- HeyScribe
- Audio to text
Audio to Text: Transcribe MP3, WAV and M4A Files
Podcasts, interviews, voice memos, lectures and recorded calls: drop the audio in and get a readable transcript with timestamps, speaker labels and an optional summary.
- 20 free minutes
- No credit card
- Works in your browser
How to convert audio to text
Upload your audio
Open Upload file and drag in an MP3, WAV or M4A, or click Browse files.
Set language and speakers
Auto-detect works for most files. Turn on speaker detection for interviews and conversations.
Get your transcript
Read it with timestamps, edit it, summarize it, and download TXT or SRT.
Audio to text, done properly
The formats you have
MP3, WAV and M4A are all fine. So are the audio tracks of MP4 and MOV files.
Who said what
Speaker detection labels each voice, which is a lifesaver for interviews and panels.
Timestamped paragraphs
Every paragraph carries a time, so finding your place in the recording again takes seconds.
90+ languages
Transcribe audio in your language, or let auto-detect choose.
Summaries and action items
A short overview of a long recording, with the next steps pulled out.
A library you control
Name, favorite and file your transcripts into folders, and search all of them.
Tips for converting audio to text accurately
Speech recognition is very good now, but it cannot recover words that were never clearly recorded. Most transcription problems start in the recording, not the software. A few habits make a big difference.
Record better audio
- Put the microphone near the speaker. Even a phone held close beats a laptop across the table.
- Pick a quiet space. Fans, traffic and café noise are transcribed along with the voice.
- Have people take turns. Overlapping speech is hard for people and software alike.
- Do a ten second test. Play it back before the real thing.
Transcribing calls and phone recordings
Recorded phone and video calls work, but the sound is compressed and often has both sides at different volumes, so expect to proofread a bit more. Always get consent before you record other people. Rules differ by country and state.
Have a video instead? Go to video to text. Want text from a meeting happening now? Use live transcribe.
What people convert from audio to text
Podcasts and shows
Show notes, blog posts and pull quotes in minutes.
Interviews
Journalists and researchers get quotable text with timestamps.
Voice memos
Find the thing you said last month by searching for it.
Lectures
Convert a recorded class into study notes.
Meetings
Share decisions and action items with people who were not there.
Oral history
Preserve and search family or community recordings.
Audio formats
- MP3
- WAV
- M4A
- Audio from MP4 and MOV
Frequently asked questions
How do I convert audio to text?
How accurate is audio to text?
Is there a limit on audio length?
Can I transcribe audio in other languages?
Can I transcribe a recording from my phone?
What happens to my audio file?
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Convert audio to text