Write and Revise a Document by Voice on Linux

Create documents by voice on Linux and revise with spoken instructions like shortening paragraphs or making lists.

4 min read
Last updated: 9/15/2026
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This guide shows you how to create a document by speaking, revise it with spoken instructions, and save or reopen it in Notes.

Before you start

You need an internet connection, a working microphone, and an account with access to Write. Write's dictation and editing are cloud-based; local model downloads are not required.

Step 1: Open Write or continue an existing note

To start a new draft, select Write in the sidebar and choose New.

To continue saved work, open the note in Notes and choose Edit. The note loads in Write and you can revise it directly.

To keep a new draft in your library, choose Save as note before selecting New or opening another note. The Save as note control appears on the document toolbar when you have unsaved text in Write. The working draft stays on this device; saving it as a note adds the text to your library.

Step 2: Dictate the first version

Choose Dictate. Position the cursor where the new text should go, then use Write's recording control to speak your draft. A pause ends the take, or you can stop it manually.

The transcribed text appears at the cursor in the document, and you can continue typing or editing from there.

If you lose your connection, the current working draft remains on this device. Dictation and Edit require a connection to process text through the cloud.

Step 3: Revise with a spoken instruction

Choose Edit. To change a specific passage, select it first; otherwise, the instruction applies to the whole document. Speak the instruction and review the resulting text. The change applies as soon as the result appears.

For example, with the text "The office move is planned for Monday. Please label your boxes by Friday and leave shared equipment in the meeting room." you can say "Turn this into a short list" and the document updates to a list format. You can then edit the list further or continue dictating.

Switch back to Dictate to add more prose instead of issuing another instruction.

Step 4: Format and revisit earlier wording

Use the Markdown toolbar for bold, italic, headings and bullet or numbered lists.

Open History to view earlier versions. Entries are labelled Dictate for spoken additions and Command for spoken edits. Select a version to restore its draft. To undo a recent Edit change, use Ctrl+Z. This history belongs to the current working document. It is available on this device but is not attached to a saved note.

Step 5: Save, copy and reopen

There are three situations to distinguish:

  • A new draft: Choose Save as note to keep the text in your Notes library.
  • Editing a note opened from Notes: Changes save back to that note automatically.
  • Text needed elsewhere: Choose the document's Copy control, then paste into the destination application.

To return to saved work later, find the note in Notes, open it and choose Edit to continue revising its current text.

Once saved as a note, the text is available in Search and Ask like other notes. For details on tags and Cloud Sync, see Record and organize voice notes on Linux.

Where to go next:

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