QuickDictate vs Windows Voice Access in 2026

QuickDictate vs Windows Voice Access: what each does, what is known about price, how setup works, and what to check before you pick one.

By XP Daily · 2026-10-09

XP Daily is published by the makers of DaysAid, QuickDictate and YTSort, which are compared here alongside other tools.

Windows Voice Access lets people control a Windows 11 PC and write text by voice, with no internet connection ^[1]. QuickDictate types what you say into whichever window you are using ^[2]. It is free for personal and other noncommercial use ^[3]. No Voice Access price is published here.

Option	Built around	Price	Internet needed	Windows versions
Windows Voice Access	Controlling a PC and writing text by voice ^[1]	Not published	Works without an internet connection ^[1]	Windows 11, version 22H2 and later ^[4]
QuickDictate	Typing what you say into the window you are using ^[2]	Free for personal and other noncommercial use; cloud services bill you separately ^[3]	Not needed with a local speech model you install ^[5]	64-bit Windows 10 and 11 ^[6]

The short answer

Windows Voice Access lets you control a Windows 11 PC and write text using only your voice ^[1]. QuickDictate is a Windows program that types what you say into whichever window you are using ^[2].

If you need voice to work on a PC without an internet connection, Voice Access says it does that ^[1]. QuickDictate says dictation needs no internet connection once you choose a local speech model and install it ^[5]. If you want dictation that types into the window you are using, QuickDictate says it does that ^[7]. If you run Windows 11 version 22H2 or later, Voice Access is available to you ^[4].

What Windows Voice Access is built for

Voice Access is a feature in Windows 11 that lets people control their PC and write text using only their voice, without an internet connection ^[1]. It is available in Windows 11, version 22H2 and later ^[4].

It has three modes you can work in, based on the task you want to perform ^[8]. Its page also describes microphone states, and says there are three ^[9].

You can add your own words, including hard to pronounce ones, to improve dictation accuracy ^[10]. The Microsoft Disability Answer Desk can offer assistance in English, Spanish, French and American Sign Language ^[11].

What QuickDictate is built for

QuickDictate is made by the team that publishes this site. It is a Windows program that types what you say into whichever window you are using ^[2]. That can be an editor, chat box, terminal or web form ^[7].

You hold a key while you talk, or press it once to start and once to stop, and you can change both keys ^[12]. With five of the cloud speech services, words appear while you are still talking ^[13]. You can list words and phrases, which are sent to the cloud provider to help it recognise them, and a replacement list fixes spellings such as "Chat GPT" to "ChatGPT" ^[14].

You can set different speech service, language, vocabulary and formatting for different apps ^[15]. Saying "scratch that" discards the text you just dictated, and it is the only voice command shipped ^[16]. While you dictate, other apps' audio is muted or turned down, then returns to its old level ^[17]. You can browse and filter your last 50 dictations ^[18].

Pricing and fees

The facts used here do not include a price for Windows Voice Access, so its price is not published on this page. Check Microsoft's pages for current terms.

QuickDictate is free for personal and other noncommercial use, with no subscription or account ^[3]. Commercial use needs a separate licence, and no price for that is published here ^[19].

If you use a cloud speech service, you pay that service directly ^[3]. QuickDictate works with the speech-to-text services ElevenLabs, Deepgram, OpenAI, AssemblyAI, DashScope or Google, and the one you pick bills you directly ^[20]. Those services bill you separately from QuickDictate ^[3]. No amounts for them are published here. A local speech model you install on your own PC needs no internet connection or API key, which is the account code a cloud service gives you ^[5].

Setting it up and daily use

For Voice Access, the facts used here say you can launch it again from Settings, then Accessibility, then Speech ^[21]. They do not describe first-time setup in more detail. Beyond that, the facts used here do not describe daily use.

QuickDictate is a program you download as an .exe file from GitHub, a site where software is shared for download, and it updates itself quietly ^[22]. It runs only on 64-bit Windows 10 and 11 ^[6]. To use it offline, you install a speech model and choose the local option ^[5].

Day to day, you press your chosen key and talk, and the words land in the window you are using ^[12]. If you sign in, preferences such as keys and language can sync between PCs ^[23]. Your history survives a restart or self-update ^[18].

Things to check before you choose

Which Windows do you run? Voice Access is for Windows 11 version 22H2 and later ^[4]. QuickDictate runs on 64-bit Windows 10 and 11 ^[6].
Do you need dictation without internet? Check how each tool handles it on your PC.
Do you need your voice to control the computer as well as write text? Check what each tool offers.
Will you use it for paid work? QuickDictate's commercial use needs a separate licence ^[19]. Read Microsoft's terms for Voice Access.
Which languages do you dictate in? Check each tool's current language list.
Do you need help from a person? The Microsoft Disability Answer Desk can offer assistance in English, Spanish, French and American Sign Language ^[11]. Check whether it covers Voice Access for you.
Are you happy to have a cloud service bill you directly? ^[20]

How to choose

You want voice control of a Windows 11 PC and text by voice: Voice Access says it does both ^[1].
You want to choose how voice is used for the task at hand: Voice Access has three modes, based on the tasks you want to perform ^[8].
You want text typed into any open window: QuickDictate types into whichever window has focus ^[7].
You use Windows 10: QuickDictate runs on 64-bit Windows 10 and 11 ^[6].
You want words to show while you talk: QuickDictate does this with five of the cloud services ^[13].
You want different settings per app: QuickDictate can change speech service, language and formatting by app ^[15].

Frequently asked questions

Is Windows Voice Access free?

The facts used for this page do not include a price for Windows Voice Access, so check Microsoft's pages for current terms. Microsoft says it is a feature in Windows 11 that lets people control their PC and write text by voice ^[1]. It is available in version 22H2 and later ^[4].

Is QuickDictate free to use?

QuickDictate is free for personal and other noncommercial use, with no subscription or account ^[3]. Commercial use needs a separate licence ^[19]. If you pick a cloud speech service, that service bills you directly ^[20]. No licence price is published here.

Does Windows Voice Access work without internet?

Microsoft's page says voice access lets people control their PC and write text using only their voice and without an internet connection ^[1]. It is available in Windows 11, version 22H2 and later ^[4]. Check Microsoft's pages for anything beyond that, such as language coverage on your PC.

Can QuickDictate dictate without internet?

Yes, with a local speech model. You choose the local option and install a speech model, and dictation then needs no internet connection or API key ^[5]. QuickDictate runs only on 64-bit Windows 10 and 11 ^[6]. Check how much space the model needs before you install it.

Which Windows versions do QuickDictate and Voice Access run on?

Voice Access is available in Windows 11, version 22H2 and later ^[4]. QuickDictate runs only on 64-bit Windows 10 and 11, with no Mac or Linux version ^[6]. If you are on Windows 10, check each tool's current pages before you decide.

QuickDictate is free for personal and other noncommercial use, with no subscription or account. Cloud providers bill you separately for their service. ^[3]

Try QuickDictate

Sources

Windows Voice Access, support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/get-started-with-voice-access-bd2aa2dc-46c2-486c-93ae-3d75f7d053a4, read 2026-10-07
QuickDictate's own description of itself (the product of this site's publisher)
QuickDictate's own description of itself (the product of this site's publisher)
Windows Voice Access, support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/get-started-with-voice-access-bd2aa2dc-46c2-486c-93ae-3d75f7d053a4, read 2026-10-07
QuickDictate's own description of itself (the product of this site's publisher)
QuickDictate's own description of itself (the product of this site's publisher)
QuickDictate's own description of itself (the product of this site's publisher)
Windows Voice Access, support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/get-started-with-voice-access-bd2aa2dc-46c2-486c-93ae-3d75f7d053a4, read 2026-10-07
Windows Voice Access, support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/get-started-with-voice-access-bd2aa2dc-46c2-486c-93ae-3d75f7d053a4, read 2026-10-07
Windows Voice Access, support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/get-started-with-voice-access-bd2aa2dc-46c2-486c-93ae-3d75f7d053a4, read 2026-10-07
Windows Voice Access, support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/get-started-with-voice-access-bd2aa2dc-46c2-486c-93ae-3d75f7d053a4, read 2026-10-07
QuickDictate's own description of itself (the product of this site's publisher)
QuickDictate's own description of itself (the product of this site's publisher)
QuickDictate's own description of itself (the product of this site's publisher)
QuickDictate's own description of itself (the product of this site's publisher)
QuickDictate's own description of itself (the product of this site's publisher)
QuickDictate's own description of itself (the product of this site's publisher)
QuickDictate's own description of itself (the product of this site's publisher)
QuickDictate's own description of itself (the product of this site's publisher)
QuickDictate's own description of itself (the product of this site's publisher)
Windows Voice Access, support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/get-started-with-voice-access-bd2aa2dc-46c2-486c-93ae-3d75f7d053a4, read 2026-10-07
QuickDictate's own description of itself (the product of this site's publisher)
QuickDictate's own description of itself (the product of this site's publisher)