Potok turns speech into text in 33 languages, including English and Russian.
Dictation does not work in a specific iPhone app, while it works in the others, because that app has not been given access to the microphone. The fix takes 2 steps: Settings → Privacy & Security → Microphone, and turn on the switch for that app. If the app is not in the list at all, it does not request microphone access programmatically, and then it is worth writing to the developer.
If dictation on iPhone works in some apps and not in one particular app, the cause is almost always not Dictation itself but the microphone permission for exactly that app.
The quickest fix
Open Settings → Privacy & Security → Microphone and find the app you need in the list. If the switch next to it is off, turn it on, and dictation in that app usually starts working right away. If the app is not in the list at all, it does not request microphone access in principle, and you cannot turn it on through system settings: here it is worth contacting the app's developer rather than looking for a menu item deeper.
| Symptom | Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Dictation works in some apps and does not work in others | This particular app has not been given microphone access. | Settings → Privacy & Security → Microphone → turn on access for the app; if the app is not in the list, contact the app developer. |
Why this happens at all
On iPhone, microphone access is a permission that iOS gives to each app separately, not to the whole system at once. One app may honestly request microphone access at the first launch, the user allows it, and after that dictation works there without problems. Another app may either not request this permission at all, or the user may have accidentally declined the request on the first attempt, and then dictation will not work in that app, although everything is fine in the other apps. So dictation on iPhone is never on or off “in general”: it is allowed or not allowed for each specific app separately, and one has nothing to do with the other. A more general look at the case when voice input does not work in all apps at once is in the general section on errors.
- 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
How not to step on this again
- If you install a new app with dictation or voice input, allow microphone access right at the first request instead of putting it off.
- If you accidentally declined the request, do not reinstall the app: the permission still has to be turned on by hand in Settings → Privacy & Security → Microphone.
- Look into the Microphone list in settings from time to time if you use dictation in several apps: it is easier to see where access is off.
Where Potok will not help
This is a breakdown about the iPhone itself, and it will not solve the problem for those who need voice input not on a phone: there is no Potok on a phone, tablet or watch, and it works only on a computer, on Windows, macOS and Linux. Potok is a cloud service, recognizes speech on servers in Russia and does not work without the internet either. If you dictate a lot specifically at a computer, there Potok can replace the built-in dictation. Other voice input errors on Apple devices are collected in the Apple section.
Frequently asked questions
It means that the app does not request microphone access programmatically, and you cannot turn it on through system settings. In this case whether dictation is possible in it depends on the developer: it is worth writing to their support or checking whether there is an app update.
Dictation not working in a specific app on iPhone. 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 Dictation not working in a specific app on iPhone you dictate into the same field where you normally type, so there is no need to switch between apps.
Dictation not working in a specific app on iPhone. 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 Dictation not working in a specific app on iPhone you dictate into the same field where you normally type, so there is no need to switch between apps.
Dictation not working in a specific app on iPhone. 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 Dictation not working in a specific app on iPhone you dictate into the same field where you normally type, so there is no need to switch between apps.
Dictation not working in a specific app on iPhone. 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 Dictation not working in a specific app on iPhone you dictate into the same field where you normally type, so there is no need to switch between apps.
How to start
Potok is available for Windows, macOS and Linux. For two weeks everything is open for free, after that 2500 words per week without paying. Potok is a cloud service, so it does not work without the internet.
Download PotokA voice message from a messenger or a call recording can be forwarded to the bot @potok_now_bot, and it sends back the text. The bot is part of the same subscription as the Potok app.
Built-in dictation and Potok
| 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 |
Primary sources: support.apple.com · support.microsoft.com