Transcription will not work on Word

Murray Shactman 15 Reputation points
2026-11-08T23:32:47.7733333+00:00

When I click on transcribe in Word there is an option to "Upload Audio" when I click on that my desktop does nothing

Microsoft 365 and Office | Word | For home | Windows

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  1. Sumit 44,981 Reputation points Volunteer Moderator
    2026-11-09T16:13:03.1+00:00

    Hi,

    Known issue.

    Please take a moment to report the problem.

    Please go to Help > Feedback button > Report a problem > Write this feedback:

    Problem Title: Upload Audio button is unresponsive in Microsoft Word Transcribe feature

    Problem Description:

    I am experiencing an issue with the Transcribe feature in Microsoft Word.

    When I navigate to Home > Dictate > Transcribe and click the Upload audio button, nothing happens. The button appears to be unresponsive, and no file selection window opens.

    As a result, I am unable to upload audio files for transcription.

    Expected Behaviour: Clicking the Upload audio button should open the file selection dialog, allowing me to browse and select an audio file for transcription.

    Actual Behaviour: Clicking the Upload audio button does not trigger any action. No file picker opens, and no error message is displayed.

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    10+ people found this answer helpful.
  2. Norah-L 13,570 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator
    2026-11-10T23:31:11.54+00:00

    Dear Murray and everyone,

    Thank you for reporting this issue. This issue appears to be affecting multiple users recently, particularly after an update to the Word desktop app.

    As a temporary workaround in the Word desktop app, try widening the Transcribe pane before selecting Upload audio. Some affected users have reported that this helped.

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    8 people found this answer helpful.
  3. Daniel 5 Reputation points
    2026-11-09T00:43:55.91+00:00

    We have a client who has raised this as an issue for us as well working on a Terminal Server enviroment and have also confirmed internally we have the same issue.

    At this stage we have had to direct our clent to use Word online as this allows them to upload the transcription untill this is resolved as they can atleast get the text and put it back into the desktop app for the use of their integrated applications.

    Hope this helps people get by n the meantime untill its resolved. There are currently no advisories we could see for this issue in their tenancy.

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    6 people found this answer helpful.
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  4. AI answer

    2026-11-08T23:33:39.6566667+00:00

    For a personal/home Microsoft 365 account, upload the recording through Word for the web, because Microsoft currently limits Transcribe in Word for Windows to commercial tenants, while Microsoft 365 subscribers can use it online.^1^

    Upload through Word for the web

    1. Open Word for the web in the latest Microsoft Edge or Google Chrome.
    2. Sign in with the same Microsoft account that owns the Microsoft 365 subscription.
    3. Create or open a document.
    4. Select Home → Dictate ▼ → Transcribe → Upload audio.
    5. Choose a .wav, .mp4, .m4a, or .mp3 file.
    6. Keep the Transcribe pane open while processing. The transcription can take up to approximately the recording’s duration.^1^

    The Windows Open dialog should appear immediately after selecting Upload audio. Word for the web is also the recommended comparison when upload is unavailable in desktop Word.^2^

    If Word for the web works

    The recording and transcript are stored in OneDrive’s Transcribed Files folder.^3^

    You can continue using the web version. If this is actually a commercial Microsoft 365 account and desktop Word should support Transcribe, try these desktop-specific steps:

    1. Enable connected experiences
      • In Word, open File → Account → Account Privacy → Manage Settings.
      • Enable the connected-experience options, then close and reopen Word. These settings control cloud-backed Microsoft 365 functionality.^4^
    2. Update Word
      • Open File → Account → Update Options → Update Now.
      • Restart Word after updates finish.^5^
    3. Repair Office only if the web upload succeeds but the desktop button remains unresponsive
      • Windows 11: Start → Settings → Apps → Installed apps.
      • Windows 10: Start → Apps and Features.
      • Select Microsoft 365 → Modify → Online Repair → Repair.
      Online Repair affects the entire Office suite and may require a restart.^6^

    If Word for the web also fails

    • Confirm that Word shows the Microsoft account associated with the active Microsoft 365 subscription.
    • Open OneDrive on the web and check that the account has available storage and contains—or can create—the Transcribed Files folder. Upload processing depends on OneDrive.^7^
    • If the file picker opens but a particular recording fails, test another supported audio file. That distinguishes an account/service problem from a damaged recording. File-format troubleshooting is not relevant while the button still fails to open the picker.

    References

    1. Transcribe your recordings | Microsoft Support
    2. Transcription tool in Microsoft Word not working - Microsoft Q&A
    3. Use a screen reader to record and transcribe audio in Word | Microsoft Support
    4. Connected experiences in Microsoft 365 | Microsoft Support
    5. How to update Microsoft 365 or Office for Windows | Microsoft Support
    6. Repair an Office application | Microsoft Support
    7. Transcribe feature not working - Microsoft Q&A
    AI-generated content may be incorrect. Read our transparency notes for more information.

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    3 people found this answer helpful.

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