Dictate in any app · Forms

Voice typing in Google Forms

Building a form is mostly typing questions, and Forms has no dictation for any of it. Typally types what you say straight into Google Forms — hold a key, talk, let go — so you can dictate anywhere Google Forms lets you type.

This is a vendor guide from the makers of Typally. Anything we say about Google Forms is worth verifying — third-party features change without notice.
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In short

  • Google Forms's own dictation: None. Question fields, descriptions and answer options are all plain inputs.
  • What Typally does instead: types into the focused window, so it works in Google Forms and everywhere else you write.
  • Best used for: survey questions

Does Google Forms have built-in dictation?

None. Question fields, descriptions and answer options are all plain inputs.

Why dictate in Google Forms at all?

A good form has clear questions and explanatory help text. Help text is what makes responses usable, and it is the first thing skipped because every extra field means more typing.

In practice people use it for: Survey questions, help text under each question, form descriptions, and long-answer responses when you are filling one in.

How to dictate in Google Forms

Nothing changes inside Google Forms itself. Typally sits in the tray and types into the focused window:

1

Install Typally

Windows or macOS, then sign in. No card for the free tier.

2

Open Google Forms and click where you want the text

The cursor position is the whole instruction — Google Forms routes the keystrokes from there.

3

Hold the hotkey and talk

Say the whole thought, then let go. No time limit.

4

Read it before you move on

Forms auto-detects question types as you type, so a dictated question ending in a question mark can flip the field type. Set the type first.

What Typally adds in Google Forms

Typally types into question fields, help text and answer options, so the explanatory line under each question — the part that stops people answering the wrong thing — stops being skipped. Set the question type first, since Forms changes field type based on what it sees you type.

What this looks like in practice

Someone building a customer survey adds one line of help text under each of the nine questions, spoken in under two minutes. The response quality is visibly better than the last survey, where every question stood alone with no explanation.

One habit that makes it work better

Dictate the help text under each question, not just the question. The explanation is what stops people answering the wrong thing, and it is always the part left blank.

What to watch out for in Google Forms

Forms auto-detects question types as you type, so a dictated question ending in a question mark can flip the field type. Set the type first.

Frequently asked questions

Can I dictate questions into Google Forms?

Yes, with a system-level tool. Forms itself has no speech input.

Does dictation work when filling in a form?

Yes, and long-answer fields are where it helps most — respondents write more when speaking.

Can I dictate into Forms' answer options?

Yes. Each option is its own text field; click it before speaking.

Try it in Google Forms

Free plan: 100 minutes of dictation a month, no card. Pro is $7.99/month if you want more.

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Also dictate in: Typeform · Google Sheets · Airtable · Tally · Jotform · see all apps