Get ready for the redesigned Dictation Toolbar coming to Office apps

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Key notes

  • Office Insiders are getting to fiddle around with the redesigned Dictation Toolbar for Office apps.
  • Keep in mind that this revamped feature will only be available for certain apps on some platforms.
  • Also, it is only rolling out to Beta Channel Versions 2206, and 16.62, in case you were wondering.
office

It’s no secret that the Redmond-based tech colossus recently started testing the revamped One Outlook app publicly.

Now, Office Insiders have a lot more reasons to be happy, as the company introduced a redesigned Dictation toolbar for several Office apps.

This is designed to enable users to stay more focused on their content, and it features updated visuals, a more responsive user interface, and a sleeker look.

Office Insiders get to test the revamped Dictation Toolbar

Furthermore, this new dictation toolbar is much smaller than the previous one and has moved to the side of the screen instead of the center.

Keep in mind that, if you don’t like to see it on the side, you can easily go back to the previous state by moving it to the center.

To further enhance the toolbar, Microsoft has also added responsive animations to provide visual feedback when it is detecting your voice.

As you would have expected, this will be useful when you find it hard to tell whether your voice is being heard.

You can use voice commands for a more hands-free experience. Use the integrated Help button on the Dictation toolbar to view a list of supported punctuation and editing commands.

What’s also important is the fact that the redesigned Dictation toolbar is currently available in Word for Windows, Mac (and the web), Outlook for Windows and Mac, OneNote for Windows and the web.

And, unfortunately, not all Insiders will get to test this new bar, as it is currently rolling out to Office Insiders running the following builds:

  • Windows Beta Channel Version 2206 (Build 15321.20000) or later
  • Mac Beta Channel Version 16.62 (Build 22052300) or later

Excited to try out the new version of the dictation toolbar? Share your thoughts with us in the comments section below.