---
title: "Dictate a comment"
description: "The one-time setup, the choice of where your voice is recognized and when the microphone opens, and changing either later."
---

> Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://commentware.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Dictate a comment

Speak a comment instead of typing it. Both composers — the one on the page and
the one in the side panel — have a microphone button: press it and speak, and
the words land in the box you were about to type in. To stop, press the button
again or press Escape; the words already heard stay in the box. A [live
edit](/docs/using/comments/) has the same button beside ✕ and ✓, and its words go
in at the cursor.

If the page reloads while you are dictating into a new comment or a live edit,
the microphone carries on in the restored box, and words spoken during the
reload are added. If it cannot carry on, a message says the microphone stopped,
and pressing the button starts it again. A reply box and the side panel do not
carry dictation across a reload.

## Prerequisites

- The extension installed and connected to a server. See [Install a server](/docs/install-server/).

## Set up dictation

The first press of the microphone button opens a short setup in a small window
of its own.

1. Press the microphone button on either composer.
2. Select **Allow the microphone**, and accept Chrome's prompt, headed with
   Commentware's name.
3. Pick a row in the list: a language, and where your speech is recognized —
   **Cloud or local**, or **Only on this computer**. If you want a guarantee
   that your voice stays on your computer, pick **Only on this computer**.
   Learn more about [where your voice is
   recognized](/docs/concepts/dictation/#where-your-voice-is-recognised).
4. Under **When the microphone gets ready**, choose **As soon as the overlay
   opens**, so your first word is heard straight away, or **Only when I press
   the microphone**. Learn more about [when the microphone is
   open](/docs/concepts/dictation/#when-the-microphone-is-open).
5. Select **Continue**.
6. Optional: if your choice needs a voice model, let it download.
7. Select **Done**.

The window closes and puts you back on the page you were commenting on. After
that, the button dictates with no further question.

## Change the setup later

1. Open the extension's options page: the gear in the side panel's header.
2. Select **Settings**. It names what dictation is set to in a sentence.
3. Select **Manage dictation settings**, and change the language, the mode or
   when the microphone opens, or download a model.

## Check that it worked

The last screen of the setup reads "Dictation is ready", and pressing the
microphone button and speaking puts the words in the composer. Until the setup
is finished, the button names what is missing instead — "Allow Commentware to
use your microphone", say — and pressing it opens the setup again.

## Next steps

- [Comment on a page](/docs/using/comments/): send what you dictated, and mention
  somebody in it.