Pick a Persona
Set the tone for each app: formal in email, relaxed in chat, exact in code. Sovona switches for you.
Getting Started
Get set up in about two minutes.
Five quick steps, what to expect at each one, and the shortcuts worth knowing.
What you need
- Windows 10 or 1164-bit, any everyday laptop or desktop
- A microphoneBuilt-in, headset or USB, all fine
- Internet onceTo set up; then it works offline
Setup
Five steps, then you're talking.
Step 1
Download and install
Download Sovona for Windows and open the installer. It installs in a few seconds and the welcome tour opens on its own.
Good to know: Sovona installs for your Windows account. You can uninstall it any time from Windows Settings.
Go to DownloadStep 2
Sign in with your email
Type your email address and we'll send you a one-time code. Enter it and you're in. There's no password to create or remember.
Good to know: Your 7-day free trial includes every feature.
Step 3
Check your microphone
Choose your microphone and say a sentence. The level meter moves as you speak, and Sovona tells you if you're too quiet or too loud.
Good to know: If Windows asks for microphone access, choose Allow. A headset works best in noisy places.
Step 4
Let Sovona pick its engine
Sovona checks your PC and language, picks the best speech engine and downloads it in the background. If you have a graphics card, it sets that up too.
Good to know: This is the one step that needs internet. Afterwards, dictation works fully offline.
Step 5
Dictate your first sentence
Click into any text box, in any app. Hold Ctrl + Win, speak naturally, then let go. Clean, punctuated text appears right where your cursor is.
Good to know: Every dictation is also copied to your clipboard and saved in History, so you never lose a word.
The voice pill
Always there, never in the way.
The pill shows what Sovona is doing. Drag it anywhere, or hide it until you speak.
A small pill sits on screen with a cyan dot. It never steals focus.
A live waveform shows your voice, and your words appear as you speak.
Your text is pasted, and the pill tells you where, like "Pasted into Slack".
Shortcuts
Your keyboard, supercharged.
These are the defaults. Change any of them in Settings, then Hotkeys. Enter, Tab and Esc only do this while Sovona is listening, so normal typing is never affected.
Ctrl+WinholdHold to talkSpeak while holding, let go to paste.
AltAlt2×Hands-freeDouble-tap to start, double-tap again to stop.
EnterPaste and sendWhile listening: pastes, then presses Enter.
TabPaste onlyWhile listening: pastes without sending.
EscCancelStops listening and discards it.
Ctrl+Win+ShiftCommand modeSelect text first, then say what to change.
Alt+NQuick noteSaves a voice note without opening the app.
Alt+RRead aloudReads the selected text in a natural voice.
Voice commands
Edit as you speak
Say these while dictating. Sovona acts on them and leaves them out of your text.
- "Scratch that"Removes what you just said
- "New line"Starts a new line
- "New paragraph"Starts a new paragraph
- "Make that a list"Turns your words into bullet points
- "Capitalise that"Capitalises the last words
- "Undo that"Takes back the last paste
Tips for the best results
- Speak in full sentences at your normal pace. Sovona adds the punctuation.
- Pause for a moment before you let go of the keys, so the last word is caught.
- Keep the microphone close and steady, and leave noise suppression on.
- Spelling a name wrong? Add it to your Dictionary once and it's fixed for good.
Next
Make it yours.
Teach your words
Add names, brands and jargon to your Dictionary so they come out right every time.
Capture quick notes
Press Alt + N anywhere to save a voice note without opening the app.
Record a meeting
Capture your mic and the call audio on your PC and get a summary and action items.
Go hands-free
Turn on the "Hey Sovona" wake word in Settings. It stays off until you choose it.
Check your privacy
Open Privacy to see what stays on your PC and every connection the app makes.
