Potok or Voice Access in Windows 11: which to pick

Potok transcribes Russian speech; this site has been translated into English for convenience.

Voice Access is a free feature of Windows 11 version 22H2 and newer: it controls the computer with voice commands in English and recognizes speech on the device itself, with no internet once the language is downloaded. It has no Russian at all, neither for commands nor for text. For voice input of Russian text into any field, Potok (potok.now) fits, with a free limit of 2500 words per week.

Voice Access is a feature built into Windows 11 for controlling the computer by voice: open an app, press a button, switch a window, all without a mouse and keyboard. It is free and works offline after a one-time language download, but you have to speak to it in English: it has no Russian at all. Potok and Voice Access solve different tasks, and you often end up using both, each for its own scenario.

Where Voice Access is strong

Voice Access's main advantage is that it is already on the computer. You do not have to download, register or pay for anything: the feature is built into Windows 11 starting with version 22H2 and is turned on in the accessibility settings. After a one-time language pack download, recognition runs on the device itself: audio does not go anywhere over the network, so there is no need to hand it to outside servers.

The second plus is that it is not a program for a single input field but control of the whole system. With commands you can open apps, switch between windows, click interface elements and move the cursor, which covers tasks that voice text input is not meant for at all. It started as an accessibility feature for people who find a mouse and keyboard hard to use, but anyone can use it. The limit to English stays in place, though: it applies to both the commands and the recognition.

Payment and where data is stored

There is nothing to say about paying for Voice Access, because there is nothing to pay. It is part of the operating system, not a separate product: no subscription, no one-time purchase, no card. You just turn the feature on in the settings and download the language pack once over the internet. After that recognition works on the computer itself, and the question of which country the servers are in does not arise for this part.

Potok is built differently: it is a separate app with cloud recognition on servers in Russia, a free limit of words per week and a paid plan with no cap. For those comparing options specifically on payment and where data is processed, the comparison Potok and Wispr Flow is worth a look: it shows how payment works at another cloud service of the same class as Potok. Other similar comparisons are collected in the section comparison of voice input programs.

Sources: support.microsoft.com · support.microsoft.com

How each handles Russian

Voice Access does not work with Russian at all, neither for control commands nor, even less, for recognizing continuous text. This language is not on Microsoft's list of supported languages, only English and a few other languages as packs. If the main task is to dictate a letter, a message or a document in Russian, this feature simply will not help, whatever English command you say and however clearly you pronounce it.

Potok is built for the opposite case: its own model is trained for Russian speech, including names, terms and Russian mixed with English in one phrase. The difference is especially noticeable where you need to dictate professional vocabulary or code, not just everyday phrases. A purely English voice control feature has no chance there, however many times you repeat the command. For people who work in two languages at once and often switch between Russian and English terms in one sentence, Voice Access is not an option at all, since it has no way into the task.

When it is better to stay with Voice Access

If the main task is to control the computer hands-free rather than to enter text, Voice Access has no competition: it is the only one of the two that can click buttons and switch windows by voice. For people who cannot (or do not want to) use a mouse and keyboard for various reasons, this beats any dictation program, including Potok, which has no system control features at all, only text insertion.

Potok is not a replacement here: it is a cloud service, recognition runs on servers in Russia, and it does not work without the internet, while Voice Access needs no network at all after setup. If the requirement is to work fully offline and for free, even if only in English, the choice is clearly not Potok.

Frequently asked questions

Primary sources: support.microsoft.com · support.microsoft.com · support.microsoft.com · support.apple.com