How to Use Voice Input in Windows Terminal

Windows Terminal is the default environment for PowerShell, CMD, WSL, and increasingly for AI coding tools like Claude Code and Codex CLI. But it has no built-in voice input. Windows Speech Recognition was designed for document editing and has unreliable behavior in terminal windows.

This guide shows how to add reliable voice-to-text input to Windows Terminal using PromptPaste.

Why terminals are different

Terminal emulators handle text input differently from standard text fields. Many voice tools that work in browsers or document editors fail in terminals because they rely on clipboard simulation, accessibility APIs, or input method editors that terminals do not fully support.

PromptPaste handles this by inserting text at the OS input level, which works consistently across Windows Terminal, PowerShell, CMD, and WSL sessions. The text appears where your cursor is, regardless of which shell or application is running inside the terminal.

Setup

Install PromptPaste from the Microsoft Store. No configuration is needed for terminal use — it works immediately. The default hotkey is Ctrl+Shift+Space.

Open Windows Terminal, focus the prompt, hold the hotkey, speak, and release. The transcribed text appears at the cursor. It works the same whether you are in a PowerShell session, a WSL bash prompt, or an interactive Claude Code session.

Common terminal use cases

AI prompting is the most natural fit. When Claude Code or Codex CLI is waiting for input, dictate your instruction instead of typing it. Detailed prompts that would take a minute to type can be spoken in fifteen seconds.

Git workflows benefit too. Dictate commit messages and PR descriptions. Speak kubectl commands or complex shell one-liners where the syntax is clearer in your head than under your fingers.

Any terminal task that involves natural language — commenting, documenting, messaging — is faster by voice.

Tips for terminal dictation

Push-to-talk is critical in terminals. You do not want ambient speech accidentally piped into a running process or command prompt. PromptPaste only listens while you hold the hotkey, so accidental input is not a concern.

Speak at a natural pace. The transcription engine handles normal conversational speed well. You do not need to slow down or over-enunciate technical terms.

Review before pressing Enter. After the text is inserted, glance at it and use the keyboard to correct any errors before submitting. This quick review step takes seconds and prevents sending a misheard prompt to an AI tool or running an incorrect command.