Windows 11 stops being prudish about cursing

Using Windows 11 can be enough to make anyone turn the air blue, but being irritated by aspects of the operating system is not the only reason for swearing at your computer.

Profanity is a part of everyday language, but Microsoft has been very prudish about it -- to the extent that the Voice Typing feature censored curse words. But this is changing. An update to Windows 11 means that it is possible to dictate swearwords and have them converted into text.

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For the time being, it is Windows Insiders signed up to the Beta Channel who are being given access to uncensored Voice Typing. It is likely to be very well received because Microsoft says it is giving users the option to turn off censorship in response to feedback.

In the release notes for Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.394, Microsoft talks about the new profanity filter setting for voice typing:

We’re excited to address the top customer feedback for voice typing by starting to roll out a new setting that lets you control the profanity filter. With this setting on, voice typing will continue to filter out profanity, masking it with asterisks, like it already did. With the setting off, it will type out your profanity like any other words.

If you want to loosen the restrictions, you just need to have this particular build of Windows 11 installed and then press Windows + H to open voice typing. You can then click the settings icon and flick the Filter profanity toggle.

Image credit: Piotr Swat / Dreamstime.com