Potok transcribes Russian speech; this site has been translated into English for convenience.
An overlay is a semi-transparent visual element on top of other windows that shows the status of recording or recognition. The overlay of a dictation app usually shows whether recording is on. According to Wikipedia's description of the on-screen display, such an image is placed over the picture on the screen, for example on TVs and video players, to show volume, channel or time.
When a small semi-transparent icon or bar appears on the screen on top of all the other windows during dictation or recording, that is an overlay.
What an overlay is, in plain words
An overlay is a semi-transparent visual element on top of other windows that shows the status of recording or recognition. It is placed over what is already on the screen, hence the name: “overlay” means something laid on top.
According to Wikipedia's description of the on-screen display, such an image is placed over the picture on the screen: TVs, video recorders and DVD players use the same principle to show volume, channel or time. Programs related to voice input and speech recognition apply the same principle: the overlay of a dictation app usually shows whether recording is on.
The term belongs to the category of built-in operating system features (os-feature). Next to it are the terms Win+H and Voice Access, also built-in voice input tools of Windows, although the description of an overlay as a visual element does not apply to them separately.
| Term | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Overlay | a semi-transparent visual element on top of other windows that shows the status of recording or recognition | the overlay of a dictation app usually shows whether recording is on |
| Win+H | a key combination in Windows that turns on the built-in voice text input function (voice typing) | pressing Win+H in a text field opens the Windows voice input panel |
| System language settings | an OS settings section that determines the default language of the interface, input and speech recognition | for accurate dictation the recognition language must match the language of speech |
| Password field | a text field in which typed characters are hidden behind dots or asterisks | a password is better typed on the keyboard than dictated: everyone nearby will hear it |
An example from practice
An example of what an overlay looks like in practice: the overlay of a dictation app usually shows whether recording is on.
According to Wikipedia's description of the on-screen display, TVs, video recorders and DVD players use the same principle of placing an image over the screen for volume, channel and time. In a dictation app the indicator works the same way: the recording status is shown over the picture on the screen, not in a separate window.
How this relates to Potok and where it does not
Potok is a cloud service, recognition runs on servers in Russia; it does not work without the internet. One Potok subscription is an app for dictation on a computer and a Telegram bot @potok_now_bot for recordings and voice messages. Potok has a tray icon with a menu, and settings where you choose the microphone and change the recording hotkey.
Frequently asked questions
By the definition of the term, an overlay is a semi-transparent element on top of other windows: it shows a status, for example whether recording is on, but it does not block or cover the window it is shown over.
If you want to compare for yourself
Take one of your own tasks and dictate it in Potok. The first 14 days have no limits and need no card. 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: en.wikipedia.org · support.microsoft.com