Potok turns speech into text in 33 languages, including English and Russian.
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 (in Russian) and Voice Access (in Russian), 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.
What an overlay is. 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 an overlay is you dictate into the same field where you normally type, so there is no need to switch between apps.
What an overlay is. 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 an overlay is you dictate into the same field where you normally type, so there is no need to switch between apps.
What an overlay is. 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 an overlay is you dictate into the same field where you normally type, so there is no need to switch between apps.
What an overlay is. 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 an overlay is 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 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