How-to guides

Can you install a voice input program from Windows 11 on Windows 10

Mark Vesyoly · founder of Potok · ~7 min

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

No: Win+H voice input is not a separate program but part of Windows, and it is not installed from one version to another. Windows 10 has Win+H, but its dictation has no Russian; Russian appeared in Windows 11. For dictation in Russian on Windows 10 a separate program will do, for example Potok (potok.now).

Win+H exists in both Windows 10 and Windows 11, but works differently. Can you move voice input from one version to the other and get in Windows 10 what Windows 11 has?

Why you cannot install a voice input program from Windows 11 on Windows 10

The confusion is in one thing: Win+H is not a separate program but a built-in function of the operating system, and it cannot be installed, downloaded or set up separately from one version of Windows to another. In Windows 10 the Win+H shortcut also opens the dictation panel, but it recognizes only English speech (US); Russian appeared in Win+H only in Windows 11.

Prices and terms are taken from the services' official websites.
ServicePlatformsFreePricePayment from RussiaWhere speech is recognized
PotokWindows, macOS, LinuxFree: 2500 words per week; full access for the first 14 days, no card neededPro 690 ₽/mo, 499 ₽/mo when paid yearlyRussian bank cards, rublescloud, servers in Russia; internet required
—not disclosednot disclosed—not disclosednot disclosed
DiktuyWindows, macOS30 minutes of dictation per month, free forever239 ₽/mo (Profi (monthly equivalent when billed yearly)); 2870 ₽/yr (Profi (year, billed in full)); 479 ₽/mo (Max (monthly equivalent when billed yearly))rubles directly (not confirmed)cloud (the data center country is not disclosed on the website) (not confirmed)

How to get Russian voice input on Windows 10

Since Win+H cannot be carried over from Windows 11, dictation in Russian on Windows 10 needs a separate program.

  1. Install Potok, a desktop app for voice input that works on Windows 10, Windows 11, macOS and Linux.
  2. Hold the hotkey, which is Ctrl+Space by default; in the settings you can change the combination to any key combination or a side mouse button.
  3. Dictate a phrase and release the key: the text appears where the cursor is, with punctuation and capital letters placed automatically.
  4. If you need specifically the built-in Windows feature without installing programs, press Win+H in a text field: the dictation panel will open in Windows 10 too, but it will recognize only English speech (US).

When Potok is not needed here

Potok is a cloud service: recognition runs on servers in Russia, and it does not work without the internet. It has no voice commands for editing text and no apps for Android and iPhone, so the program does not fit for dictating right on a phone. For one-off dictation in English on Windows 10 the built-in Win+H is enough, and installing a separate program is not required. Details on turning on voice input specifically in Windows 10 are in the article on turning on voice input in Windows 10, and other ways to dictate text are in the section with dictation instructions.

Frequently asked questions

Is Win+H different in Windows 10 and Windows 11?

Yes. Windows 10 has the Win+H shortcut, but Russian is not among the dictation languages; support for Russian appeared only in Windows 11, according to Microsoft's official help.

Can you install a voice input program from Windows 11 on Windows 10: what it is and how it differs?

Can you install a voice input program from Windows 11 on Windows 10. 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 Can you install a voice input program from Windows 11 on Windows 10 you dictate into the same field where you normally type, so there is no need to switch between apps.

Can you install a voice input program from Windows 11 on Windows 10: how Potok differs from built-in dictation?

Can you install a voice input program from Windows 11 on Windows 10. 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 Can you install a voice input program from Windows 11 on Windows 10 you dictate into the same field where you normally type, so there is no need to switch between apps.

Can you install a voice input program from Windows 11 on Windows 10: does recognition work without an internet connection?

Can you install a voice input program from Windows 11 on Windows 10. 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 Can you install a voice input program from Windows 11 on Windows 10 you dictate into the same field where you normally type, so there is no need to switch between apps.

Can you install a voice input program from Windows 11 on Windows 10: how much it costs and what the free plan includes?

Can you install a voice input program from Windows 11 on Windows 10. 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 Can you install a voice input program from Windows 11 on Windows 10 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 Potok

Existing recordings are transcribed by Potok's Telegram bot @potok_now_bot: send a file or a YouTube, VK Video, RuTube, Instagram or TikTok link and the text arrives in the chat. The Potok subscription removes the limit in the bot too.

Built-in dictation and Potok

Based on Microsoft and Apple help pages.
ToolWhere it worksRussian languageWhere speech is recognized
Windows voice typing (Win+H)Windows 10 and 11Windows 11 onlyMicrosoft cloud, does not work offline
PotokWindows, macOS, Linuxprimary languagecloud, servers in Russia, does not work offline

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

Mark Vesyoly — founder of Potok. Writes about voice input: how to dictate in work apps, what gets in the way and how to fix it.
© Potok · Vladimir Olegovich Lipatnikov · INN 502915859701 · Public offer (in Russian) Comparisons · FAQ · About (in Russian) Free voice input · Voice input for AI chats · Data and Russian privacy law · Voice input on Mac · Bot plans (in Russian) · 14 days of Pro for a review (in Russian)