Try it

Now that the application is installed and configured, it is time to try it.

Start an Application

If you pin commonly used applications to the taskbar, it is easy to start them by voice. You can say "show", which opens many numbered labels on the screen. Then say the number that corresponds to the taskbar icon, and the mouse is clicked at that location.

Alternatively, you can say "go to taskbar". The first application on the taskbar is highlighted. You can change the highlighted application by saying direction commands like "go right", "go left three", etc. Once the application you want to start is highlighted, say "enter".

To maximize the window, say "maximize window".

Switch to Another Window

To switch to another window, say "list windows". This command holds the alt key and presses tab, which opens the Windows window selection interface. You can change the highlighted application by saying direction commands like:

• "go right"
• "go right five
• "go left three
• "go up"

Once the window you want to switch to is highlighted, say "select".

To switch back to the previous window, just say "other window".

Clicking and Scrolling the Mouse

To control the mouse, try these commands:

• "show" (for anything on the screen)
• "show links" (only for web page links)
• "scroll down three"

For the "show" commands, many number labels appear on your screen. Say one of the numbers, and the mouse will be clicked at that location.

If you have multiple monitors, see Multiple Monitors to learn how to use "show" and other mouse control commands across monitors.

Browse the Web with Chrome

For tab management, try commands like the following:

• "open new tab"
• "go to final tab"
• "go right tab four"
• "go left tab six"
• "go to tab three"
• "close tab"

To visit a web page, try commands like the following:

• "go to address" (start typing an address, say "tab" for auto complete, "enter" to visit page)
• "go to bar" (jumps to bookmark bar, use direction commands, "press escape", and "enter" to choose a link)

To click a link on a web page, you can use the "show" command described above for most clickable elements. For links contained within paragraphs, initiate the Vimium browser extension by saying "show links". A number is shown next to each clickable element on the page. Just say one of those numbers.

To go back and forward, try the following commands:

• "go back"
• "go forward"

The following basic command examples can be helpful on web pages:

• "tab", "tab five" (jumping focus between elements)
• "page down"
• "scroll down five"
• "space" (usually works to check a check box in focus)
• "enter" (usually works to expand a drop down menu or to select a menu item in focus)
• "go up", "go down" (changes highlighted item for a drop down menu and focus)

Typing Text

To type text, just say the words you want to type, and use text formatting and punctuation commands like the following:

• "capital"
• "comma"
• "period"
• "space"
• "enter"

For example, say the following: "capital hello comma this is my first time using my voice to type period". The following is typed: "Hello, this is my first time using my voice to type.".

If you see any errors in recognition, try enunciating more clearly and speaking more slowly. For phrases that are difficult for recognition, it helps to have slight pauses between words.

Notice that no word is capitalized for you, and that you must use formatting commands to control capitalization. This is because most recognizers handle capitalization very poorly, so we decided to provide explicit control over capitalization by default. For changing this behavior, see the Auto Capitalization section in the Interpreter States document.

Also notice that spacing is automatically inserted between words of an utterance, but no automatic spacing is inserted between utterances. Whenever you need a space character, just say "space". For changing this behavior, see the Auto Spacing and Auto Utterance Spacing sections in the Interpreter States document.

If you want to type words that match a command, use the "escape" command. For example, if you say "I need escape space", "I need space" is typed.

Editing Text

To edit text, try commands like the following:

• "type home"
• "type end"
• "go left"
• "go left five"
• "go right twenty five"
• "go up six"
• "go down ten"
• "go right word"
• "go right word three"
• "go left word"
• "go left word seven"
• "hold shift" (holds the shift key for selection)
• "release shift" (release the shift key after selection)
• "copy that" (copies selection)
• "cut that" (cuts selection)
• "paste that"
• "backspace"
• "backspace five"
• "delete"
• "delete three"
• "clear right word"
• "clear left word three"
• "select left word"
• "select right word seven"

Note that the commands above are designed to be easy to learn, but they are not necessarily the most efficient way to edit text. Once you get more comfortable with the application, you should look at the more efficient commands in the "advanced" mode. Say "open help advanced" for command descriptions. You should also plan to create your own personalized commands for maximum efficiency. For example, you could create commands that are specific to your favorite text editor that optimize editing efficiency. There are more details on this later in the documentation.

Numbers

To say numbers, use the "number" command. For example:

• "number one"
• "number one point two"
• "number one hundred thirty"
• "number one million three hundred fifty six thousand two hundred twenty two"
• "number one two three four five six"
• "number thirty four point two five six"
• "number twenty five thirty six"

Command Help

You will learn more about modes and commands later in the documentation. For now, you can use the following to describe all commands that are active by default:

• "open help global"
• "open help basic"
• "open help windows"
• "open help chrome"