Dictation not working Word Desktop app

NM 0 Reputation points
2026-09-18T15:29:41.88+00:00

Dictation is not working in the Word Desktop app. User keeps getting an "Oops, there was a problem with Dictation. There is a problem with your microphone. Office cannot start capturing audio from the microphone." error. This is with the laptops built in microphone, we have tried:

  • Reinstalling Office
  • Repairing Office (Quick Repair and Online Repair)
  • Settings > Privacy & security > Microphone > turning "Let desktop apps access your microphone" off and on
  • Installing all updates
  • Signing in and out of Word
  • Dictation does not work in safe mode
  • Dictation does work in other apps (Teams, Outlook, Word browser version)

Not sure what else we can try here.

Microsoft 365 and Office | Word | For business | Windows
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  1. Ivory 1,745 Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2026-09-18T16:08:43.17+00:00

    Hi NM,

    Since you have done a fairly throughout troubleshooting steps, please run the following options to see which works for you:

    Option 1: Run the Speech troubleshooter

    1. Press Windows key + I to open Settings.
    2. Choose Update & Security.
    3. Select Troubleshoot from the left pane.
    4. Expand the Speech troubleshooter and click Run the troubleshooter.

    User's image

    Option 2: Inspect mic drivers and permissions

    Right-click Start and open Device Manager.

    Expand the Audio Inputs and Outputs section.

    User's image

    Right-click on your mic (or mics if you see multiple devices) and choose the Uninstall device option.

    Reboot your PC and get back to Device Manager.

    Drivers should update automatically but you can always do it manually by right-clicking on the mic in the aforementioned section and installing the drivers.

    The second important thing is the mic driver. Most recording devices will work immediately as Windows Update will deal with drivers. However, that’s not always the case so you’ll need to install them manually. 

    For more information, please consult Update drivers through Device Manager in Windows - Microsoft Support

    If the laptop is running an N or KN edition of Windows, please install the Media Feature Pack following this guidance: Media Feature Pack for Windows N | Microsoft Support

    I hope this help you to resolve the issue. If you have any questions or need further assistance, please feel free to share them in the comments on this post so I can continue to support you.  

    If the answer is helpful, please click 'Yes' and kindly upvote it.

    Note: Please follow the steps in the forum documentation to enable e-mail notifications if you want to receive the related email notification for this thread. 

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