Word, OneNote, and PowerPoint will let you convert your handwriting to text as you write

The new Ink to Text pen is available to all Microsoft 365 Insiders.

by Flavius Floare

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Updated on November 22, 2023

Good news for Microsoft 365 users everywhere: Copilot is not the only exciting feature to be released on the platform recently, as the Redmond-based tech giant is unveiling a new capability that will let users convert their handwriting to text as they write.

We’re talking about the new Ink to Text Pen tool that is coming to Microsoft 365 apps such as Word, OneNote, and PowerPoint, and it will essentially change the way users interact with these platforms.

The new Ink to Text Pen won’t be used only for converting handwriting to text, but Microsoft says the tool can also be used to interact with the documents users create on these platforms. By interaction, the new Ink to Text Pen tool can be used to create, select, delete, or split and join texts.

With the new Ink to Text Pen tool on the Draw tab in Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, and OneNote for Windows, you can have your handwriting convert to text as you write. In addition, when working with text you can use pen gestures to select, delete, split or join text, and even create a new line. 

Microsoft

How to use the new Ink to Text Pen to convert your handwriting to text

First of all, to use to new Ink to Text Pen, you need to meet the following requirements:

• A digital pen or stylus. The Ink to Text Pen does not support any other form of input. 
• The latest version of Windows 11 23H2. 
• Additional language support will require the Windows 11 October 31 update (KB5031455). 

You’ll then need to follow these steps:

1. Open your Word, OneNote, or PowerPoint, and go to their respective Settings or Draw panels, and select the Ink to Text Pen tool.

Now that the Ink to Text Pen tool is open, you can try multiple scenarios. Microsoft says you’re capable of:

As you can see, these new capabilities could greatly ease the way to create and edit documents only with a pen tool. For now, these features are available to all Microsoft 365 Insiders, but they will be generally released to Microsoft 365 in the weeks to come.