See below for an overview of voice control options, and instructions explaining how to set up the recommended software to use Windows PC computers hands-free. We also have video tutorials on our YouTube Channel you can watch to learn how to use voice control after you’ve set it up.

Note that the best voice control software for Windows is not cheap. But it’s definitely worth it! (e.g. currently more consistent, customizable, accurate, and overall better than what Apple Mac voice control has to offer thus far). Total cost of complete 100% hands-free software combination is ~$699, if you want to do your computer work completely hands-free.

Voice Control Options:

Software	Description
*Dragon Professional Individual 15	$500. Absolutely worth it! (Ask your employer or university to see if they will buy it for you though, before getting it yourself, because often they will be able to do so for injuries, disabilities, or faster working). Speech recognition software like Dragon can easily transcribe over 150 words per minute (WPM), while the average person types around 50 WPM. Dragon Professional Individual is accurate, comprehensive, consistent (at least, from my experience compared to other alternatives). It has custom vocabulary and custom commands, which are key to making your voice control experience seamless.
Dragon Home 15	$200. NOT meant for hands-free users. Not worth it if you want to use your computer completley hands-free. Does not include custom vocabulary or custom commands, and therefore you will notice difficulties with accuracy when “typing” documents, speaking words to search on the web, and you will not be able to make custom workarounds.
*Chrome “Click-by-Voice” Plugin	FREE! Use it as an add-on to click on “un-clickable” elements on Chrome webpages. Works as an add-on to Dragon and to most voice control softwares.
*KnowBrainer Command Utility Software 2017	$199. If you want to go 100% hands-free, consider buying this in addition to Dragon. It helps you to more easily navigate your entire computer and takes care of workarounds and has commands that work in cases where Dragon does not work. We recommend that you first buy Dragon Professional, use it for a few months, and then purchase KnowBrainer Command Utility afterwards as an add-on to help you go completely hands-free.

How To Download & Set Up The Software

Before starting, if you have an injury or disability, we recommend asking a friend or family member to help follow the instructions below to download the software for you.

1) Purchase and Download Dragon Professional Individual (~$500). Trust me, it’s worth it.

2) Purchase and Download KnowBrainer Command Utility Software (~$199). KnowBrainer is an “add-on”, meaning you can’t use it unless you already own Dragon software.

1. Go to KnowBrainer.com
2. Click on Shop
3. Select Software in the dropdown
4. Scroll down & click on KnowBrainer 2017 Command Utility (or whichever is the newest)
5. Scroll down to purchase the KnowBrainer 2017 Command Utility – Full Version Download

3) Download Google Chrome Web Browser. Google Chrome is so far the best web browser (as of 2021) for use with Dragon.

4) Download Click-By-Voice Plugin for Chrome on the Chrome web store. This will help you click on “un-clickable” elements of webpages such as buttons, drop-downs, etc. that may not appear with the Dragon commands.

All done! 🙂 Now you can get started by downloading the instruction manuals for Dragon and KnowBrainer, and by visiting our Scripts page for more details on how to use the Chrome Click-By-Voice plugin (e.g. “show little numbers”).

 

 

If you have difficulties clicking on the above links for the downloads, copy-paste or click on the URL’s below:

Dragon Professional Individual: https://www.nuance.com/dragon/business-solutions/dragon-professional-individual.html

KnowBrainer Command Utility: https://shop.knowbrainer.com/store/pc/viewPrd.asp?idproduct=517&idcategory=4

Chrome Web Browser: https://www.google.com/chrome/?brand=YTUH&geo=US&gclid=CjwKCAjwt8uGBhBAEiwAayu_9bi8xnVX0hyw82hsR6qajw-lZFYZWtA3iP_Anoe9UA_0Ei4u2-cPQxoCfR8QAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

Click-by-Voice Chrome Plugin :https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/click-by-voice/dleiijbbjajmfcaiiiadgjpgfjmfdfen?hl=en