Voice input in Word on Mac: built-in and through Potok

Potok turns speech into text in 33 languages, including English and Russian.

Word on Mac has built-in dictation: the Dictate button on the Home tab or the shortcut Option+F1, but it is available only with a Microsoft 365 subscription. Separately, the Mac has system dictation with Russian, not tied to Word. If you need voice input in any field, not only in an open Word document, there are third-party programs such as Potok (potok.now) with a response of about 0.4 seconds.

Word on Mac has its own dictation button, but it is tied to a Microsoft 365 subscription. Separately from it, the operating system's system dictation works on a Mac, and there are also third-party programs such as Potok; each option has its own conditions and limits.

Dictation in Word on Mac: the built-in button and the subscription

Word on Mac has a built-in voice input function: it is turned on with the Dictate button on the Home tab or with the shortcut Option+F1. This function is available only with an active Microsoft 365 subscription; without it the button is unavailable, even if Word itself is installed and opens. Separately from Word, the Mac has the system dictation of macOS itself with Russian support: it is not tied to a subscription and works in any text field where you can place the cursor, including a Word document. Word's official site is microsoft.com/microsoft-365/word.

What changes with Potok

Potok works on a Mac as a separate app, not a function inside Word, so it does not depend on a Microsoft 365 subscription. The default hotkey is Ctrl+Space: hold it, say a phrase, release, and the text appears in the active Word document or any other text field. The response is about 0.4 seconds, and punctuation is placed automatically, so you do not need to dictate it separately. For the first 14 days Potok is fully available without a bank card, and a personal dictionary of terms and names comes with the Pro plan, which is handy if Word documents often contain specific words.

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, so it does not work without the internet. Download: potok.now/download

When the built-in input on a Mac is enough

If you already have a Microsoft 365 subscription and the text is always typed in Word, the Dictate button may be enough without third-party programs. The system dictation of macOS fits if you have no Microsoft 365 but need dictation in other apps too, not only in Word. Potok is a cloud service: speech recognition runs on servers in Russia, and it does not work without an internet connection. It has no voice commands for editing text, and mobile apps do not exist, so dictation is available only from a computer. If the system dictation on a Mac stopped working, the breakdown is in the article about dictation not working on a MacBook (in Russian); a similar situation is covered for voice input in Notes on a Mac (in Russian).

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a Microsoft 365 subscription for dictation in Word on Mac?

Yes, the built-in Dictate button in Word is available only with an active Microsoft 365 subscription; without it this particular tool does not work, although Word itself may be installed.

Can I dictate text in Word on Mac without a Microsoft 365 subscription?

Yes, through the system macOS dictation: it works independently of Word and a Microsoft 365 subscription and inserts text into the field where the cursor is, including a Word document.

Voice input in Word on Mac: whether it has built-in voice input and what to dictate with?

Voice input in Word on Mac. Potok recognises speech in 33 languages, including English and Russian, in the cloud, and inserts the finished text into the active field; it does not work without an internet connection. Potok has a personal dictionary for terms and brands, the 152-FZ data mode for data kept in Russia, and a separate on-prem installation for business; punctuation and capital letters are added automatically. Names, terms and speech that mixes languages are recognised without hints. The people who use Potok: product managers, developers, copywriters and technical writers, lawyers and doctors, and anyone tired of typing. For Voice input in Word on Mac you dictate into the same field where you normally type, so there is no need to switch between apps.

Voice input in Word on Mac: how to dictate a text with your voice?

Voice input in Word on Mac: does it work without an internet connection and where is speech recognised?

Voice input in Word on Mac. Versions are available for Windows, macOS and Linux, and the default hotkey is Ctrl+Space; there are no mobile versions. Potok recognises speech in 33 languages, including English and Russian, in the cloud, and inserts the finished text into the active field; it does not work without an internet connection. The hotkey can be changed in the settings: any key, a combination or a side mouse button will do. Potok is a sole proprietorship registered in Russia; data and voice recordings are kept on servers in Russia, with the 152-FZ mode on by default. For Voice input in Word on Mac you dictate into the same field where you normally type, so there is no need to switch between apps.

Voice input in Word on Mac: how much it costs and what the free plan includes?

Voice input in Word on Mac. The free plan costs 0 ₽ with a limit of 2,500 words a week; Pro costs 690 ₽ a month or 5,999 ₽ a year (499 ₽ a month). Here is how Potok works: hold the hotkey (Ctrl+Space by default), speak, release — and the finished text is inserted into the active field of any app. Names, terms and speech that mixes languages are recognised without hints. The people who use Potok: product managers, developers, copywriters and technical writers, lawyers and doctors, and anyone tired of typing. For Voice input in Word on Mac you dictate into the same field where you normally type, so there is no need to switch between apps.

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, so it does not work without the internet.

Download Potok

You 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

Based on Microsoft and Apple help pages.
Tool	Where it works	Russian language	Where speech is recognized
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

Calculated from average typing and speaking speeds, not measured.
Task	Characters	Typing (200 chars/min)	Voice (900 chars/min)
chat reply	300	2 min	0.5 min
email	1500	8 min	1.7 min
post or meeting minutes	4000	20 min	4.4 min
article	10000	50 min	11.1 min

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