Does Canvas have speech to text built in?
Canvas has no dictation feature in the rich content editor. Voice In is a free Chrome and Edge extension that adds it, and it works on school Chromebooks.
Canvas LMS + Voice In
· Education & LMS
How to Use Speech to Text in Canvas LMS
Students and teachers can dictate discussion posts, assignment submissions and feedback directly in Canvas. Voice In is a free Chrome and Edge extension that works on Chromebooks and adds speech to text to the Canvas rich content editor.
Chrome & Edge
Real-time speech to text
50+ languages
Last updated September 22, 2026
Does speech to text work in Canvas LMS?
Yes. Voice In lets you write in Canvas using real-time speech to text in Chrome and Edge. Your words appear directly in the active text field and stay editable until you submit or send them.
Where it works in Canvas LMS
- Discussion posts and replies
- Text entry assignments
- Quiz essay answers
- SpeedGrader comments
- Announcements and inbox messages
What you can do with Voice In
Draft longer text with less keyboard use, switch between more than 50 languages, and add punctuation and line breaks with voice commands. Voice In transcribes speech inside your browser, so nothing you dictate in Canvas LMS is sent to or stored on Voice In servers.
The free version works in standard text fields. Voice In Plus adds Advanced Mode for custom editors, custom voice commands and text replacements, and unlimited dictation.
How to use speech to text in Canvas LMS
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Install Voice In
Add the free Voice In extension to Chrome or Edge.
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Open Canvas LMS
Go to discussion posts and replies or any other place where you would normally type.
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Click a text field
Click where you would normally type so the text cursor is active.
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Start dictating
Click the Voice In icon or press the keyboard shortcut, then speak. Say “period” or “new line” for punctuation.
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Review and send
Check names and specialized terms, make any edits, and submit the finished text.
Why use Voice In with Canvas LMS?
Works in place
Speech to text goes straight into Canvas LMS fields without copying between tools.
Private by design
Speech is transcribed in your browser. Voice In never stores your audio or text.
Multilingual
Dictate in more than 50 languages and 100 dialects, and switch with one click.
Voice commands
Add punctuation, line breaks and custom snippets with built-in commands.
Canvas LMS dictation FAQ
Can Voice In be used as an accommodation for students?
Yes. Many schools use Voice In for students who find typing difficult. It works in discussions, assignments and quizzes, and administrators can deploy it through Google Admin.
Can teachers dictate feedback in SpeedGrader?
Yes. Click the comment box in SpeedGrader, start Voice In and speak your feedback.
How do I turn on speech to text in Canvas LMS?
Install Voice In from the Chrome Web Store, open Canvas LMS, click a text field, then click the Voice In icon or press the keyboard shortcut and start speaking. The text appears as you talk.
Does Voice In work on school Chromebooks?
Yes, as long as the school allows the extension to be installed from the Chrome Web Store. Administrators can also deploy it through Google Admin.
Is Voice In free for students?
Yes. The core extension is free, and schools can contact us about the Voice In education program for Plus features.
Which browsers and computers support Voice In?
Voice In works in Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge on Windows, macOS, Linux and Chromebooks.