Microsoft is now testing a new Windows 10 feature called ‘voice launcher’ which could improve the way you interact with your apps and files. The overhauled search experience will also power the search box in the Settings app, Windows File Explorer and Windows Search (search box).
Back in September, Microsoft started testing a new and improved version of software keyboard (also known as touch keyboard). The touch keyboard comes with a new emoji picker and another feature called ‘Windows Voice Typing’, which is now coming to the search box in File Explorer, Settings app and Start menu.
The new experimental voice typing feature shows up automatically anywhere in the operating system where there is a text field with Windows Search API. You can also access the new voice typing experience with Windows Narrator shortcut ‘Win + H’.
As you can see in the above screenshot, new voice launcher comes with a modern design and it’s optimized for all form factors.
You can also pause the voice dictation or enable a feature called ‘auto-punctuation’, which will automatically insert punctuations (periods, question marks, etc) where appropriate.
Microsoft is currently experimenting with this new feature in the following regions and languages:
- English: US, UK, Canada, Australia and India.
- French: France and Canada.
- Portuguese: Brazil.
- Spanish, German, Italian, Japanese, and simplified Chinese.
The software maker is also hoping that users will contribute to its voice search database to enable “more accurate” experience for everyone who speaks your language.
“Your everyday use of voice typing could make Microsoft’s online speech tech more accurate for everyone who speaks your language. If you decide to contribute your voice clips, some of these clips will be reviewed by Microsoft employees and vendors,” Microsoft noted.
If you choose to enable this optional feature, your voice clips will be reviewed by Microsoft and vendors, but the voice won’t be linked to your account and clips with personal info will be deleted, according to the tech giant.
Microsoft is still testing the new voice search experience and it will be included in Windows 10’s October 2021 Update.
If, for some reason, you don’t like this voice search — you can always disable it from the main Settings app.