Why does it say the editor is in a frame it cannot reach?

Focus is not inside the document. Click into the document body where the text should go and press Start again.

Does it work in the Word desktop app?

No. Typist is a Chrome extension and types only into pages open in Chrome, so it works with Word for the web, not the installed app.

Will it work with every Microsoft 365 account?

Not necessarily. Word for the web is served in more than one way, and Typist may not work in every Microsoft 365 setup. If a second Start after clicking into the document does not work, paste instead.

Does my text leave my device?

The text in the panel stays on your device and is sent only to the page being typed into. The single exception is a snippet you deliberately save, which is stored so it can sync. See the privacy page.

Word for the web

An auto typer for Microsoft Word Online

Typist types text you have already written into a Word document open in Chrome, at a speed you set. It works once you have clicked into the document itself, and this page explains why that click matters.

Why Word needs one extra click

Word for the web does not put its editor directly on the page you see in the address bar. The document sits inside an embedded frame, a page within the page, surrounded by the ribbon, the title bar and the rest of the Microsoft 365 interface.

Typist types into the field you have focused. When you click into the document body, focus moves inside that frame, and Typist starts the run in there, where the text belongs. If you press Start while focus is still on the ribbon, the address bar or the Typist panel itself, there is no document cursor for it to work with.

So the rule is short: click into the body of the document, where you want the text to begin, before you press Start.

Step by step

Open the document in Word for the web in a normal Chrome tab, in editing mode rather than read-only view.
Click into the document body at the point where the text should start, and check the cursor is blinking there.
Open the side panel and sign in with Google, which is required before typing and asks only for your account identifier and email address. This is separate from your Microsoft sign-in.
Put your text in the panel — paste it, type it, or load a saved snippet.
Choose a speed from 20 to 400 words per minute, and a pacing mode.
Press Start. Pause, resume and stop all work mid-run, and a progress indicator shows how far through you are.

If the run will not start

If the panel says the editor is in a frame it cannot reach, click into the document body again, at the point where the text should go, and press Start a second time. That puts focus back inside the frame so the run can begin there.

Tips for a smoother run

Expect Word to behave like Word. Typist enters text as keyboard input, so Word may apply its usual AutoCorrect as the text arrives. A line that begins with 1. or * may become a list, and straight quotes may turn curly. If you do not want that, adjust the source text or tidy up afterwards.
Pick a moderate speed for long runs. Word does work as you type, such as spell checking, saving and updating the page layout. If text seems to lag behind, a lower speed gives the editor room to keep up. Typing speed control covers the trade-off.
Leave the document alone while it types. Clicking elsewhere moves the cursor out from under the run. Pause it, do what you need, click back where it was, and resume.
Split long documents into sections. Headings, tables and page breaks are easier to add by hand between runs than during one. Retyping a long draft has a method for breaking text up.

It may not work in every setup

Word for the web is reached through several different Microsoft 365 pages and account types, and they are not all built the same way. Typist is tested with Word for the web opened in a Chrome tab, but it may not work in every Microsoft 365 setup. If clicking into the document and pressing Start a second time still does not begin a run, that page is one Typist cannot reach, and pasting is the way to get the text in.

It also only works in Chrome. The Word desktop app is a separate program outside the browser, so a Chrome extension cannot type into it.

What it costs

The free plan covers 300 words a day, resetting at 00:00 UTC, and counts a run's words the moment you press Start, even if you stop early. Pro is $4.99 a month with no daily limit and unlimited saved snippets. See pricing.

Add Typist to Chrome

Free plan: 300 words a day. A Google sign-in is required before typing.

Questions

Why does it say the editor is in a frame it cannot reach?: Focus is not inside the document. Click into the document body where the text should go and press Start again.
Does it work in the Word desktop app?: No. Typist is a Chrome extension and types only into pages open in Chrome, so it works with Word for the web, not the installed app.
Will it work with every Microsoft 365 account?: Not necessarily. Word for the web is served in more than one way, and Typist may not work in every Microsoft 365 setup. If a second Start after clicking into the document does not work, paste instead.
Does my text leave my device?: The text in the panel stays on your device and is sent only to the page being typed into. The single exception is a snippet you deliberately save, which is stored so it can sync. See the privacy page.