Voice control lets you operate your phone or computer completely hands-free using only your voice. This technology is essential for people with motor impairments, but it also offers benefits for anyone who wants to work more efficiently or keep their hands free. In this article, we explain how to set up and use voice control on different devices.

What is voice control and who is it for?

Voice control goes further than voice assistants such as Siri or Google Assistant. Whereas voice assistants are mainly meant for answering questions and simple tasks, voice control gives you full control over your device. You can open apps, navigate menus, type text, and even select specific pixels on the screen, all with your voice.

Voice control is designed for people who:

  • Have difficulty physically operating a touchscreen or mouse
  • Have conditions such as RSI, rheumatism, or Parkinson's
  • Are temporarily limited by an injury
  • Want to work hands-free in certain situations
  • Want to be more productive by dictating instead of typing

Voice control on iPhone

Apple has built Voice Control into iOS, which lets you operate your iPhone entirely with your voice.

Turning on Voice Control

  • Open the Settings app
  • Go to Accessibility
  • Tap Voice Control
  • Tap Set Up Voice Control to start the initial setup
  • Turn on Voice Control

A blue microphone icon in the status bar indicates that Voice Control is active and listening.

Basic commands for iPhone

  • Tap [item]: Taps the named item
  • Swipe down/up/left/right: Swipes in the named direction
  • Go home: Returns to the Home Screen
  • Open [app]: Opens the named app
  • Show numbers: Shows numbers next to all tappable elements
  • Tap [number]: Taps the element with that number

Dictating and editing text

  • [just speak]: In text fields, spoken text is typed automatically
  • Delete that: Deletes the most recently dictated text
  • Select [word]: Selects the named word
  • Replace [word] with [new word]: Replaces text
  • Capitalize [word]: Makes the first letter uppercase

Voice control on Android

Android offers Voice Access for full voice control of your device.

Installing and turning on Voice Access

  • Download Voice Access from the Google Play Store
  • Open the app and follow the setup wizard
  • Go to Settings, then Accessibility
  • Tap Voice Access
  • Turn on the service and grant the required permissions

Activating Voice Access

You can activate Voice Access in several ways:

  • Say "Hey Google, Voice Access" if Google Assistant is active
  • Tap the notification in the notification bar
  • Shake your device if you have set this up
  • Show numbers: Shows numbers on all elements
  • Tap [number]: Taps the element with that number
  • Scroll up/down: Scrolls through the page
  • Go back: Goes back one screen
  • Go home: Goes to the home screen
  • Open [app]: Opens the named app

Using the grid

For more precise control, you can place a grid over the screen:

  • Say "Show grid" to display a numbered grid
  • Say the number of the grid cell you want
  • The grid gets smaller for more precision
  • Repeat until you have selected the right spot

Voice control on Windows

Windows 11 offers Voice access for full voice control of your PC.

Turning on Voice access

  • Go to Settings from the Start menu
  • Click Accessibility
  • Click Speech
  • Click Voice access
  • Download the speech model if this is the first time
  • Click to start Voice access

Commands for Windows

  • Click [item]: Clicks the named item
  • Open [program]: Opens the named program
  • Show numbers: Shows numbers on interactive elements
  • Show grid: Shows a grid for precise mouse control
  • Scroll down/up: Scrolls through the page
  • Press [key]: Presses the named key

Dictating in Windows

You can also dictate text:

  • Click in a text field
  • Speak the text you want to type
  • Say "Period" or "Question mark" for punctuation
  • Say "New line" for a line break
  • Say "Delete that" to remove the last input

Voice control on Mac

macOS has an extensive Voice Control feature that makes your Mac fully hands-free.

Turning on Voice Control

  • Click the Apple menu
  • Select System Settings
  • Click Accessibility
  • Click Voice Control
  • Turn on Voice Control

The first time, speech files are downloaded. A microphone icon appears in the menu bar when Voice Control is active.

Mac-specific commands

  • Click [item]: Clicks the named item
  • Double-click [item]: Double-clicks the item
  • Show commands: Shows the available commands
  • Show numbers: Shows numbers on clickable elements
  • Show grid: Shows a numbered grid
  • Go to sleep: Pauses Voice Control
  • Wake up: Resumes Voice Control

Tips for using voice control effectively

Here are some tips to get the most out of voice control:

Optimize your environment

  • Reduce background noise: Speech recognition works better in a quiet environment
  • Use a headset: A microphone close to your mouth improves recognition
  • Speak clearly: Articulate well without shouting

Learn the commands

  • Start with basic commands and expand gradually
  • Use the help command to see the available options
  • Practice regularly to become more fluent

Adjust the settings

  • Configure which word activates voice control
  • Choose whether commands run automatically or need confirmation
  • Create custom commands for frequently used actions

Troubleshooting common problems

Here are solutions to common problems with voice control:

Commands are not recognized

  • Make sure you use the exact command words
  • Check that the correct language is set
  • Speak a little more slowly and clearly

Too many false activations

  • Use sleep mode when you are not actively giving commands
  • Adjust the sensitivity in the settings
  • Choose an activation word that is less likely to be said by accident

Conclusion

Voice control offers a powerful way to operate your devices without touching them. For people with motor impairments, it can make the difference between dependence and independence. But voice control also offers benefits to others in specific situations. With the extensive features on iOS, Android, Windows, and macOS, fully hands-free operation is now more accessible than ever. Take the time to learn the commands and optimize your environment for the best experience.

Frequently asked questions

Does voice control work offline?

Yes, on most modern devices voice control works offline once you have downloaded the speech model. Apple Voice Control, Windows Voice access, and Google Voice Access can all run locally on the device without an internet connection.

Can I create my own voice commands?

Yes, on most platforms you can create custom commands. On iPhone, go to Settings, Accessibility, Voice Control, and Customize Commands. On Mac, you will find this option in the Voice Control settings. This is handy for frequently used actions or complex tasks.

How do I stop voice control from responding to conversations?

Use sleep mode or the pause function when you are talking to others. Say 'Go to sleep' or 'Pause' to stop voice control temporarily, and 'Wake up' or 'Resume' to activate it again. You can also set a specific activation word.

Is voice control available in Dutch?

Availability of Dutch varies by platform. Apple Voice Control fully supports Dutch. Google Voice Access and Windows Voice access also support Dutch, but accuracy can vary. Check the language settings on your specific device.