To turn on your Dragon microphone, you can either click the microphone icon located on the DragonBar or in your system tray, or use a specific voice command.
Turning on the microphone is a crucial first step to begin dictating and using Dragon's speech recognition capabilities.
Methods to Activate Your Dragon Microphone
There are two primary ways to activate your microphone in Dragon:
- Clicking the Microphone Icon:
- Locate the DragonBar, which is often positioned at the top of your screen or as a small toolbar.
- Find the microphone icon within the DragonBar.
- Alternatively, look for the microphone icon in your system tray, usually located in the bottom-right corner of your desktop (near the clock).
- Clicking this icon will toggle the microphone's status between on and off.
- Using Voice Commands:
- If your microphone is already connected and Dragon is running, you can speak a command to activate it.
- The most common command to turn on the microphone is "wake up."
- Dragon will then become active and ready to receive your dictation.
Preparing for Dictation
Before you begin dictating, it's helpful to prepare your environment to ensure a smooth and accurate experience:
- Open a Document: Launch a word processor or any application where you intend to dictate text (e.g., Microsoft Word, Notepad, an email client).
- Position Your Cursor: Ensure your cursor is actively blinking within the document or text field where you want your dictated text to appear.
- Activate Microphone: Use one of the methods described above to turn on your Dragon microphone.
- Start Dictating: Speak clearly and naturally. Remember to:
- Dictate sentences in a conversational tone.
- Say punctuation marks as you would read them (e.g., "period," "comma," "new paragraph," "exclamation point").
- Use commands for formatting, such as "new paragraph" or "bold that."
Microphone Status and Voice Commands
Understanding the microphone's status is key to efficient use. Dragon often indicates the microphone's status visually (e.g., green for on, red for off, yellow for sleep).
Common Voice Commands for Microphone Control:
| Command | Function |
|---|---|
| Wake up | Turns the microphone on and activates Dragon. |
| Microphone off | Turns the microphone off and deactivates Dragon. |
| Go to sleep | Puts the microphone into a standby mode, ready to be "woken up" quickly. |
By mastering these simple steps, you can quickly turn on your Dragon microphone and begin leveraging the power of speech recognition for hands-free productivity.
