← Blog

Hovor vs Windows Voice Typing (Win+H)

Short answer: Windows Voice Typing (Win+H) is free, built into Windows 10/11, and covers 46 languages — but it's cloud-only, has no AI cleanup, and doesn't support Ukrainian at all. Hovor adds AI cleanup, a custom dictionary, tones, and Ukrainian-specific correction rules — live today on Mac and iPhone. Hovor's Windows client does not exist as an installable product yet.

Last updated: July 19, 2026

Windows Voice Typing behaviour verified against Microsoft documentation on 19 July 2026.

Can I use Hovor on Windows right now?

No. Hovor ships today on macOS and iPhone; the Windows client is a native Tauri (Rust + React) app still under construction at milestone M2, with no installer, beta, or download link published anywhere. Every Windows-related claim on this page describes work in progress, not a shipping product — if you're on Windows, there is nothing to install yet.

Hovor's Windows client is in active development (Tauri rewrite, milestone M2). Current Hovor users are on Mac and iPhone. There is no Windows build, beta, or waitlist install available today.

What Windows Voice Typing (Win+H) does

Press Win+H on Windows 10 or 11 and a dictation bar opens over whatever text field is focused — no install, no account. Recognition runs online via Azure Speech services; Microsoft's own documentation describes no offline mode for this feature. It covers 46 language and regional variants, and auto-punctuation is a toggle in Settings. Ukrainian is not on Microsoft's supported-language list.

Where it falls short

Output is raw transcription only: no AI grammar pass, no custom dictionary, no tone or formatting controls, and no cross-device sync. The one auto-correction feature, Fluid dictation, runs only on Copilot+ PC hardware and only in English locales, per Microsoft's documentation. Because Ukrainian isn't a supported voice-typing language at all, Ukrainian speakers have no first-party Win+H dictation path.

What Hovor brings — live on Mac and iPhone, in progress on Windows

Every Hovor dictation runs through an AI cleanup pass: grammar correction, punctuation, and an optional tone (casual, formal, concise, expanded) applied automatically before text reaches your cursor. This full feature set, including a custom dictionary and snippets, ships today on Mac and iPhone. The Windows build shares the same architecture on paper but is not yet available for anyone to install.

Feature comparison

Feature Windows Voice Typing (Win+H) Hovor
Built into OS / no install Yes, Win 10/11 App install required
Works offline No — cloud only (Azure Speech services) Yes, via on-device Parakeet/Whisper (Mac & iPhone, hardware-gated)
Free to use Yes, always Free tier: 2,000 words/week
AI grammar & formatting cleanup No (Fluid dictation: Copilot+ PC, English only) Yes, any supported language (Mac/iOS today)
Custom dictionary No Yes (Mac/iOS today)
Tones (formal, casual, etc.) No Yes (Mac/iOS today)
Snippets / text expansion No Yes (Mac/iOS today)
Ukrainian dictation Not supported (absent from 46-language list) Supported, with dedicated correction rules (Mac/iOS today)
Global hotkey modes Win+H only Configurable (Mac today; Windows: in development)
Windows native app Built in In development, milestone M2 (not released)
Cross-device sync Windows only, no sync Yes, Mac + iPhone
Pricing Free Free / Pro $11.99/mo or $89.99/yr

Language handling

Windows Voice Typing recognizes speech entirely in the cloud via Azure Speech services across 46 language and regional variants; Ukrainian is not one of them. Hovor recognizes speech on-device (Parakeet or Whisper, hardware-gated) or via OpenAI cloud STT, ships an interface in English and Ukrainian, and applies Ukrainian-specific character correction that Windows Voice Typing has no equivalent for.

AspectWindows Voice TypingHovor
Recognition location Cloud only (Azure Speech services) On-device (Parakeet/Whisper) or cloud (OpenAI gpt-4o-mini-transcribe)
Supported dictation languages 46 language/regional variants (Microsoft's list) App Store live in 8 locales; app UI in EN/UK plus others
Ukrainian Not on the supported list Supported, with a dedicated STT character-correction guard
Grammar auto-correction Fluid dictation: Copilot+ PC only, English only AI cleanup pass on every dictation, no special hardware
On-device translation Not offered Apple Translation or OpenAI BYOK, ahead of tone formatting

Privacy model

Windows Voice Typing sends every utterance to Azure Speech services over the internet by design; there is no local-only mode for this feature. Hovor's default path on qualifying hardware is on-device transcription: when the on-device model is loaded, transcription runs entirely on the device and the audio is not uploaded, and if the model is still loading — after an app relaunch, or while it is still downloading — that recording falls back to server transcription, which discards the audio after transcribing it. A BYOK option also lets you route the AI cleanup step through your own API key instead of Hovor's server.

AspectWindows Voice TypingHovor
Where audio is processed Azure Speech services (cloud), always On-device when the model is loaded and hardware qualifies (Parakeet ≥4 GB iOS, Whisper ≥6 GB iOS); OpenAI cloud otherwise, and while the model is still loading
Local-only mode Not available for Voice Typing Yes — Local Unlock removes on-device usage caps
Bring your own API key (BYOK) Not applicable Yes — OpenAI, Anthropic, or custom endpoint, key stored in device Keychain only

Cost

Windows Voice Typing costs nothing beyond a Windows license, but its one quality feature (Fluid dictation) requires buying a Copilot+ PC. Hovor's free tier covers 2,000 words per week on Mac and iPhone with no hardware requirement; paid tiers add unlimited words, on-device unlock, or bring-your-own-key access, none of which apply to Windows yet since that client hasn't shipped.

ItemWindows Voice TypingHovor
Base cost Free, built into Windows Free tier: 2,000 words/week
Paid tier None Pro: $11.99/mo or $89.99/yr — unlimited words, 5 devices
One-time unlocks None Local Unlock $49.99 (1999 UAH) · BYOK Unlock $24.99 (999 UAH) · Bundle $69.99 (2799 UAH)
Extra hardware for best quality Copilot+ PC required for Fluid dictation None — on-device gate is RAM-based (iPhone), not a paid hardware tier

Ukrainian, specifically

Windows Voice Typing does not list Ukrainian among its 46 supported languages, so there is no first-party Win+H dictation path for Ukrainian speakers on Windows today. Hovor's server-side prompt includes explicit rules that catch a common STT failure mode: Russian or Belarusian characters appearing where Ukrainian was intended, corrected at the character level before the text reaches you.

The custom dictionary lets you anchor the correct spelling of names and terms that generic transcription models handle inconsistently. This is live today on Mac and iPhone; it will carry over to the Windows client whenever that client ships.

Where Windows Voice Typing genuinely wins

Windows Voice Typing wins on zero friction: no install, no account, no subscription decision, and it's already on every Windows 10/11 machine. For someone who dictates occasionally in one of its 46 supported languages and doesn't need AI cleanup, a dictionary, or Ukrainian support, Win+H is the better tool for that narrow job.

Hovor is for people who dictate regularly, care about output quality, and need features raw transcription cannot provide, including Ukrainian speakers Win+H doesn't serve at all. On Mac and iPhone, that product exists today. On Windows, it does not exist yet.

FAQ

Can I use Hovor on Windows today?

No. Hovor's Windows client is a native Tauri (Rust + React) rewrite currently at milestone M2 of development, with no installer or beta build published. Hovor ships today only on macOS and iPhone. If you're on Windows, Win+H (Windows Voice Typing) is the built-in option until Hovor's Windows client is released; there is no way to install Hovor on Windows right now.

Does Windows Voice Typing support Ukrainian?

No. Microsoft's own supported-language documentation for Windows Voice Typing (verified 19 July 2026) lists 46 language and regional variants, including Russian, Polish, and Czech, but Ukrainian is not among them. Windows 11's separate Voice Access accessibility feature supports only English, Spanish, French, German, Chinese, and Japanese, so it doesn't cover Ukrainian either.

Does Windows Voice Typing work offline?

No. Windows Voice Typing (Win+H) sends audio to Azure Speech services over the internet; Microsoft's documentation does not describe an offline mode for this feature. Windows 11 does have a separate offline, on-device speech feature called Voice Access, but it is an accessibility and PC-control tool, not a general dictation replacement for Win+H, and it supports only six languages.

What is Fluid dictation, and do I need a Copilot+ PC for it?

Fluid dictation is Windows Voice Typing's automatic grammar and punctuation cleanup. Per Microsoft's documentation, it is a Copilot+ PC feature available only in English locales; it does not run on standard Windows 10/11 hardware and does not extend to any other language. Hovor's equivalent AI cleanup pass runs on every dictation on Mac and iPhone today, with no special hardware tier required.

Is Hovor free to use?

Yes, with a free tier of 2,000 words per week on Mac and iPhone. Pro removes that cap for $11.99/month or $89.99/year across 5 devices. One-time add-ons include Local Unlock ($49.99 / 1999 UAH) for unlimited on-device dictation and BYOK Unlock ($24.99 / 999 UAH) to use your own OpenAI or Anthropic API key. None of this applies to Windows yet, since the Windows client hasn't shipped.

Try Hovor on Mac or iPhone today

The AI cleanup, custom dictionary, tones, and Ukrainian correction rules are all live on Mac and iPhone. Free tier: 2,000 words per week. Pro: $11.99/month or $89.99/year. The Windows client is not yet available.

Get Hovor