Speech into Text

How Your Data Stays Private in Browser-Based Voice Typing

Published: October 12, 2026

When you speak into a voice tool, it is natural to wonder where your words go. Some of what you say may be personal, confidential, or simply private. Understanding how browser-based voice typing handles that information helps you decide how and when to use it. This article explains the parts of the process that matter for privacy: where your text is kept, which services process your speech, what the site stores on your device, and what you can do to control it.

The explanation below describes how Speech into Text works at a general level. For the full details, including the information we collect and how it is used, read our Privacy Policy and our Cookie Policy.

Two parts of the process

Voice typing involves two separate steps. The first is the recognition of your speech, which turns the sound of your voice into words. The second is the storage of the text, which keeps your words on the screen and, if auto-save is enabled, between visits. These steps are handled differently, and it helps to think about them separately.

How speech recognition works in the browser

Speech into Text uses your browser's built-in speech recognition. When you start dictating, the browser listens to the microphone you have allowed and converts the sound into text. The page receives the recognised words and places them in the text box. The browser decides which speech service does the recognition.

In Google Chrome, speech recognition is handled by Google's speech service. This means your voice audio is sent to that service so it can be turned into text. Other browsers use their own speech services, and their privacy policies apply. If privacy is important to you, check which service your browser uses before you dictate sensitive material.

Because recognition depends on the browser, it also depends on the browser's settings. The microphone permission controls whether the page can listen at all. You can turn that permission off at any time from the site settings in your browser, and the tool will stop receiving sound from your microphone.

Where your text is stored

The text you write in Speech into Text is kept in your browser's local storage on your own device. Local storage is a feature that lets a web page save small amounts of information in your browser. The information stays on your device rather than being saved on a server. It is available the next time you open the page in the same browser, which is how auto-save works.

The same local storage is used for a small number of settings, such as your chosen language, font, theme, and custom dictionary. These settings make the tool more comfortable to use, because they do not need to be chosen again each time you open it.

What this means in practice

Because your text is stored on your device, anyone who uses the same browser profile on that device may be able to see it. If you use a shared or public computer, be careful about leaving sensitive text in the text box or with auto-save turned on. Clear the text before you leave, and close the browser when you finish.

Because your voice is processed by the browser's speech service, the privacy of your audio depends on that service. For highly confidential material, such as medical records, legal documents, or personal information about other people, consider whether browser-based voice typing is the right tool. A closed, offline dictation system may be more appropriate in those cases.

Controlling your data

You have several ways to control what is stored. You can turn auto-save off if you do not want your text kept between visits. You can clear the text box at the end of a session. You can also clear the site's data in your browser settings, which removes the saved text, the saved settings, and the dictionary from that device.

To remove the microphone permission, open the site settings in your browser and change the microphone setting. Once the permission is removed, the page cannot listen to the microphone until you allow it again.

Cookies and advertising

Speech into Text does not use cookies for its own tracking. It uses local storage for the settings and text described above. Third-party services that appear on the site may set their own cookies, and our Cookie Policy explains which ones they are and how to manage them. The text you write in the tool is not passed to advertising services.

Sharing and copying

When you copy, download, print, or share your text, the content leaves the tool and goes wherever you send it. The privacy of that copy depends on the app or service you use. A text file on your desktop is only as private as the folder it is saved in, and a message sent through a messaging app follows that app's privacy rules.

Before you share sensitive text, check who will be able to see it, and remove any details you do not need to include.

Good habits for private dictation

Dictate in a private space, so that others cannot overhear the content. Use a password-protected account on your device, and lock the screen when you step away. Clear the text box and close the browser when you finish a sensitive session. Avoid dictating passwords, bank details, or identification numbers, because these are better typed directly into the appropriate secure form.

If you use voice typing on a shared device, check the browser's history and site data after your session, and remove anything you do not want to keep.

Questions about privacy

If you have a question about how Speech into Text handles your data, read the Privacy Policy first. If your question is not answered there, you can send us a message through the Contact us page. Please do not include sensitive personal information in your message.

Summary

Browser-based voice typing separates two steps: speech recognition, which is handled by your browser's speech service, and text storage, which stays in your browser on your device. You can control both by managing the microphone permission, turning auto-save off, clearing the text, and clearing site data. Choose the right tool for sensitive material, and always check where your text will go after you copy or share it.

To learn more about the tool itself, open the speech to text page, or read the Privacy Policy.