12.0

Starting to Dictate: Controlling the Microphone

When ready to dictate, you must ensure that Dragon NaturallySpeaking is able to hear you. Your microphone

must be connected and positioned correctly of course, but the software also needs to know whether to

“listen”. This lesson shows several ways to turn Dragon’s microphone or on off, and introduces the DragonBar.

Note: If you are using a Bluetooth microphone, make sure that it is not only powered up, but also active (that

is, in “call mode”). On the Plantronics Calisto microphone, this is achieved by pressing the headset’s button.

Please see your microphone’s user guide for details, including how to charge the headset and how to pair it

with the dongle if necessary.

The DragonBar and the Microphone Icon

In Version 12, the DragonBar is docked to the top of the screen by default. Be sure to explore, in the Options

dialog’s View tab, the various ways that you can modify the DragonBar’s appearance to suit your preferences.

If you choose “Floating”, the DragonBar will be narrower but thicker than when docked to top, and you can

move it anywhere on your screen; to drag it, position your mouse over the DragonBar’s titlebar or over its

“handle” (the gray vertical lines at left.)

Right-clicking the DragonBar brings up

its contextual menu. From there, you

can say View options to open the

Options dialog directly on its View tab,

you can exit Dragon, and more.

TIP: Saying Show titlebar toggles the

titlebar on or off. If you like the

Floating display but want to save

vertical space on your screen, you may

wish to toggle off the DragonBar’s

titlebar.