Potok transcribes Russian speech; this site has been translated into English for convenience.
Dictation is unavailable on Apple Watch when the Dictate button is inactive or missing during text entry, because, per Apple, dictation is not available in all languages: availability depends on the chosen keyboard language. There are 3 options: switch to a supported language, use Scribble or the on-screen keyboard, or check the language against the watchOS feature availability list.
If the Dictate button on Apple Watch is inactive or does not appear at all when you try to enter text, the watch is not broken. Apple officially states that dictation is not supported in all languages: availability depends on the chosen keyboard language.
Why dictation is unavailable on Apple Watch
On Apple Watch, when you try to enter text, the Dictate button is sometimes simply inactive, and sometimes it is not in the list of input methods at all. This is not a one-off failure of a particular watch: dictation is unavailable because of the chosen keyboard language. Apple describes this directly as “not available in all languages”, that is, the function works only with some of the supported languages. A similar tie to language exists on other Apple devices too, for example on the page why dictation does not work on a Mac.
| Symptom | Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| The Dictate button is inactive or missing when entering text | Officially: dictation on Apple Watch is “not available in all languages”; availability depends on the chosen input language. | 1) switch to a keyboard language that is supported; 2) if unavailable, use Scribble or the on-screen keyboard; 3) check the language against the watchOS feature availability list. |
Why Dictate disappears on Apple Watch
Nothing is broken: Apple officially explains the limitation by availability by language. Dictation on Apple Watch is “not available in all languages”, and availability directly depends on which language is chosen for the keyboard. If the currently chosen language is not on the list of supported ones, the Dictate button naturally ends up inactive or disappears from the input options. This is expected behavior, not a watchOS error.
What to do if dictation is unavailable on Apple Watch
According to Apple, it is best to go in order.
- Switch to a keyboard language that supports dictation.
- If there is no supported language or switching is inconvenient, use Scribble or the on-screen keyboard.
- Check your language against the watchOS feature availability list; this is the official source of which languages are supported for dictation.
Apple describes no other official ways to bring dictation back on Apple Watch besides these three. A similar check of feature availability is needed on macOS too, for example on the page dictation does not work on a MacBook.
- Platforms
- Windows, macOS, Linux
- Free
- Free: 2500 words per week; full access for the first 14 days, no card needed
- Pro
- Pro 690 ₽/mo, 499 ₽/mo when paid yearly
- Payment
- Russian bank cards, rubles
- Where speech is recognized
- cloud, servers in Russia; internet required
Potok is a cloud service: speech is recognized on servers in Russia, and it does not work without the internet. Download: potok.now/download
If none of the ways fit
Potok does not exist on a phone, tablet or watch: it is a cloud service for a computer (Windows, macOS and Linux), recognition runs on servers in Russia, and it does not work without the internet. If you mostly have to dictate at a computer, there Potok can replace the built-in dictation.
Frequently asked questions
Yes. According to Apple, if dictation is unavailable for the chosen language, you can use Scribble or the ordinary on-screen keyboard; this is the officially described replacement for exactly such cases.
It depends on the Mac. On a Mac with Apple Silicon, ordinary text dictation (messages, notes, but not the search field) is processed on the device; on Intel Macs and in some scenarios the audio goes to Apple's servers, and then the internet is needed. You can see exactly in System Settings → Keyboard: under the Dictation item it says whether the internet is needed and whether speech is processed on the device.
The built-in macOS Dictation supports Russian. Potok is a separate app with its own model trained for Russian speech, including terms and Russian mixed with English; the text is inserted into the active field of any app.
Yes. System Dictation in macOS is present on Intel Macs too; on Intel Macs the audio for recognition goes to Apple's servers, so the internet is needed. Potok is an app for Windows, macOS and Linux, and it works on Intel Macs.
Apple menu → System Settings → Keyboard → Dictation → turn on and confirm “Enable”. Then start it like this: the microphone key (if there is one in the row of function keys), the dictation keyboard shortcut, or Edit → Start Dictation.
Turn on Dictation: the Apple menu → System Settings → Keyboard → Dictation. Then put the cursor in a text field, start dictation (the microphone key, if there is one in the row of function keys, the dictation keyboard shortcut, or Edit → Start Dictation) and start speaking.
Download Potok
Works with a single key in any program. 14 days of full access, then Free with 2500 words per week or Pro at 690 ₽/mo (499 ₽/mo paid yearly). Potok is a cloud service: speech is recognized on servers in Russia, and it does not work without the internet.
Download PotokYou dictate in the app, and recordings and voice messages are transcribed by @potok_now_bot in Telegram. 60 minutes per month are free; the Potok subscription removes the limit in the bot and in the app.
Built-in dictation and Potok
| Tool | Where it works | Russian language | Where speech is recognized |
|---|---|---|---|
| Windows voice typing (Win+H) | Windows 10 and 11 | Windows 11 only | Microsoft cloud, does not work offline |
| macOS Dictation | macOS | yes | on the device or on Apple servers |
| Potok | Windows, macOS, Linux | primary language | cloud, servers in Russia, does not work offline |
Primary sources: support.apple.com · support.microsoft.com