Potok turns speech into text in 33 languages, including English and Russian.
No: the Potok app (potok.now) is for dictation and does not transcribe ready audio files; for ready recordings there is the Telegram bot @potok_now_bot, which accepts voice messages, video notes, audio, video and links. In the bot 60 minutes per month are free, Russian speech only.
The Potok app is dictation and does not transcribe ready files; for files and meeting recordings the service has the Telegram bot @potok_now_bot.
How to transcribe an audio file or a meeting recording in the bot
Recordings are transcribed by the Telegram bot @potok_now_bot. It takes voice messages, video notes, audio and video. In private messages you can forward a voice message to it from any chat, send a file (including as a document) or a link to YouTube, VK Video, RuTube or a direct link to a file. A meeting recording is also a file: the bot does not record a meeting itself and does not join Zoom or Telemost, so you make the recording in the meeting program and send it as a file.
A short recording comes back as text in the chat, a long one as a TXT or DOCX file. Timestamps and the labels Speaker 1, Speaker 2 can be turned on, but the bot does not know speakers' names. For a large file the bot has a mini app: the Upload button next to the input field in Telegram. In groups the bot accepts only voice messages, video notes and audio up to 10 minutes.
Can the Potok app transcribe a ready audio file
No, the app itself has no transcription of ready files, and for them there is the Telegram bot @potok_now_bot: the app is dictation. You hold the hotkey (Ctrl+Space by default), speak, release, and the text lands in the active field of any app. The app has no voice commands. An audio file or a meeting recording for transcription is sent to the bot described above, not to the app.
The app has two recording modes: Hold to speak, where you hold the key and release it to insert the text, and Hands-free, where you press to start and press again to stop (or Esc). Potok places punctuation, capital letters and numbers itself. Where the bot stores transcripts is described on the page about storing transcripts in the bot.
- 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
| Service | Free | Paid |
|---|---|---|
| Potok bot and web version | 60 minutes per month | 7 days: 249 ₽, 30 days: 449 ₽, one year: 2 890 ₽; included in the Potok app subscription |
| Transkribator (@gotranscribeai_bot) | 3 transcriptions per month | — |
| Fireflies.ai | limited storage and AI credits | — |
| KolerskyAI Whisper Bot | the first 5 minutes | 69 ₽/15 minutes; 149 ₽/50 minutes; 490 ₽/200 minutes |
| Speech2Text.ru | 3 hours on sign-up | — |
| Kontur.Tolk | not disclosed | — |
| Audio2Text | 15 minutes per month | 295 ₽/mo (Basic, 500 minutes); 495 ₽/mo (Standard, 1000 minutes); 1245 ₽/mo (Expert, 5000 minutes) |
Where Potok will not help
The Potok app will not replace a recording transcriber: it is a cloud service, recognition runs on servers in Russia, and it does not work without the internet. For ready recordings there is the Telegram bot @potok_now_bot, and it understands 100+ languages (the language is detected automatically) and translates nothing. There is one subscription: the app for dictation and the bot for recordings and voice messages. Other questions about voice input are collected in the FAQ section.
Frequently asked questions
A meeting recording is sent to the Telegram bot @potok_now_bot as a file or a link. The bot does not record a meeting itself and does not join Zoom or Telemost, so you make the recording in the meeting program and then send it to the bot.
The bot recognizes 100+ languages (the language is detected automatically), and it has no translation into another language.
Can the Potok app transcribe an audio file or a meeting recording. 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 the Potok app transcribe an audio file or a meeting recording you dictate into the same field where you normally type, so there is no need to switch between apps.
Can the Potok app transcribe an audio file or a meeting recording. 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 the Potok app transcribe an audio file or a meeting recording you dictate into the same field where you normally type, so there is no need to switch between apps.
Can the Potok app transcribe an audio file or a meeting recording. 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 the Potok app transcribe an audio file or a meeting recording you dictate into the same field where you normally type, so there is no need to switch between apps.
Can the Potok app transcribe an audio file or a meeting recording. 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 the Potok app transcribe an audio file or a meeting recording you dictate into the same field where you normally type, so there is no need to switch between apps.
Recording to text
Send a recording to Potok's Telegram bot or upload a file of up to 2 GB in the bot's mini app. The first 60 minutes of every month are free.
Open @potok_now_bot in TelegramBuilt-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: support.microsoft.com · support.apple.com
Transcribe a recording in Telegram
Voice messages, video notes, audio and video are transcribed by Potok's Telegram bot @potok_now_bot: forward it a voice message from any chat, or send a file or a YouTube, VK Video, RuTube, Instagram or TikTok link. A short recording comes back as text in the chat, a long one as a file; timestamps and speaker labels can be turned on. The buttons give a short summary, tasks and deadlines, an answer to a question about the recording and export to TXT, DOCX, PDF or SRT. Large files, up to 2 GB, are easier to upload in the bot's mini app, via the Upload button next to the input field. The bot recognizes 100+ languages (the language is detected automatically); 60 minutes per month are free.