Potok turns speech into text in 33 languages, including English and Russian.
Windows Speech Recognition is the classic system speech recognition that was started with Win+Ctrl+S. In Windows 11 version 22H2 and newer it was replaced by Voice Access (Settings → Accessibility → Speech), and the old WSR remained only in Windows 10 and older builds of Windows 11. Potok (potok.now) is a separate cloud dictation app, not related to either of the two system tools.
Many people look in Windows 11 for the familiar Speech Recognition item from the Control Panel and do not find it. It is not a bug and not hidden settings: in new versions of Windows 11 this feature was replaced by another tool, with a different name and a different place in the interface.
Where the familiar feature went
Windows Speech Recognition is that classic speech recognition for controlling the computer by voice, which was started with Win+Ctrl+S and configured through the Control Panel. Starting with Windows 11 version 22H2, Microsoft replaced it with Voice Access, a new voice control tool with a different interface and its own section in Settings → Accessibility → Speech. The speech recognition feature itself did not disappear as such: the name, the interface and the place to look for it changed. At the same time WSR did not vanish everywhere at once: on Windows 10 and on older builds of Windows 11 that have not yet been updated to 22H2, classic Windows Speech Recognition is still available and works as before.
| Symptom | Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| The user cannot find the familiar Windows Speech Recognition (Control Panel) in the new version of Windows 11 | Since September 2024, Voice Access has replaced classic Windows Speech Recognition in Windows 11 version 22H2 and newer; WSR remains available only in older versions of Windows (including Windows 10). | On Windows 11 22H2+ use Voice Access (Settings → Accessibility → Speech); on Windows 10 or older Windows 11 builds, still Win+Ctrl+S or a search for “Windows Speech Recognition”. |
How to turn on voice control now
- Check the version of your Windows: Settings → System → About → Version. If it says 22H2 or newer, you have Voice Access instead of classic WSR.
- On Windows 11 22H2 and newer, open Settings → Accessibility → Speech and turn on Voice Access: this is the replacement for the familiar speech recognition.
- If your Windows 11 version is older than 22H2 or you have Windows 10, look for the old tool by the old path: press Win+Ctrl+S or start typing Windows Speech Recognition in Windows search.
- Do not try to look for Speech Recognition in the Control Panel on 22H2 and newer: on these versions the feature has physically moved to the new Voice Access interface, and the old menu item cannot be restored for it.
When it is easier to get around this renaming
If you do not need voice control of the computer but just want to dictate text, you do not have to figure out Voice Access and its settings: there are separate dictation tools for this, including the built-in Windows dictation (Win+H). A similar confusion with the dictation button occurs in individual programs too, for example dictation in Office, where the Dictate button is unavailable or missing (in Russian). Potok (potok.now) is a cloud service, recognition runs on servers in Russia, and it does not work without the internet; unlike Voice Access and WSR, it does not depend on the Windows version and works the same on Windows 10 and 11. Other voice input errors in Windows are collected in the Windows section.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, as long as a particular computer has not been updated to Windows 11 22H2 or newer, classic Windows Speech Recognition keeps working on it as before, through Win+Ctrl+S. The replacement happens together with the update to 22H2, and not by itself in the old version.
What Windows Speech Recognition is and where it went in new 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. 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 What Windows Speech Recognition is and where it went in new versions you dictate into the same field where you normally type, so there is no need to switch between apps.
What Windows Speech Recognition is and where it went in new 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. 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 What Windows Speech Recognition is and where it went in new versions you dictate into the same field where you normally type, so there is no need to switch between apps.
What Windows Speech Recognition is and where it went in new versions. 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 What Windows Speech Recognition is and where it went in new versions you dictate into the same field where you normally type, so there is no need to switch between apps.
What Windows Speech Recognition is and where it went in new versions. 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 What Windows Speech Recognition is and where it went in new versions you dictate into the same field where you normally type, so there is no need to switch between apps.
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, so it does not work without the internet.
Download PotokOne subscription, two tools: dictation in any program on your computer and @potok_now_bot in Telegram, which transcribes voice messages, audio and video.
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 |
| Potok | Windows, macOS, Linux | primary language | cloud, servers in Russia, does not work offline |
Primary sources: support.microsoft.com · support.microsoft.com · support.apple.com