Notta AI

Export in a variety of formats including TXT, SRT, PDF, and Excel

Share with your team to collaborate via a URL or invite

Transcriptions are encrypted to protect your data

Notta Drawbacks

Only records web page audio—-you’ll need to open Notta for Web to record from your microphone

Notta Pricing

There’s a free subscription that provides 120 minutes of transcription per month (though it limits transcription duration per recording to 3 or 5 minutes). Paid accounts start at $8.25 per month, billed annually.

Notta's transcription turns your spoken interactions into searchable text. One-click to record client priorities and replay conversations whenever, wherever. With Notta, your voice and ideas are always at your fingertips.

Try it Free Now

2. Speech to Text

Best for basic transcription in a multitude of dialects

Simplistic dictation extension that records from your microphone and types into a floating window. There are no frills with this tool—type in plain text with your voice and copy it using the standard keyboard shortcuts (ctrl/command + C). You can switch tabs and Speech to Text continues to dictate in real-time. There’s a wide range of languages with regional variants, such as Spanish for Mexico, Argentina, Spain, and many more.

Speech to Text Features

Wide range of languages and regional dialects

Extremely minimal interface

‘Non-destructive’ dictation—it only types in the designated window so you’ll avoid unwanted typing as you switch tabs

Speech to Text Drawbacks

There are no options to add punctuation or formatting—you’ll have to type these manually

Speech to Text Pricing

This lightweight tool is completely free, no account required

3. Transkriptor: Transcribe Audio to Text

Best for creating automatic subtitle files

Transkriptor has over 70,000 downloads from the Chrome web store. It’s a feature-rich extension that transcribes speech from your browser, an audio or video file, or from a URL.

Transkriptor has a unique feature where you can choose the format of your transcript in plain text, subtitles, or separated speakers , depending on how you plan to use it. When your transcription is complete, ask the AI chat questions to interact with your transcript . Handy for creating highlights or getting clarity on a specific point.

Transkriptor Features

Resize transcript font with a slider bar

Translate the transcript using Google Translate (in-built)

Several recording options including browser tabs, windows, and screens

Toggle system sounds on or off (this could be helpful if transcribing a video on another screen, for example)

Download transcripts in TXT, SRT, and copy to your clipboard

Transkriptor Drawbacks

Transcription speed is quite slow compared with other options

You can’t download transcripts on a free account

Transkriptor Pricing

The free trial gives you 90 minutes worth of transcription. Upgrade to Pro for $4.99 per month, billed annually.

4. SpeechText.AI: Record, Capture & Transcribe

Best for quick self-recording and basic transcription  

When you install SpeechText.AI from the Chrome Web Store, choose from three functions which each open a new tab. Record your microphone for instant playback and download as an MP3—helpful to quickly share thoughts and ideas. Capture your browser audio and download it directly to your device. Then upload these files to the dashboard to transcribe them—SpeechText.AI offers unique export formats such as ODT, RTF, and HTML among others.

SpeechText.AI Features

Record directly from your microphone into the browser

Capture any browser audio and download to your device instantly

Fast and accurate transcription

SpeechText.AI Drawbacks

SpeechText.AI can’t capture audio from YouTube

You can’t sign up with Google or other accounts, just email

You can’t preview your transcript before downloading it

SpeechText.AI Pricing

For start with 15 minutes of free transcription, then pay for what you use. Pricing starts at $10 for 180 minutes.

5. Speechnotes Voice Typing

Best for quick, accurate typing on many web pages

Speechnotes offers both dictation and transcription services. With its Chrome dictation extension, you can type with your voice on most websites that have a text box. It’s quite simple—after you’ve installed it, click to activate. You’ll see a floating microphone button that you click to start and stop recording. In quiet environments, Speechnotes boast over 90% accuracy in a variety of languages. This could be invaluable for people who find it easier to speak than type by hand, whether that’s from a chronic condition or injury, or need to get ideas out quickly!

Speechnotes Features

Over 90% accurate

No account required

Floating start/stop icon makes it easy to control when to dictate

Captions show up in real-time as you speak

Types on a web page or into an individual text box which you can copy in a click

Speechnotes Drawbacks

Doesn’t work on popular sites like Google Docs or WhatsApp web—possibly because they have their own in-built speech to text options

Speechnotes Pricing

Completely free to use

Best for controlling web pages with your voice

For ultimate control over your browser and web pages, install Lipsurf’s Chrome extension to use its advanced speech to text voice recognition. If you can’t use your hands to type or mouse, but want the same level of flexibility, there’s a huge range of commands. Control your tabs, scroll websites, click links and control media playback. There are inbuilt plugins for popular websites such as Reddit, Google Sheets, and Gmail for customized functionality.

Lipsurf Features

Start recording your voice at the click of a button or set a ‘wake word’

Set your own custom commands using your voice

A wide range of language and dialect options

Language switching option if you speak multiple languages

Fast and responsive, even with complex commands

A helpful, comprehensive guide to using commands in Lipsurf

Annotate elements of a website with your voice for easier navigation

Lipsurf Drawbacks

The sheer number of commands feels overwhelming

Lipsurf Pricing

There’s a free basic option for most of the commands. If you want access to features like the ‘wake word’, you can pay for the Pro version. It’s affordable at $3 per month, billed annually.

7. Speech Recognition Anywhere 365

Best for dictation when you’re focused on a single task

If you need dictation and basic control using voice commands, Speech Recognition Anywhere 365 could be what you’re after. Click the extension icon to open a new window that activates your microphone. There’s a helpful guide with a list of voice commands and formatting options. Talk and the app will dictate in real-time, typing on any website that has a text box. It has a unique feature that can read text back to you , too. This tool would be handy for reading and writing emails, sending customer messages in a CRM, or any task where you aren’t switching around to different tabs.

Speech Recognition Anywhere 365 Features

Large range of languages and dialects

Comprehensive written guide for formatting and commands

Types on any web page

Can read text back to you in an AI-powered voice

Basic controls such as annotating and navigating web pages

Speech Recognition Anywhere 365 Drawbacks

Recording only stays active when the Speech Recognition Anywhere 365 webpage is open—it’s easy to accidentally close it and stop recording

It continues to listen and type no matter what web page you’re viewing, so you might accidentally type unwanted speech

Speech Recognition Anywhere 365 Pricing

Speech Recognition Anywhere 365 is reasonably priced at $14.99 per year.

8. DictationBox

Best for voice typing with custom shortcuts

Speak into your microphone and DictationBox writes what you say into a floating text box, without typing into your open webpages, making it helpful to jot down ideas that you can copy wherever you’d like. This voice to text Chrome extension has a unique voice-powered text expander feature to make quick work of repetitive typing. Set a trigger phrase and type what you want it to write when you say the phrase. This could be useful for writing an email signature or answering common support questions.

DictationBox Features

Speech recognition in over 100 languages

Lightweight, easy to use extension

Unlimited custom commands

One-click to copy your dictated text

DictationBox Drawbacks

No options to format your transcription

DictationBox Pricing

DictationBox is completely free and unlimited to use.

9. Voice In Voice Typing

Best if you need flexible dictation formatting across multiple websites

This talk to text Chrome extension made by Dictanote has over 400,000 downloads in the Chrome web store. It’s a lightweight addition to your browser to dictate your speech as text on thousands of websites including Discord, Gmail, and Google Docs. This could simplify replying to emails, sending Slack messages, and posting social media captions. There’s an expansive guide with commands to help you format your text with punctuation, emojis, and more , just by talking.

Voice In Features

Dictates in real time

Dictation in over 50 languages

Works in thousands of websites

Lightweight, non-intrusive extension

Voice In Drawbacks

You can’t switch browser tabs and continue recording with the free plan

Voice In Pricing

There’s a free plan for basic dictation. If you’d like to use advanced features like continuous recording while switching tabs, you can buy Premium for $3.33 a month, billed annually. For lifetime access, there’s a one-off option for $99.99.

10. Speech to Text

This lightweight tool is completely free, no account required.

FAQS about the Best Speech to Text Extension for Chrome

What is the best chrome speech-to-text extension.

We’d recommend the Notta Chrome extension to dictate speech from web-based audio and videos. It has a lightweight interface and transcribes audio with one click in a wide range of supported languages. 

If you want to record and dictate your own voice, we’d suggest Voice In —you can type using your voice wherever there’s a text box and it supports over 50 languages.

What is the Free Chrome Extension that Transcribes Audio to Text?

From the voice typing Chrome extensions we’ve provided, we’d recommend Notta or Speechtext.AI to create a transcription from audio. These tools provide speaker tags, timestamps, and advanced editing options, plus you can export in a variety of formats like TXT or SRT.

How Do I Turn on Voice Typing in Google Docs?

Open a document in Google Docs.

Plug in your microphone.

Go to ‘ Tools ’ > ‘ Voice Typing ’.

Choose your language from the drop down menu.

Click the ‘ microphone ’ icon to arm it, ready for recording.

Speak into your microphone and Google will begin dictating in real time.

Google Docs also supports basic formatting with voice commands—read their comprehensive guide for full voice typing functionality.

What Is the Best Speech-to-Text Add On for Firefox?

Helperbird is a speech-to-text Firefox addon that can dictate your speech and turn it into text. It floats above your browser window—speak into your microphone and Helperbird types your speech as text, ready for you to copy with one click. Other features include colored rulers and overlays and text-to-speech, designed to benefit people with Dyslexia. Voice typing is a paid feature, starting at $40 a year.

Does Google Meet Have Transcription?

You can obtain a transcript of any Google Meet Meeting without a Google dictation extension if you pay for Google One Premium or have a business account. Start by recording your meeting and enable transcription when prompted. When the meeting’s over, you and every guest will receive an email with a copy of the transcript in Google Docs—although it expires after three months unless you copy it to another folder.

No matter what kind of dictation you need, there are several voice typing Chrome extensions in the Chrome Web store that put the convenience of voice typing a few clicks away. There are extensions for dictating your speech in real-time through your microphone, capturing and transcribing web-based audio, and even the ability to control websites with your voice. Pretty handy, especially if you’re multitasking!

When you’re ready, give Notta transcription a try.

Notta understands the value of your time. Automated workflows powered by AI accelerate bulk jobs and standard requests at an affordable self-service rate.

Chrome Extension

Help Center

vs Otter.ai

vs Fireflies.ai

vs Happy Scribe

vs Sonix.ai

Integrations

Microsoft Teams

Google Meet

Google Drive

Audio to Text Converter

Online Video Converter

Online Audio Converter

Online Vocal Remover

YouTube Video Summarizer

Speech to Text - Voice Typing & Transcription

Take notes with your voice for free, or automatically transcribe audio & video recordings. secure, accurate & blazing fast..

~ Proudly serving millions of users since 2015 ~

I need to >

Dictate Notes

Start taking notes, on our online voice-enabled notepad right away, for free.

Transcribe Recordings

Automatically transcribe audios & videos - upload files from your device or link to an online resource (Drive, YouTube, TikTok and more).

Speechnotes is a reliable and secure web-based speech-to-text tool that enables you to quickly and accurately transcribe your audio and video recordings, as well as dictate your notes instead of typing, saving you time and effort. With features like voice commands for punctuation and formatting, automatic capitalization, and easy import/export options, Speechnotes provides an efficient and user-friendly dictation and transcription experience. Proudly serving millions of users since 2015, Speechnotes is the go-to tool for anyone who needs fast, accurate & private transcription. Our Portfolio of Complementary Speech-To-Text Tools Includes:

Voice typing - Chrome extension

Dictate instead of typing on any form & text-box across the web. Including on Gmail, and more.

Transcription API & webhooks

Speechnotes' API enables you to send us files via standard POST requests, and get the transcription results sent directly to your server.

Zapier integration

Combine the power of automatic transcriptions with Zapier's automatic processes. Serverless & codeless automation! Connect with your CRM, phone calls, Docs, email & more.

Android Speechnotes app

Speechnotes' notepad for Android, for notes taking on your mobile, battle tested with more than 5Million downloads. Rated 4.3+ ⭐

iOS TextHear app

TextHear for iOS, works great on iPhones, iPads & Macs. Designed specifically to help people with hearing impairment participate in conversations. Please note, this is a sister app - so it has its own pricing plan.

Audio & video converting tools

Tools developed for fast - batch conversions of audio files from one type to another and extracting audio only from videos for minimizing uploads.

Our Sister Apps for Text-To-Speech & Live Captioning

Complementary to Speechnotes

Reads out loud texts, files & web pages

Reads out loud texts, PDFs, e-books & websites for free

Speechlogger

Live Captioning & Translation

Live captions & translations for online meetings, webinars, and conferences.

Need Human Transcription? We Can Offer a 10% Discount Coupon

We do not provide human transcription services ourselves, but, we partnered with a UK company that does. Learn more on human transcription and the 10% discount .

Dictation Notepad

Start taking notes with your voice for free

Speech to Text online notepad. Professional, accurate & free speech recognizing text editor. Distraction-free, fast, easy to use web app for dictation & typing.

Speechnotes is a powerful speech-enabled online notepad, designed to empower your ideas by implementing a clean & efficient design, so you can focus on your thoughts. We strive to provide the best online dictation tool by engaging cutting-edge speech-recognition technology for the most accurate results technology can achieve today, together with incorporating built-in tools (automatic or manual) to increase users' efficiency, productivity and comfort. Works entirely online in your Chrome browser. No download, no install and even no registration needed, so you can start working right away.

Speechnotes is especially designed to provide you a distraction-free environment. Every note, starts with a new clear white paper, so to stimulate your mind with a clean fresh start. All other elements but the text itself are out of sight by fading out, so you can concentrate on the most important part - your own creativity. In addition to that, speaking instead of typing, enables you to think and speak it out fluently, uninterrupted, which again encourages creative, clear thinking. Fonts and colors all over the app were designed to be sharp and have excellent legibility characteristics.

Example use cases

• Voice typing
• Writing notes, thoughts
• Medical forms - dictate
• Transcribers (listen and dictate)

Transcription Service

Start transcribing

Fast turnaround - results within minutes. Includes timestamps, auto punctuation and subtitles at unbeatable price. Protects your privacy: no human in the loop, and (unlike many other vendors) we do NOT keep your audio. Pay per use, no recurring payments. Upload your files or transcribe directly from Google Drive, YouTube or any other online source. Simple. No download or install. Just send us the file and get the results in minutes.

• Transcribe interviews
• Captions for Youtubes & movies
• Auto-transcribe phone calls or voice messages
• Students - transcribe lectures
• Podcasters - enlarge your audience by turning your podcasts into textual content
• Text-index entire audio archives

Key Advantages

Speechnotes is powered by the leading most accurate speech recognition AI engines by Google & Microsoft. We always check - and make sure we still use the best. Accuracy in English is very good and can easily reach 95% accuracy for good quality dictation or recording.

Lightweight & fast

Both Speechnotes dictation & transcription are lightweight-online no install, work out of the box anywhere you are. Dictation works in real time. Transcription will get you results in a matter of minutes.

Super Private & Secure!

Super private - no human handles, sees or listens to your recordings! In addition, we take great measures to protect your privacy. For example, for transcribing your recordings - we pay Google's speech to text engines extra - just so they do not keep your audio for their own research purposes.

Health advantages

Typing may result in different types of Computer Related Repetitive Strain Injuries (RSI). Voice typing is one of the main recommended ways to minimize these risks, as it enables you to sit back comfortably, freeing your arms, hands, shoulders and back altogether.

Saves you time

Need to transcribe a recording? If it's an hour long, transcribing it yourself will take you about 6! hours of work. If you send it to a transcriber - you will get it back in days! Upload it to Speechnotes - it will take you less than a minute, and you will get the results in about 20 minutes to your email.

Saves you money

Speechnotes dictation notepad is completely free - with ads - or a small fee to get it ad-free. Speechnotes transcription is only $0.1/minute, which is X10 times cheaper than a human transcriber! We offer the best deal on the market - whether it's the free dictation notepad ot the pay-as-you-go transcription service.

Dictation - Free

• Online dictation notepad
• Voice typing Chrome extension

Dictation - Premium

• Premium online dictation notepad
• Premium voice typing Chrome extension
• Support from the development team

Transcription

$0.1 /minute.

• Pay as you go - no subscription
• Audio & video recordings
• Speaker diarization in English
• Generate captions .srt files
• REST API, webhooks & Zapier integration

Compare plans

Privacy policy.

We at Speechnotes, Speechlogger, TextHear, Speechkeys value your privacy, and that's why we do not store anything you say or type or in fact any other data about you - unless it is solely needed for the purpose of your operation. We don't share it with 3rd parties, other than Google / Microsoft for the speech-to-text engine.

Privacy - how are the recordings and results handled?

- transcription service.

Our transcription service is probably the most private and secure transcription service available.

• HIPAA compliant.
• No human in the loop. No passing your recording between PCs, emails, employees, etc.
• Secure encrypted communications (https) with and between our servers.
• Recordings are automatically deleted from our servers as soon as the transcription is done.
• Our contract with Google / Microsoft (our speech engines providers) prohibits them from keeping any audio or results.
• Transcription results are securely kept on our secure database. Only you have access to them - only if you sign in (or provide your secret credentials through the API)
• You may choose to delete the transcription results - once you do - no copy remains on our servers.

- Dictation notepad & extension

For dictation, the recording & recognition - is delegated to and done by the browser (Chrome / Edge) or operating system (Android). So, we never even have access to the recorded audio, and Edge's / Chrome's / Android's (depending the one you use) privacy policy apply here.

The results of the dictation are saved locally on your machine - via the browser's / app's local storage. It never gets to our servers. So, as long as your device is private - your notes are private.

Payments method privacy

The whole payments process is delegated to PayPal / Stripe / Google Pay / Play Store / App Store and secured by these providers. We never receive any of your credit card information.

More generic notes regarding our site, cookies, analytics, ads, etc.

• We may use Google Analytics on our site - which is a generic tool to track usage statistics.
• We use cookies - which means we save data on your browser to send to our servers when needed. This is used for instance to sign you in, and then keep you signed in.
• For the dictation tool - we use your browser's local storage to store your notes, so you can access them later.
• Non premium dictation tool serves ads by Google. Users may opt out of personalized advertising by visiting Ads Settings . Alternatively, users can opt out of a third-party vendor's use of cookies for personalized advertising by visiting https://youradchoices.com/
• In case you would like to upload files to Google Drive directly from Speechnotes - we'll ask for your permission to do so. We will use that permission for that purpose only - syncing your speech-notes to your Google Drive, per your request.

• Services & Software

How to use Chrome's speech-to-text

Chrome 11 comes with a new feature that converts your mellifluous voice into surprisingly accurate text in the browser, and we've got a quick guide on how to use it.

Google has introduced a way that you can talk to your browser, as long as that browser is Chrome. It won't talk back, but it will do your bidding. These instructions cover the basics of the new speech-to-text feature, which is functional but has yet to be implemented widely.

First off, be sure that you're using Google Chrome 11 ( download for Windows | Mac | Linux )or later, and that you've got a microphone. Next, you have to navigate to a site that supports the new speech API. Currently, that's limited to Google Translate , which itself is limited to translations that originate in English. Expect that to change as site developers begin to implement the feature. One other hitch is that because this is a brand-new feature, it's also limited at present in Google Translate to translations originating in English.

So: Set Google Translate to English, then click the microphone that appears in the lower right-hand corner of the input box. Speak the sentence you want translated. When you're done talking, Google will automatically translate it. You can also use the site's Listen option (to the right of the text field) to hear what's the translation sounds like.

Web sites that currently use the speech API • Google Translate • Web2Voice , which demonstrates embedded video playback, control, and search • HTML5 demo Web site

There are currently some unofficial options for playing with the Speech-to-HTML API. The Web2Voice site that I discovered in a Chromium HTML5 Google groups forum has implemented basic YouTube compatibility using the new speech API. Click the microphone icon and say, "Green Lantern trailer," to search for trailers from the upcoming movie. If you click and say, "Play official trailer" it will play the trailer with those words in the title. To pause it, click and say "stop." To resume, click and say "play."

This isn't an official implementation, since that would appear on the YouTube site. But this certainly gives a strong indication of what the API is capable of. Unfortunately, having to click the microphone for every input is a bit of a pain. You might as well just click the pause button yourself. Also annoying is that the feature has trouble distinguishing between audio playback from the computer and your voice.

What this likely will be extremely useful for is accessibility within the upcoming Google Chrome OS. If you're spending you're entire computing time in the browser, as you will be in Chrome OS, and using the keyboard isn't easy for you, then having on-demand speech-to-command options are a must.

If you discover more options for the API, let me know in the comments below.

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How to Use Speech to Text or Dictation on Chromebook

The speech-to-text aka dictation is an accessibility feature on Chromebook that lets you type text with your voice instead of using the keyboard. Anything that you say will be automatically converted to text. It’s known by many names such as speak to type, voice typing, voice to text, and voice dictation. If you enjoy typing using your voice, let’s check how to enable, disable, and use speech-to-text on Chromebook.

Table of Contents

How to Enable and Use Chromebook Voice Typing

You can type using voice on Chromebook in two ways. Firstly, use the system-wide speak-to-type feature, and secondly, use the voice typing on the on-screen keyboard. Let’s dive into both methods.

Method 1: Use System-Wide Speech to Text

You will need to enable the Dictation feature in Chromebook accessibility settings before you can start using this method.

Note: This method works on both touch and non-touchscreen devices.

Here are the steps in detail:

1. Click on time at the bottom-right corner to open Quick Panel . From the Quick Panel, click on the Settings icon to open Chromebook Settings.

2. Expand the Advanced section from the left sidebar and click on Accessibility .

3. Go to Manage accessibility features from the right panel.

4. Scroll down to the Keyboard and text input section. Turn on the toggle next to Enable dictation (speak to type).

5. Click on the Change button next to the Language option under Dictation to choose a language for voice typing.

6 . As soon as you enable the dictation toggle in step 4, a microphone icon will appear on the Chromebook’s Shelf aka Taskbar. Click on this icon whenever you want to start typing using your voice. Or, use the Search + D (or Launcher key + D ) keyboard shortcut to activate the voice typing feature without clicking on the microphone icon in the taskbar.

Let’s say, for instance, you want to search in Chromebook settings using your voice. Place the mouse cursor in the settings search box. Then, click on the microphone icon on the Chromebook’s shelf and start speaking. Whatever you speak will automatically be converted into typed text.

Dictation will end automatically if you stop talking. In addition to that, Chromebook will stop listening if it meets one of the two conditions:

• If you navigate away from the text field where you were typing.
• If you click on the microphone icon again.

Method 2: Using Voice Typing With On-Screen Keyboard

The voice typing feature is also available on the Chromebook’s on-screen keyboard. It comes in handy on touchscreen devices where you don’t need to rely on the keyboard shortcut or Chromebook’s shelf to activate voice typing. You can start using it directly without enabling any option. Here are the steps for the same:

1. Open the on-screen keyboard on your Chromebook. You might need to enable it first by going to Chromebook Settings > Advanced > Accessibility > Manage accessibility features > Enable on-screen keyboard.

2. When the on-screen keyboard shows up, click on the Microphone icon on it and start speaking whatever you want to type.

Tip : Learn how to use Chromebook’s on-screen keyboard like a pro.

How to Edit Text Using Voice Commands

When you type using voice, say the following commands to perform text editing operations like copy-paste text, delete text, select, undo, etc.

• Select all: Selects everything in the text field.
• Unselect: Clears the selected text.
• Copy: Copy the selected text to the clipboard.
• Cut: Copies and deletes the selected text.
• Paste: Paste the text from the clipboard.
• Delete: Delete selected text or the previous character.
• Undo: Clears previous text-editing action.
• Redo: Repeats previous text-editing action.
• New line: Move the cursor to a new line.
• Move to the next line: Moves the cursor to the next line.
• Move to the previous line: Moves the cursor to the previous line.

How to Turn off Dictation on Chromebook

If you don’t want to use the dictation feature, you can disable it by going to Chromebook Settings > Advanced > Accessibility > Manage accessibility features. Turn off the toggle next to Enable dictation (speak to type).

Note : Disabling Dictation in accessibility settings will not turn off voice typing on the on-screen keyboard.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Does Chromebook have text to speech feature?

Yes, Chromebooks offer native text-to-speak functionality. You can use it to listen to selected text or the entire text on the screen. Learn how to use text-to-speech on Chromebook .

2. How to fix speak-to-type not working in Chromebook?

If you are unable to type using voice, make sure the speak-to-type feature is enabled in the accessibility settings. Apart from that, update your Chrome OS and restart it at least once.

3. How to use voice typing in Google Docs ?

Google Docs offers a native voice typing feature that you can use to speak text in addition to the two methods mentioned above. Go to Tools > Voice typing in Google Docs to use the native feature.

Explore Your Chromebook

Chromebook is a capable device once you start exploring and using it. It’s loaded with hidden features in addition to speech-to-text that will amaze you once you discover them. For instance, you can set up Chromebook for a child , let someone borrow your Chromebook without accessing your Google account, download Android apps, and much more.

Mehvish Mushtaq is a tech lover from Kashmir. With a degree in computer engineering, she's always been happy to help anyone who finds technology challenging. She's been writing about technology for over six years, and her favorite topics include how-to guides, explainers, tips and tricks for Android, iOS/iPadOS, Windows, social media, and web apps. You can also find her work on Make Tech Easier , Guiding Tech , and Nerds Chalk

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Best speech-to-text app of 2024

Free, paid and online voice recognition apps and services

Best overall

Best for business, best for mobile, best text service, best speech recognition, best virtual assistant, best for cloud, best for azure, best for batch conversion, best free speech to text apps, best mobile speech to text apps.

• How we test

The best speech-to-text apps make it simple and easy to convert speech into text, for both desktop and mobile devices.

1. Best overall 2. Best for business 3. Best for mobile 4. Best text service 5. Best speech recognition 6. Best virtual assistant 7. Best for cloud 8. Best for Azure 9. Best for batch conversion 10. Best free speech to text apps 11. Best mobile speech to text apps 12. FAQs 13. How we test

Speech-to-text used to be regarded as very niche, specifically serving either people with accessibility needs or for  dictation . However, speech-to-text is moving more and more into the mainstream as office work can now routinely be completed more simply and easily by using voce-recognition software, rather than having to type through members, and speaking aloud for text to be recorded is now quite common.

While the best speech to text software used to be specifically only for desktops, the development of mobile devices and the explosion of easily accessible apps means that transcription can now also be carried out on a  smartphone  or  tablet . 

This has made the best voice to text applications increasingly valuable to users in a range of different environments, from education to business. This is not least because the technology has matured to the level where mistakes in transcriptions are relatively rare, with some services rightly boasting a 99.9% success rate from clear audio.

Even still, this applies mainly to ordinary situations and circumstances, and precludes the use of technical terminology such as required in legal or medical professions. Despite this, digital transcription can still service needs such as basic  note-taking  which can still be easily done using a phone app, simplifying the dictation process.

However, different speech-to-text programs have different levels of ability and complexity, with some using advanced machine learning to constantly correct errors flagged up by users so that they are not repeated. Others are downloadable software which is only as good as its latest update.

Here then are the best in speech-to-text recognition programs, which should be more than capable for most situations and circumstances.

We've also featured the best voice recognition software .

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The best paid for speech to text apps of 2024 in full:

Why you can trust TechRadar We spend hours testing every product or service we review, so you can be sure you’re buying the best. Find out more about how we test.

1. Dragon Anywhere

Our expert review:

Reasons to buy

Reasons to avoid.

Dragon Anywhere is the Nuance mobile product for Android and iOS devices, however this is no ‘lite’ app, but rather offers fully-formed dictation capabilities powered via the cloud. 

So essentially you get the same excellent speech recognition as seen on the desktop software – the only meaningful difference we noticed was a very slight delay in our spoken words appearing on the screen (doubtless due to processing in the cloud). However, note that the app was still responsive enough overall.

It also boasts support for boilerplate chunks of text which can be set up and inserted into a document with a simple command, and these, along with custom vocabularies, are synced across the mobile app and desktop Dragon software. Furthermore, you can share documents across devices via Evernote or cloud services (such as Dropbox).

This isn’t as flexible as the desktop application, however, as dictation is limited to within Dragon Anywhere – you can’t dictate directly in another app (although you can copy over text from the Dragon Anywhere dictation pad to a third-party app). The other caveats are the need for an internet connection for the app to work (due to its cloud-powered nature), and the fact that it’s a subscription offering with no one-off purchase option, which might not be to everyone’s tastes.

Even bearing in mind these limitations, though, it’s a definite boon to have fully-fledged, powerful voice recognition of the same sterling quality as the desktop software, nestling on your phone or tablet for when you’re away from the office.

Nuance Communications offers a 7-day free trial to give the app a try before you commit to a subscription. 

Read our full Dragon Anywhere review .

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2. Dragon Professional

Should you be looking for a business-grade dictation application, your best bet is Dragon Professional. Aimed at pro users, the software provides you with the tools to dictate and edit documents, create spreadsheets, and browse the web using your voice.   

According to Nuance, the solution is capable of taking dictation at an equivalent typing speed of 160 words per minute, with a 99% accuracy rate – and that’s out-of-the-box, before any training is done (whereby the app adapts to your voice and words you commonly use).

As well as creating documents using your voice, you can also import custom word lists. There’s also an additional mobile app that lets you transcribe audio files and send them back to your computer.   

This is a powerful, flexible, and hugely useful tool that is especially good for individuals, such as professionals and freelancers, allowing for typing and document management to be done much more flexibly and easily.

Overall, the interface is easy to use, and if you get stuck at all, you can access a series of help tutorials. And while the software can seem expensive, it's just a one-time fee and compares very favorably with paid-for subscription transcription services.

Also note that Nuance are currently offering 12-months' access to Dragon Anywhere at no extra cost with any purchase of Dragon Home or Dragon Professional Individual.

Read our full Dragon Professional review .

Otter is a cloud-based speech to text program especially aimed for mobile use, such as on a laptop or smartphone. The app provides real-time transcription, allowing you to search, edit, play, and organize as required.

Otter is marketed as an app specifically for meetings, interviews, and lectures, to make it easier to take rich notes. However, it is also built to work with collaboration between teams, and different speakers are assigned different speaker IDs to make it easier to understand transcriptions.

There are three different payment plans, with the basic one being free to use and aside from the features mentioned above also includes keyword summaries and a wordcloud to make it easier to find specific topic mentions. You can also organize and share, import audio and video for transcription, and provides 600 minutes of free service.

The Premium plan also includes advanced and bulk export options, the ability to sync audio from Dropbox, additional playback speeds including the ability to skip silent pauses. The Premium plan also allows for up to 6,000 minutes of speech to text.

The Teams plan also adds two-factor authentication, user management and centralized billing, as well as user statistics, voiceprints, and live captioning.

Read our full Otter review .

Verbit aims to offer a smarter speech to text service, using AI for transcription and captioning. The service is specifically targeted at enterprise and educational establishments.

Verbit uses a mix of speech models, using neural networks and algorithms to reduce background noise, focus on terms as well as differentiate between speakers regardless of accent, as well as incorporate contextual events such as news and company information into recordings.

Although Verbit does offer a live version for transcription and captioning, aiming for a high degree of accuracy, other plans offer human editors to ensure transcriptions are fully accurate, and advertise a four hour turnaround time.

Altogether, while Verbit does offer a direct speech to text service, it’s possibly better thought of as a transcription service, but the focus on enterprise and education, as well as team use, means it earns a place here as an option to consider.

Read our full Verbit review .

5. Speechmatics

Speechmatics offers a machine learning solution to converting speech to text, with its automatic speech recognition solution available to use on existing audio and video files as well as for live use.

Unlike some automated transcription software which can struggle with accents or charge more for them, Speechmatics advertises itself as being able to support all major British accents, regardless of nationality. That way it aims to cope with not just different American and British English accents, but also South African and Jamaican accents.

Speechmatics offers a wider number of speech to text transcription uses than many other providers. Examples include taking call center phone recordings and converting them into searchable text or Word documents. The software also works with video and other media for captioning as well as using keyword triggers for management.

Overall, Speechmatics aims to offer a more flexible and comprehensive speech to text service than a lot of other providers, and the use of automation should keep them price competitive.

Read our full Speechmatics review .

6. Braina Pro

Braina Pro is speech recognition software which is built not just for dictation, but also as an all-round digital assistant to help you achieve various tasks on your PC. It supports dictation to third-party software in not just English but almost 90 different languages, with impressive voice recognition chops.

Beyond that, it’s a virtual assistant that can be instructed to set alarms, search your PC for a file, or search the internet, play an MP3 file, read an ebook aloud, plus you can implement various custom commands.

The Windows program also has a companion Android app which can remotely control your PC, and use the local Wi-Fi network to deliver commands to your computer, so you can spark up a music playlist, for example, wherever you happen to be in the house. Nifty.

There’s a free version of Braina which comes with limited functionality, but includes all the basic PC commands, along with a 7-day trial of the speech recognition which allows you to test out its powers for yourself before you commit to a subscription. Yes, this is another subscription-only product with no option to purchase for a one-off fee. Also note that you need to be online and have Google ’s Chrome browser installed for speech recognition functionality to work.

Read our full Braina Pro review .

7. Amazon Transcribe

Amazon Transcribe is as big cloud-based automatic speech recognition platform developed specifically to convert audio to text for apps. It especially aims to provide a more accurate and comprehensive service than traditional providers, such as being able to cope with low-fi and noisy recordings, such as you might get in a contact center .

Amazon Transcribe uses a deep learning process that automatically adds punctuation and formatting, as well as process with a secure livestream or otherwise transcribe speech to text with batch processing.

As well as offering time stamping for individual words for easy search, it can also identify different speaks and different channels and annotate documents accordingly to account for this.

There are also some nice features for editing and managing transcribed texts, such as vocabulary filtering and replacement words which can be used to keep product names consistent and therefore any following transcription easier to analyze.

Overall, Amazon Transcribe is one of the most powerful platforms out there, though it’s aimed more for the business and enterprise user rather than the individual.

8. Microsoft Azure Speech to Text

Microsoft 's Azure cloud service offers advanced speech recognition as part of the platform's speech services to deliver the Microsoft Azure Speech to Text functionality. 

This feature allows you to simply and easily create text from a variety of audio sources. There are also customization options available to work better with different speech patterns, registers, and even background sounds. You can also modify settings to handle different specialist vocabularies, such as product names, technical information, and place names.

The Microsoft's Azure Speech to Text feature is powered by deep neural network models and allows for real-time audio transcription that can be set up to handle multiple speakers.

As part of the Azure cloud service, you can run Azure Speech to Text in the cloud, on premises, or in edge computing. In terms of pricing, you can run the feature in a free container with a single concurrent request for up to 5 hours of free audio per month.

Read our full Microsoft Azure Speech to Text review .

9. IBM Watson Speech to Text

IBM's Watson Speech to Text works is the third cloud-native solution on this list, with the feature being powered by AI and machine learning as part of IBM's cloud services.

While there is the option to transcribe speech to text in real-time, there is also the option to batch convert audio files and process them through a range of language, audio frequency, and other output options.

You can also tag transcriptions with speaker labels, smart formatting, and timestamps, as well as apply global editing for technical words or phrases, acronyms, and for number use.

As with other cloud services Watson Speech to Text allows for easy deployment both in the cloud and on-premises behind your own firewall to ensure security is maintained.

Read our full Watson Speech to Text review .

1. Google Gboard

If you already have an Android mobile device, then if it's not already installed then download Google Keyboard from the Google Play store and you'll have an instant text-to-speech app. Although it's primarily designed as a keyboard for physical input, it also has a speech input option which is directly available. And because all the power of Google's hardware is behind it, it's a powerful and responsive tool.

If that's not enough then there are additional features. Aside from physical input ones such as swiping, you can also trigger images in your text using voice commands. Additionally, it can also work with Google Translate, and is advertised as providing support for over 60 languages.

Even though Google Keyboard isn't a dedicated transcription tool, as there are no shortcut commands or text editing directly integrated, it does everything you need from a basic transcription tool. And as it's a keyboard, it means should be able to work with any software you can run on your Android smartphone, so you can text edit, save, and export using that. Even better, it's free and there are no adverts to get in the way of you using it.

2. Just Press Record

If you want a dedicated dictation app, it’s worth checking out Just Press Record. It’s a mobile audio recorder that comes with features such as one tap recording, transcription and iCloud syncing across devices. The great thing is that it’s aimed at pretty much anyone and is extremely easy to use. 

When it comes to recording notes, all you have to do is press one button, and you get unlimited recording time. However, the really great thing about this app is that it also offers a powerful transcription service. 

Through it, you can quickly and easily turn speech into searchable text. Once you’ve transcribed a file, you can then edit it from within the app. There’s support for more than 30 languages as well, making it the perfect app if you’re working abroad or with an international team. Another nice feature is punctuation command recognition, ensuring that your transcriptions are free from typos.   

This app is underpinned by cloud technology, meaning you can access notes from any device (which is online). You’re able to share audio and text files to other iOS apps too, and when it comes to organizing them, you can view recordings in a comprehensive file. 

3. Speechnotes

Speechnotes is yet another easy to use dictation app. A useful touch here is that you don’t need to create an account or anything like that; you just open up the app and press on the microphone icon, and you’re off.   

The app is powered by Google voice recognition tech. When you’re recording a note, you can easily dictate punctuation marks through voice commands, or by using the built-in punctuation keyboard. 

To make things even easier, you can quickly add names, signatures, greetings and other frequently used text by using a set of custom keys on the built-in keyboard. There’s automatic capitalization as well, and every change made to a note is saved to the cloud.

When it comes to customizing notes, you can access a plethora of fonts and text sizes. The app is free to download from the Google Play Store , but you can make in-app purchases to access premium features (there's also a browser version for Chrome).   

Read our full Speechnotes review .

4. Transcribe

Marketed as a personal assistant for turning videos and voice memos into text files, Transcribe is a popular dictation app that’s powered by AI. It lets you make high quality transcriptions by just hitting a button.   

The app can transcribe any video or voice memo automatically, while supporting over 80 languages from across the world. While you can easily create notes with Transcribe, you can also import files from services such as Dropbox.

Once you’ve transcribed a file, you can export the raw text to a word processor to edit. The app is free to download, but you’ll have to make an in-app purchase if you want to make the most of these features in the long-term. There is a trial available, but it’s basically just 15 minutes of free transcription time. Transcribe is only available on iOS, though.   

5. Windows Speech Recognition

If you don’t want to pay for speech recognition software, and you’re running Microsoft’s latest desktop OS, then you might be pleased to hear that speech-to-text is built into Windows.

Windows Speech Recognition, as it’s imaginatively named – and note that this is something different to Cortana, which offers basic commands and assistant capabilities – lets you not only execute commands via voice control, but also offers the ability to dictate into documents.

The sort of accuracy you get isn’t comparable with that offered by the likes of Dragon, but then again, you’re paying nothing to use it. It’s also possible to improve the accuracy by training the system by reading text, and giving it access to your documents to better learn your vocabulary. It’s definitely worth indulging in some training, particularly if you intend to use the voice recognition feature a fair bit.

The company has been busy boasting about its advances in terms of voice recognition powered by deep neural networks, especially since windows 10 and now for Windows 11 , and Microsoft is certainly priming us to expect impressive things in the future. The likely end-goal aim is for Cortana to do everything eventually, from voice commands to taking dictation.

Turn on Windows Speech Recognition by heading to the Control Panel (search for it, or right click the Start button and select it), then click on Ease of Access, and you will see the option to ‘start speech recognition’ (you’ll also spot the option to set up a microphone here, if you haven’t already done that).

Aside from what has already been covered above, there are an increasing number of apps available across all mobile devices for working with speech to text, not least because Google's speech recognition technology is available for use. 

iTranslate Translator  is a speech-to-text app for iOS with a difference, in that it focuses on translating voice languages. Not only does it aim to translate different languages you hear into text for your own language, it also works to translate images such as photos you might take of signs in a foreign country and get a translation for them. In that way, iTranslate is a very different app, that takes the idea of speech-to-text in a novel direction, and by all accounts, does it well. 

ListNote Speech-to-Text Notes  is another speech-to-text app that uses Google's speech recognition software, but this time does a more comprehensive job of integrating it with a note-taking program than many other apps. The text notes you record are searchable, and you can import/export with other text applications. Additionally there is a password protection option, which encrypts notes after the first 20 characters so that the beginning of the notes are searchable by you. There's also an organizer feature for your notes, using category or assigned color. The app is free on Android, but includes ads.

Voice Notes  is a simple app that aims to convert speech to text for making notes. This is refreshing, as it mixes Google's speech recognition technology with a simple note-taking app, so there are more features to play with here. You can categorize notes, set reminders, and import/export text accordingly.

SpeechTexter  is another speech-to-text app that aims to do more than just record your voice to a text file. This app is built specifically to work with social media, so that rather than sending messages, emails, Tweets, and similar, you can record your voice directly to the social media sites and send. There are also a number of language packs you can download for offline working if you want to use more than just English, which is handy.

Also consider reading these related software and app guides:

• Best text-to-speech software
• Best transcription services
• Best Bluetooth headsets

Speech-to-text app FAQs

Which speech-to-text app is best for you.

When deciding which speech-to-text app to use, first consider what your actual needs are, as free and budget  options may only provide basic features, so if you need to use advanced tools you may find a paid-for platform is better suited to you. Additionally, higher-end software can usually cater for every need, so do ensure you have a good idea of which features you think you may require from your speech-to-text app.

How we tested the best speech-to-text apps

To test for the best speech-to-text apps we first set up an account with the relevant platform, then we tested the service to see how the software could be used for different purposes and in different situations. The aim was to push each speech-to-text platform to see how useful its basic tools were and also how easy it was to get to grips with any more advanced tools.

Read more on how we test, rate, and review products on TechRadar .

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Brian has over 30 years publishing experience as a writer and editor across a range of computing, technology, and marketing titles. He has been interviewed multiple times for the BBC and been a speaker at international conferences. His specialty on techradar is Software as a Service (SaaS) applications, covering everything from office suites to IT service tools. He is also a science fiction and fantasy author, published as Brian G Turner.

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The 6 best free speech-to-text apps for creators

Discover the best free speech-to-text apps for seamless transcription! Enhance productivity with accurate and efficient voice recognition.

If you're an online creator who works with video and audio (say, a podcaster or YouTuber), chances are you spend a lot of time or money writing scripts and transcribing your content. Or, you let YouTube automatically caption your videos and hope for the best, often with colorful results .

But it doesn't have to be that way.

You don't have to spend hours manually transcribing or a ton of money for per-minute transcription services. Instead, you can use free speech-to-text software, some of which include artificial intelligence (AI) tools designed for creators , to help you get your words onto the page in minutes.

6 best free speech-to-text apps for creators

• oTranscribe
• Apple Dictation
• Google Docs Voice Typing

What is a speech-to-text app?

A speech-to-text app, or dictation app, is software that lets you record your voice (or upload an audio/video file) and transcribes it into text within the app.

The technology basis of these apps is speech recognition software, which takes a recording and breaks it down into bits it can interpret, converting them into digital text. It's worth noting that speech recognition technology and voice recognition aren't the same; the latter only looks to identify a spoken voice (and often specific voice commands) rather than transcribe what’s being said.

One of the most common use cases for speech-to-text is for transcribing interviews and meetings, which makes them more accessible for those with hearing difficulties and better for SEO purposes.

However, you can also use them for transcribing voiceover videos , vlogs, audio-only podcasts, and more.

How to choose the best free speech-to-text software

In this section, we'll cover a few core features you should look out for when choosing free speech-to-text software for creating content. If the software you're looking at doesn't have these, you'll most likely need to look elsewhere.

Transcription minutes

Of course, you need your speech-to-text app to transcribe. However, not every app or tool will transcribe pre-recorded audio or video and offer 'live' transcription. For apps that do both (and if this feature is what you need), you'll want to pay attention to the amount of transcription you get for free.

On the other hand, if you only want to use speech-to-text for script planning (e.g., voicing your ideas out loud), you may only need a dictation tool that'll put your spoken words into a document. We'll be showing you tools that cater to these different needs in our comparison section below.

Format compatibility and export

If you need software or tools to help you use speech-to-text for transcribing videos and podcasts, you'll need to keep an eye out for import and export format compatibility.

If the software you're considering only accepts .wav audio files, you'll need to convert to that format if your recording is in another. On the other end of the workflow, if you need your transcription to be able to export as a Microsoft Word document, you'll need to make sure your software exports Word docs before you waste your time.

Storage and organization

Whether you're only using a dictation tool or full speech-to-text software, you'll want your words to be easily accessible. Some software (if not all) will have storage limits, so if you record a lot of content, look for one with a generous amount of storage.

You'll also want to consider the organization of your files — granted, this point is entirely subjective and depends on what kind of user interface you like to use. Since we're specifically looking at free options (or software with free plans), it won't hurt to try a few out to see which you like best.

Automatic speaker labels

If you record a podcast or other video content with guests, you'll need to be able to separate who's who in your transcription. You can manually separate speakers in your transcription, but the best way to save time here is to use software that automatically adds speaker labels.

Usually, this means the software will ask you to identify the speakers first; then, it'll handle the rest of the transcription (typically with AI).

An easy-to-use editor

The final feature you want to consider is editing. No transcription software is 100% accurate, so you'll want to use one that has a smooth and easy editor to help you get the job done faster and more easily.

6 best speech-to-text apps for creators

With all of the above in mind, let's get into the details of some of the best speech-to-text software tools currently available that are most suitable for creators.

We make this distinction because some speech-to-text software tools are specifically designed for professional industry use (e.g., medical and legal) and are costly because of that specialization.

1. De‎script

‎ Key features:

• Automatic high-quality transcription (up to an hour free) with up to 95% accuracy
• Automatically remove filler words and periods of silence with Descript AI tools
• Easy document-style editing, which adjusts both the script and media
• Highlights potential errors to help you proofread and review
• Easily add subtitles to your video with the transcription
• Descript supports 23+ different languages 

Upgrade options: The Creator plan (from $12/month) includes 10 transcription hours, and the Pro plan (from $24/month) includes 30 transcription hours. Each comes with even more features besides more hours.

Platforms: Web app, Windows 10 (or newer), Mac OS High Sierra (or newer).

Descript's speech-to-text transcription tool is embedded within its editor software and is one of the best free options specifically for creators. You can create a project for either an existing video to upload or record a new one straight into the software, and the audio-text feature will add the words to your script.

When I added a video of one of my virtual academic conference presentations (originally 12:53 in duration), it transcribed my words in about a minute and a half with suprising accuracy, given that I was using some highbrow academic language.

After editing, using filler words and word gap removal, I cut my video down to 11:29 in just a few seconds and made the video a lot more presentable (unfortunately for me, I didn't have Descript when I initially presented at that conference). 

Descript also lets you use Studio Sound to improve the overall sound quality—it’s free for files up to 10 minutes on the free plan, and unlimited on paid plans.

2. oT‎ranscribe

Key features:

• A simple HTML web app means good cross-platform accessibility
• Keyboard shortcuts for easy playback, rewind, and fast-forward
• Integrated video player to stop tab/software switching
• Interactive timestamps
• Automatic saving to your browser's storage every second
• Export to Markdown, Plain Text, and Google Docs

Upgrade options: Completely free, no plans or upgrade options.

Platforms: Web app (worked in Chrome and Safari at the time of writing).

This one, admittedly, is cheating a little. oTranscribe is technically a transcription-specific tool, so there's no speech-recognition tech involved. But it's a great tool if you want to work on your video or audio manually. For example, suppose you're using a lot of niche vocabulary (fantasy names, industry-specific terms, etc.). In that case, you can sometimes spend more time editing a generated transcript than writing it with better accuracy.

It has a simple HTML interface with a familiar-looking document editor and immediately tells you the most important keyboard shortcuts to use. Using it on the same conference video test made manual transcription much easier than I remember compared to previous projects.

While this is fine for creating a standalone transcript, it doesn't help you add captions or do anything else (e.g., text summaries, repurposing your script, etc.).

3. Di‎ctanote

• Familiar notebook-style file organization of your notes
• Basic text editing, which is easy to pick up
• You can install its dedicated app instead of using the web
• Decent speech-to-text accuracy
• Dictation is completely free

Upgrade options: You can pay 10 cents per minute for AI transcription of existing audio files.

Platforms: Web app, Chrome app (when it asked me to install, it installed on my MacBook as a Chrome app).

If you want to use a tool to help you type as you speak, Dictanote is a great option. It's packaged as a note-taking app, where you can easily store and organize notes you've made. You can type notes as usual, but its key feature is its speech-to-text function and voice commands.

If you've never dictated before, it takes some getting used to, i.e., voicing punctuation and new lines. However, once you get the hang of it, speaking your thoughts can be much faster than typing them by hand.

This option is mainly for creators who want their creative ideas out of their heads and onto the page and provide a dedicated space for their ideas.

For the downsides, while testing the app, it didn't seem to like my AirPods when dictating (it didn't register my voice at all, even after granting permissions), and I had to switch to my Macbook Air microphone. That might be down to me not having the correct settings, but it's worth mentioning. Also, not having any free transcription options for existing media can be a deal-breaker for creators who primarily record content on the fly.

4. ‎ Apple Dictation

• No internet connection required (with Apple Silicon devices)
• Setting up Voice Control can add even more functionality to dictation
• User-friendly; use it anywhere you’d usually type
• Up to 96% accuracy

Upgrade options: Comes free with Apple devices.

Platforms: Apple Mac and iOS devices only.

To test Apple dictation, I've decided to use it to write this section of the article using the Apple Notes app, then copy and paste what I've written into my draft (with a bit of editing).

It's a great tool to help you write as you speak; what’s more, it’s entirely free because it comes embedded within Apple products, including iPhones, iPads, and MacBooks.

Another great benefit of using Apple dictation is that you can easily swap between using your voice and typing, making editing easy for simple mistakes (such as capitalizing brand names). However, when you set it up with voice commands, you can also use dictation to edit instead. Apple dictation also switches off if it doesn’t detect your voice after about 15 seconds or so.

Of course, if you're not an Apple user, Apple dictation is not the tool for you. However, Microsoft has an equivalent dictation tool with an equally reasonable accuracy rate. If you're the type of creator who likes to think out loud and can get used to voicing punctuation and new lines quickly, then Apple dictation is the right tool to help you get thoughts on the page.

As a downside, I found that Apple dictation works best with other Apple software products, such as the Notes app. The dictation keyboard shortcut doesn't work at all in Google Docs, which is likely because Google Docs has its own dictation tool, which we’ll be looking at next.

5. ‎ Google Docs Voice Typing

• Google Docs is an extremely widely used, cross-platform tool for professionals and creators, making collaboration easy.
• Activate voice typing with a keyboard shortcut no matter where you are on the page
• Clear, large icon indicates you've started voice typing

Upgrade options: It comes as a free feature of Google Docs; there's no upgraded version.

Platforms: Web (I'd recommend Chrome specifically for Google Docs, but other browsers may work just as well). It may also work on the Docs app using the Gboard keyboard, but it doesn't work with the default iOS keyboard.

I've used Google Docs as the main deliverable format in my career for years, and I'd never thought to use the native Google speech-to-text feature. However, as a speech-to-text option, it works in the same way as Apple Dictation and Dictanote.

The main difference between these dictation options is the software platform and UI. If you're a creator who uses Google Docs for your ideas, transcripts, collaboration opportunities, and Google Drive for storage, then voice typing directly into Google Docs could be a great option.

However, as with the other dictation tools we've covered, they don't help you with existing media; they’re only for live speech. This lack of transcription can add to your work rather than make your workflow smoother.

6. ‎ Otter.ai

• AI meeting assistant that keeps audio recordings, transcribes, captures slides, and generates summaries in real time.
• Automatically integrates with Zoom, Google Meet, and MS Team to write and share notes
• 300 transcription minutes and up to 30 minutes per conversation on the free plan
• You can import up to 3 audio or video files for transcription (period). You get a monthly limit if you upgrade.

Upgrade options: Pro from $10/month, Business from $20/month (gets you 1,200 and 6,000 transcription minutes, respectively).

Platforms: Web, iOS app, Android app

My personal experience with Otter.ai started when a client of mine would send me interview transcripts she'd made with it. While they helped create content based on the interviews, the transcripts were never super accurate (I'd say roughly 75%).

However, using my conference presentation video, the accuracy is more within the 90% range. I imagine this huge difference comes from the fact that with more than one person speaking, it can be difficult for the AI to keep speakers separated — and on top of that, neither my client nor the interviewees ever seemed to use dedicated microphones.

For creators who post a lot of videos or audio content online, Otter.ai can be a time saver for transcribing podcast interviews you've recorded on Zoom , Google Meets, or MS Teams.

On the other hand, while you can edit the transcript within the Otter.ai software, you can't edit the media the transcript came from. So, if you need a tool to do both, Otter.ai can't help you. Otter.ai also only works in English, so if you need to use another language, you'll need to look elsewhere.

Honorable mention: Just Press Record

If you're a creator with an iPhone or Apple Watch who finds yourself coming up with content ideas in the most random places, and you typically make voice notes with the Voice Memo mobile app to record your ideas, Just Press Record is a great on-the-go speech-to-text service. It's an honorable mention here because it has a one-time purchase fee from the app store ($/£4.99).

With the iPhone app, you can record pro-level audio (if you've got a plug-in microphone), transcribe every word with high accuracy (no limits), edit the transcript in-app, sync across iCloud, and organize your notes by folder.

However, you can also cut/trim the audio to better match an edited transcript, though you have to do this manually.

Another software often cited as a great choice is Nuance Dragon Professional and Dragon Anywhere mobile app. However, upon researching, I discovered that the app has a lot of poor reviews (it's sitting at 2.4/5 on the app store at the time of writing). So, I decided not to include it in this list.

Quick tip for the best speech-to-text results

No matter which type of speech-to-text tool you use, to get the best results, you'll want to use a good-quality microphone so that the audio is as clear as possible.

If you still have trouble with inaccurate dictation or transcription, try speaking more clearly and making sure you don't have too much background noise.

Best free speech-to-text app FAQs

Is there a free app for voice-to-text transcription.

Yes. There are several free voice-to-text transcription apps available. Descript is one of the best options for creators. However, many people can use their device's onboard dictation solution with a note-taking app.

What is the best AI speech-to-text tool?

Descript is the best transcription option for creators who want to use speech-to-text alongside media editing — editing the transcript also edits the media.

On the other hand, if you don't need to edit media, Otter.ai is another great option for transcribing personal meetings and internal interviews.

What are the benefits of using a speech-to-text app?

• Saves time. People often speak much faster than they can type, so a speech-to-text tool can help you get words onto a page more quickly.
• Saves money. Many speech-to-text apps are reasonably accurate and free, which saves you from needing to pay for professional transcriptions (unless you really need human transcription services).

Greater accessibility. People with specific disabilities find it difficult, if not impossible, to type by hand, and so speech-to-text is a critical tool for those who need it.

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Best Speech to Text Chrome Extensions

By Med Kharbach, PhD | Last Update: November 3, 2023

Speech to text Chrome extensions are the topic of our blog post today!

Speech to text, or voice to text, technology uses the power of speech recognition to enable you to navigate the web using simple voice commands. Several platforms have already adopted this technology popular among them is Google Search. 

With a single click on the mic icon in Google Search box you will be able to voice type your query as Google types it out for you. The same with Google Docs, you can use its built-in voice recognition service to voice type an entire article.

There are also a wide variety of speech to text extensions to use on your Chrome for voice dictation. Below are some of the best titles to try out. Using these extensions, you and your students will be able to use voice commands to browse the web the way you want. 

You can watch videos, click on hyperlinks, switch between opened tabs and web pages, fill in forms, write emails and blog posts, and more. 

[ Related: Best text to speech iPad apps for teachers and students ]

Also, these speech to text extensions provide you with the possibility to create custom voice commands so that you can easily voice type your frequently used phrases and expressions. And yes, the extensions support different languages and dialects and some of them even work offline.

Speech to Text Chrome Extensions

Here are our favourite speech to text Chrome extensions:

1. Speech to Text

As its name indicates, Speech to Text enables you to convert your voice to text. The way it works is simple: First install the extension from Chrome Web Store, click on the microphone icon, grant access to your microphone, start voice typing. 

You can copy your captured text and use it anywhere online. Speech to Text recognizes various languages and dialects and, best of all, it works offline. No need for Internet connection to use it.

2. Speech Recognition Anywhere 365

Speech Recognition Anywhere is a speech to text Chrome extension that enables you to voice type anything you want using simple voice commands. 

The extension works on several websites and platforms including Google Docs, Microsoft Word online, Gmail, Outlook, and more. Users can create custom commands as shortcuts to type whatever they want. 

Some other things you can do with Speech Recognition extension include text to speech, select the language or dialect of your choice, use voice commands to toggle between next and previous web pages or to switch tabs, scroll page up and down, highlight text, copy and paste, scripting, and many more.  

LipSurf is another speech to text Chrome extension that allows you to browse the web using your own voice. You can open web pages, watch videos, click on links, etc., using voice commands. 

Like other extensions, LipSur supports multiple languages with the ability to add more languages via the extension forum. The app offers  over 100 built-in commands to choose from. It is also integrated with several applications including: Gmail, YouTube, Duolingo, Reddit, and more.

Using LipSurf you can write emails and dictate forms (premium), control videos (e.g., play, pause, mute), voice activation via push-to-talk key, navigate tabs, zoom in and out, add custom corrections to your transcripts, and many more. 

4. Voice in Voice Typing

Voice in Voice Typing enables you to easily voice type in your browser. The extension supports over 40 different languages including English, Italian, Dutch, Portuguese, French, among others. Voice in Voice also supports various integrations including Gmail, Outlook, Slack, and many more. 

The basic free plan allows you to dictate but comes with very limited features. Premium plans offer more functionalities including custom voice commands and the ability to unlock dictation on more than 1000 sites using advanced mode. 

5. DictationBox

DictationBox is a voice to text Chrome extension which supports over 100 languages and dialects. The way it works is similar to the previous ones: install the extension, grant access to your microphone, click on the icon to start speaking. 

DictationBox instantly converts your voice to text. You can adjust the settings of the extension to your preferences (e.g., you can add your own auto-text commands). 

Handy voice commands include ‘go to sleep’ or  ‘wake up’ to ‘switch microphone between standby and listening modes, and ‘Next field’ to navigate to next field’.

Final thoughts

The burgeoning field of speech-to-text technology is transforming our interaction with digital spaces, making navigation, content creation, and communication more accessible and efficient. Google’s intuitive voice typing features in Search and Docs have set a high standard, paving the way for innovative Chrome extensions that further streamline our digital tasks. Whether it’s drafting an article hands-free, controlling web navigation, or performing myriad online tasks through simple voice commands, these tools are game-changers.

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Meet Med Kharbach, PhD

Dr. Med Kharbach is an influential voice in the global educational technology landscape, with an extensive background in educational studies and a decade-long experience as a K-12 teacher. Holding a Ph.D. from Mount Saint Vincent University in Halifax, Canada, he brings a unique perspective to the educational world by integrating his profound academic knowledge with his hands-on teaching experience. Dr. Kharbach's academic pursuits encompass curriculum studies, discourse analysis, language learning/teaching, language and identity, emerging literacies, educational technology, and research methodologies. His work has been presented at numerous national and international conferences and published in various esteemed academic journals.

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The 7 Best Text-to-Speech Chrome Extensions

Text-to-speech programs can be an incredibly vital tool for many. If you're looking for one, here are the seven best text-to-speech Chrome extensions.

Text-to-speech programs can come in very handy, whether you need to use the extension for reading difficulties, or just because you like having text read aloud. Chrome extensions are the perfect format to use these programs as you browse the web.

So, here we’ve listed some of the best text-to-speech extensions for Chrome.

1. Natural Reader

An intelligent extension, Natural Reader works great for almost any type of text, including PDF, Google Docs, eBooks, and emails.

Natural Reader also has an immersive reader mode that lets you read without any distractions. For those with dyslexia, the immersive reader mode supports dyslexic fonts to make reading easier.

To instruct Natural Reader to start reading, you can use the hotkey Alt + R . Alternatively, if you want to listen to only a part of the text, simply select the text and click on the Natural Reader icon at the end of the selected text.

From the extension settings, you can adjust voice and speed, listen to uploaded PDFs, save to mobile, and set hotkeys.

Natural Readers supports 20 languages, including English, Spanish, French, and German. Other than the Chrome extension, Natural Reader has web, iOS, and Android apps.

Though the extension is free to use, you can get more voice options with Premium and Pro plans, starting from $10 per month.

Download: Natural Reader for Chrome (Free, Paid)

2. Speechify

Speechify is one of the most powerful text-to-speech Chrome extensions on the list.

After downloading the extension, you'll view a floating widget on the right side of your screen. When you click on the play button , the extension starts reading from the beginning of the page. You can, however, enable Click to Listen and start listening from any particular point on the webpage.

It supports 30 different languages and 130 voices. Besides the usual webpages and blogs, Speechify can read out scanned texts, PDFs, and even tweets for you on the Twitter web app.

Speechify lets you save webpages to the library for listening to at a later time. The Premium plan costs $11.58 per month (billed annually) and offers additional voices and languages, lets you listen to scanned texts, and supports importing, highlighting, and skipping.

Perhaps the most useful feature of the paid plan is the ability to increase audio speed. Speechify's mobile app is one of the most popular text-to-speech apps for Android as well as iOS. So, whether you're a student, struggle with reading, or prefer listening to articles, Speechify can come in really handy.

Download: Speechify for Chrome (Free, Paid)

3. Read Aloud

Read Aloud is an open-source project that is specially designed for people who prefer listening to content rather than reading it. It offers support for 40 languages.

Read Aloud can read different formats like Google Docs, blog posts, PDFs, Amazon Kindle, Google Play Books, etc. To listen to any piece of text, select and right-click it, then choose Read aloud selected text . Alternatively, you can use the shortcut Alt + P .

It lets you adjust the reading speed, volume, and pitch from the Settings icon. Moreover, you can choose whether to highlight the played text.

Read Aloud has around a million downloads on Chrome Web Store, so it’s definitely a popular TTS extension for Chrome.

Download: Read Aloud for Chrome (Free)

4. Snap&Read

Snap&Read is a feature-rich reading extension that lets you listen to any kind of text. Other than webpages, Google Docs, and PDFs, Snap&Read can also read text from images and scanned documents using OCR.

To listen to any text, select the Loud Speaker icon from the sidebar, then click on the text from where you want Snap&Read to read.

For listening to text from screenshots or images, select the Rectangular Selection icon . Select the area from where you want Snap&Read to detect and read text.

Moreover, Snap&Read can translate the text into other languages and adjust the readability of the text. Using this extension, you can remove distractions and change the spacing and number of words per line to create a better reading experience.

Snap&Read is a great text-to-speech extension, especially for educators and students. It costs $3.99 per month, but you can access a free trial.

Download: Snap&Read for Chrome ($3.99 per month)

5. Talkie: Text to Speech

Talkie is a simple text-to-speech Chrome extension that supports multiple languages. As it is quite a basic extension, Talkie is a good choice if you need limited features.

To make Talkie read any text, select the text, right-click it, and choose Talkie from the context menu. Talkie automatically detects the languages, selects a voice, and reads the text for you. For setting a default voice, you’ll have to upgrade to Premium.

It doesn't have any word limits and can work offline if the languages are downloaded. Best of all, you can download more TTS languages and voices for your operating system, and Talkie can auto-detect and use them.

Most of the features are free, but you can also upgrade to Premium for more options. Talkie Premium does not have a fixed price, but is a pay-what-you-want subscription.

Download : Talkie: Text to Speech for Chrome (Free, Paid)

6. Intelligent Speaker

Whether you want to listen to articles, PDFs, Google Docs, or uploaded text, Intelligent Speaker got you covered.

This extension supports 20 languages and automatically detects the language. You can read complete web pages as well as selected text. To make the voice sound more natural, you can turn on breathing.

Available as a browser add-on, Intelligent Speaker lets you sync your content to a podcast app, so you can listen to articles on the go. You can even download the converted audio file using this extension. Intelligent Speaker works offline and is available for all major browsers.

The free plan supports only one hour of listening each month, so you'll have to subscribe to Premium, which costs $6.99 per month, for unlimited listening.

Download: Intelligent Speaker for Chrome (Free, Paid)

7. Text to Speech

Text to Speech Chrome extension by Hewzio is a simple yet useful extension. It can read the entire web page for you, supporting 30 languages.

To listen to any article, simply click on the extension icon or right-click the screen and choose Read Page . The extension will start reading the page from the beginning. To listen to selected text, play the audio and click on the sentence from where you want it to read.

Text to Speech also has a distraction-free reader mode, making it one of the extensions that enhance your reading experience . You can sync articles across devices, including mobile phones, and create podcasts from articles using Text to Speech by Hewzio.

The free plan does the basic job of converting text into audio, but the paid plans offer more features, including the dark mode. There are three paid plans, ranging from $1 to $10 per month.

Download: Text to Speech for Chrome (Free, Paid)

Let the Extension Read Out the Screen for You

Whether you want to read webpages, documents, or images, these Chrome extensions can read out the screen for you. These extensions are a great way for students to learn different languages and avoid reading long research papers.

Similarly, these text-to-speech extensions are really useful for people with vision impairment or reading difficulties like dyslexia.

Read Aloud: A Text to Speech Voice Reader

Trump promotes Lee Greenwood's 'God Bless The USA Bible': What to know about the book and its long journey

• Former president Donald Trump encourages supporters to buy Lee Greenwood's "God Bless The USA Bible," a project inspired by Nashville country musician's hit song.
• Resurgent version of Greenwood's Bible project a modified version from original concept, a change that likely followed 2021 shake-up in publishers.

After years with few updates about Lee Greenwood’s controversial Bible, the project is again resurgent with a recent promotion by former President Donald Trump.

“All Americans need to have a Bible in their home and I have many. It’s my favorite book,” Trump said in a video posted to social media Tuesday, encouraging supporters to purchase the “God Bless The USA Bible.” “Religion is so important and so missing, but it’s going to come back.”

Greenwood — the Nashville area country musician whose hit song “God Bless the USA” inspired the Bible with a similar namesake — has long been allies with Trump and other prominent Republicans, many of whom are featured in promotional material for the “God Bless The USA Bible.” But that reputational clout in conservative circles hasn’t necessarily translated to business success in the past, largely due to a major change in the book’s publishing plan.

Here's what to know about the Bible project’s journey so far and why it’s significant it’s back in the conservative limelight.

An unordinary Bible, a fiery debate

The “God Bless The USA Bible” received heightened attention since the outset due to its overt political features.

The text includes the U.S. Constitution, Bill of Rights, Declaration of Independence, Pledge of Allegiance, and the lyrics to the chorus to Greenwood’s “God Bless The USA.” Critics saw it as a symbol of Christian nationalism, a right-wing movement that believes the U.S. was founded as a Christian nation.

A petition emerged in 2021 calling Greenwood’s Bible “a toxic mix that will exacerbate the challenges to American evangelicalism.” From there, a broader conversation ensued about the standards by which publishers print Bibles.

Gatekeeping in Bible publishing

Greenwood’s early business partner on the project, a Hermitage-based marketing firm called Elite Source Pro, initially reached a manufacturing agreement with the Nashville-based HarperCollins Christian Publishing to print the “God Bless The USA Bible.”  

As part of that agreement, HarperCollins would publish the book but not sell or endorse it. But then HarperCollins reversed course , a major setback for Greenwood’s Bible.

The reversal by HarperCollins followed a decision by Zondervan — a publishing group under HarperCollins Christian Publishing and an official North American licensor for Bibles printed in the New International Version translation — to pass on the project. HarperCollins said the decision was unrelated to the petition or other public denunciations against Greenwood’s Bible.

The full backstory: Lee Greenwood's 'God Bless the USA Bible' finds new printer after HarperCollins Christian passes

A new translation and mystery publisher

The resurgent “God Bless The USA Bible” featured in Trump’s recent ad is an altered version of the original concept, a modification that likely followed the publishing shake-up.

Greenwood’s Bible is now printed in the King James Version, a different translation from the original pitch to HarperCollins.

Perhaps the biggest mystery is the new publisher. That manufacturer is producing a limited quantity of copies, leading to a delayed four-to-six weeks for a copy to ship.  

It’s also unclear which business partners are still involved in the project. Hugh Kirkman, who led Elite Service Pro, the firm that originally partnered with Greenwood for the project, responded to a request for comment by referring media inquiries to Greenwood’s publicist.

The publicist said Elite Source Pro is not a partner on the project and the Bible has always been printed in the King James Version.

"Several years ago, the Bible was going to be printed with the NIV translation, but something happened with the then licensor and the then potential publisher. As a result, this God Bless The USA Bible has always been printed with the King James Version translation," publicist Jeremy Westby said in a statement.

Westby did not have the name of the new licensee who is manufacturing the Bible.

Trump’s plug for the “God Bless The USA Bible” recycled language the former president is using to appeal to a conservative Christian base.

“Our founding fathers did a tremendous thing when they built America on Judeo-Christian values,” Trump said in his video on social media. “Now that foundation is under attack perhaps as never before.”

'Bring back our religion’: Trump vows to support Christians during Nashville speech

Liam Adams covers religion for The Tennessean. Reach him at [email protected] or on social media @liamsadams.

Trump wins partial stay of fraud judgment, allowed to post $175 million

Trump previously faced a requirement that he post a half-billion dollar bond to stop the n.y. attorney general from taking his assets.

An appeals court panel in New York said Monday that former president Donald Trump would be allowed to post a $175 million bond to stave off enforcement of a nearly half-billion-dollar civil judgment against him and his business.

The order was a significant win for Trump, who was otherwise facing a massive cash crunch and the prospect of New York Attorney General Letitia James (D) moving to seize some of his assets as soon as this week .

However, while the five state judges on the panel eased the financial strain on Trump, they did not erase it entirely. They gave Trump 10 days to come up with the reduced bond of $175 million, saying they would only delay enforcement of the full amount if he put up that lower figure within this window — and it is not immediately clear how he will come up with the money.

“We’ll put up the cash or a bond very quickly,” Trump told reporters Monday, but provided no specifics. Trump’s attorneys had previously sought to post a $100 million bond, rather than the full amount.

The panel’s order came at a precarious moment for Trump, who is contending with significant financial pressure and legal peril. The appeals panel’s order came down while he was in a New York court in a bid to delay the start of his criminal case related to hush money payments made to an adult film actress. The justice rejected that effort and said the case will go to trial April 15 .

The ruling put the first-ever criminal trial of a former president back on track, after the judge had ordered a brief delay to consider a claim from Trump that prosecutors had engaged in misconduct. Trump faces 34 charges of falsifying business records as he sought to hide payments to adult-film actress Stormy Daniels.

Separately, Trump has also been ordered by two civil juries to pay nearly $90 million to the writer E. Jean Carroll. He also faces charges in four criminal cases , including the hush money case in New York.

The civil fraud judgment against Trump, meanwhile, stems from a lawsuit that James brought against him and his company, as well as his two eldest sons and two former executives. James’s lawsuit said Trump misstated the value of his properties and other assets by up to $2.2 billion a year from 2011 to 2021.

New York Supreme Court Justice Arthur Engoron, who heard the case, in February issued a written decision that assailed Trump and the other defendants, saying they showed a staggering “lack of contrition and remorse.” He ordered that Trump pay the hefty judgment, which with interest comes out to more than $450 million.

The former president immediately vowed to appeal that ruling, but to stop James from collecting in the meantime, he was required to put up a bond in the full amount.

Trump’s attorneys have said he could not finance an appeal bond of more than $450 million. They said his team had contacted 30 companies , none of which would take real estate — which accounts for most of Trump’s wealth — as collateral. Instead they required he put up cash or investment accounts. Securing such a large bond in cash is a “practical impossibility,” Trump’s lawyers argued.

The appeals court panel on Monday did not reduce the initial judgment, only the amount Trump needs to put up for a bond while appealing. His deadline for securing the bond is next Thursday, April 4. The extra 10 days may not be enough of an extension for Trump to turn his real estate into cash, as it typically takes weeks or months to sell properties such as golf courses or hotels.

Asked Monday by reporters how he would pay or secure the $175 million bond, Trump replied, “I have a lot of cash” before adding that he would “like to be able to use some of my cash to get elected.”

Exactly how much Trump has in cash and securities is difficult to determine. In April of last year, he claimed to have “400-plus” million dollars during a deposition in the fraud case. In an August financial disclosure filed with the Office of Government Ethics, he listed hundreds of bank and investment accounts with a total value of between $252 million and $924 million, according to a Washington Post analysis of the form.

Since then, there have been some meaningful changes to his finances. Earlier this month, he posted a $91 million bond to delay enforcement of a judgment in one of the defamation cases he lost to Carroll, eating into his wealth. But when shareholders voted last week to take the parent company of his Truth Social platform public, they handed him a windfall — at least on paper. At Monday afternoon’s stock price, which had risen more than 35 percent over the course of the day, Trump’s 60 percent share in the company was worth more than $3 billion. But he cannot sell or borrow against his ownership stake for six months unless the company’s board grants him a waiver.

Asked Monday whether he would accept assistance from a foreign government, Trump said, “I don’t do that.” He then added, “I think you’d be allowed to possibly, I don’t know. ...The biggest banks, frankly, are outside of our country. So you could do that. But I don’t need to borrow money.”

Foreign governments spent millions of dollars at Trump properties while he was president, according to a January report from House Democrats. Trump’s company donated some of the revenue to the U.S. Treasury and has said the transactions were for market rates.

Trump has long used his legal jeopardy to rally supporters, arguing that he is being politically targeted. Polling showed that after he was indicted last year, his support among Republicans increased. And even though Monday’s appeals court ruling boiled down to an order that he must find $175 million to stop state authorities from taking his assets, he hailed it as a victory over Engoron and James, claiming in a social media post that the ruling “shattered” their credibility.

James’s office had argued against Trump’s attempts to stay the entire judgment or let him post a lower amount. On Monday, after the panel released its order, James’s office said the ruling did nothing to change Engoron’s finding that Trump committed wrongdoing.

“Donald Trump is still facing accountability for his staggering fraud,” a spokesperson for her office said. “The court has already found that he engaged in years of fraud to falsely inflate his net worth and unjustly enrich himself, his family, and his organization. The $464 million judgment — plus interest — against Donald Trump and the other defendants still stands.”

Although the appeals court gave no reasoning for its decision, Adam Pollock, an attorney who formerly served as assistant attorney general in New York, said the decision could indicate that it might consider permanently reducing the judgment against Trump on appeal.

“It’s extraordinary because the law is clear that you have to post a bond in the full amount, and it additionally suggests that there may be concern that the underlying judgment is itself excessive,” said Pollock.

The appellate court did indicate that it wants to keep the case moving based on the schedule it laid out, legal experts said. The order requires Trump to appeal in time for the court’s September term. That requires that his appeal be prepared by July 8, according to Pollock. “Here what they’re saying is, ‘You’re not going to get to drag this out,’” Pollock said.

In addition to reducing the amount Trump must put up for his appeal bond, the panel also said it would stay other parts of Engoron’s decision.

Among other things, the panel said it would block Engoron’s decree that Trump and his company be prohibited from getting loans from any New York financial institution for three years. The panel also said it would block Engoron’s orders barring Trump from serving in a top position at a New York corporation for three years or his sons — Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump — for two years. An appeals court judge had granted temporary stays on those measures last month, though it remained unclear whether the full panel would maintain or change that.

The panel said some of Engoron’s other moves, including his directive installing an independent director of compliance for the Trump Organization, should stand.

Jacobs reported from New York. Azi Paybarah, Drew Harwell and Clara Ence Morse contributed to this report.

How to make ChatGPT spoken text sound shockingly realistic

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One of the great things about ChatGPT is that it supports voice commands. You can dictate your prompts to the chatbot out loud. The feature is especially useful when you’re using ChatGPT on iPhone or Android . In turn, ChatGPT can read its responses aloud . Again, this feature is very useful when you’re using the generative AI mobile app on a mobile device. Just pop your headphones in and have the chatbot read its responses to you.

But it turns out that you can “hack” ChatGPT to make spoken text sound incredibly real. All you need is a prompt to inform the chatbot that you want to have it include more filler words in its responses. Better yet, make it a custom instruction.

This useful ChatGPT hack comes from a Reddit user who instructed ChatGPT to use more filler words, including the “umms” and “aahs” that you might get from a human.

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The video example has ChatGPT read aloud a summary of Christopher Nolan’s Inception , and you have to listen to it. ChatGPT sounds like a human as it’s reading the summary it has generated for the user.

While the video doesn’t cover it, there are two ways to make this happen for your ChatGPT experience.

The first one is the more annoying one, as you’ll have to repeat it each time you want ChatGPT to sound more human. It involves telling ChatGPT to perform a task but using more filler words in its response, like “umms” and “aahs” when it generates the response.

If you find yoursef talking to the chatbot a lot via the iPhone or Android app, then you can add a custom instruction to ChatGPT to respond each time with filler words. ChatGPT will remember the instructions for each successive interaction. But I’ll say this again: Optimizing ChatGPT replies to sound more human-like will work against you for those chats that don’t involve using the spoken text functionality.

One more ChatGPT trick

I’ll also remind you of a recent ChatGPT hack whose purpose is similar: to make ChatGPT sound more human. A ChatGPT user discovered that giving ChatGPT a simple instruction , like having it answer a prompt “in the tone of a text message to a friend without a salutation or emojis” would give the chatbot a more human tone.

Like the spoken text trick above, you can employ this trick at a prompt level or make it a custom instruction.

Meanwhile, you can check the Redditor’s ChatGPT Inception summary example below.

I was blown away by how realistic chatgpt can sound by simply asking it to use ‘umms’, ‘aah’s, and filler words. by u/Tasty-Flounder-9402 in ChatGPT

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Chris Smith has been covering consumer electronics ever since the iPhone revolutionized the industry in 2008. When he’s not writing about the most recent tech news for BGR, he brings his entertainment expertise to Marvel’s Cinematic Universe and other blockbuster franchises.

Outside of work, you’ll catch him streaming almost every new movie and TV show release as soon as it's available.

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