## Summary Microsoft Word's Transcribe feature converts recorded audio files into editable text, and it's distinct from Dictate, which handles real-time speech. The feature lives in Word for the web and the Windows desktop app with a Microsoft 365 subscription, and processing runs in the cloud through OneDrive. The article walks through both workflows, offers accuracy tips, and suggests everyday uses like capturing meetings, lectures, and personal ideas. ## Key Points - Transcribe and Dictate are complementary: use Dictate for live speech, Transcribe for pre-recorded audio. - Two ways to start: upload an audio file (.wav, .mp4, .m4a, .mp3) or record directly through the PC microphone. - Transcription happens in the cloud via OneDrive, while Dictate is faster for your own real-time voice. - A key advantage of Transcribe is that it separates and labels different speakers in the output. - Accuracy improves with a quiet room, a quality mic, editing passes, and tools like Microsoft Editor. - Word supports transcription across 80+ regions, which helps with multilingual work and language learning. ## Claim Atoms - **Transcribe separates speakers; Dictate doesn't** — the main functional split between the two features beyond live-vs-recorded. - **Cloud processing makes Transcribe slower than Dictate** — for your own voice, real-time dictation wins on speed. ## Links - Connects to other voice-capture and meeting-transcription tooling notes (Plaud, Spellar) in the second-brain transcription workflow. - [[3. Resources/MOCs/Personal Knowledge Management MOC]] — applies-in: Closest fit: capture tooling for notes.