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Free Audio Transcription
Transcribe audio files to text online. Upload a recording and get accurate audio transcription with speaker labels and a timestamp on every sentence, ready to copy or download as TXT, Word or subtitles.
Transcribe files
Drop audio or video files here
MP3, M4A, WAV, FLAC, OGG, MP4, MOV and more · up to 3 files at once
Browse filesNo account needed: 3 files a day free, full transcripts up to 30 min each. for 30 more free minutes.
- Free up to 30 min per file
- No sign-up needed
- No subscription
- Minutes never expire
Read and copy without an account. TXT, Word and subtitle downloads need a free account.
- 90+languages
Detected automatically, accents included
- 10 hoursper file
Whole meetings, lectures and podcasts
- 2 GBper upload
Videos send only their audio, so they upload fast
- 4export formats
TXT, Word, SRT and VTT subtitles
Transcribe audio to text free, then pay as you go
Short files are free in full. No trial that turns into a subscription, and no card to start.
Free without an account
3 files a day, with a full transcript for files up to 30 minutes and the first 10 minutes of longer ones. No email needed.
30 more minutes when you sign up
A free account adds 30 minutes, downloads in TXT, DOCX, SRT and VTT, bigger files and a history of your transcripts. No card.
Then pay once for hours
3 hours for $6.99, 15 hours for $19.99 or 50 hours for $49.99, about $1 an hour. No monthly bill, and minutes never expire.
Free limits at a glance
| Without an account | Free account | |
|---|---|---|
| Free files per day | 3 | 3 |
| Files up to 30 minutes | Full transcript | Full transcript |
| Files over 30 minutes | First 10 minutes | First 10 minutes, or use your minutes |
| Extra minutes | None | 30 on sign-up |
| File size | 500 MB | 2 GB |
| Files at once | 3 | 50 |
| TXT, Word, SRT and VTT downloads | After a free sign-up | Yes |
| Credit card | No | No |
How to transcribe audio to text
- 1
Upload your audio file
Drag in an MP3, M4A, WAV, FLAC or a video like MP4 and MOV, or record from your microphone. Long recordings are fine.
- 2
Wait while it transcribes
Our speech-to-text engine detects the spoken language, labels each speaker and adds timestamps. An hour of audio usually takes a few minutes.
- 3
Export as TXT, SRT or DOCX
Read your audio transcript on the page, copy it in one click, or download it as TXT, Word (DOCX) or SRT subtitles. VTT is there too.
Read the full step-by-step guide →Listen to the test recording and inspect its actual transcript →
An audio to text converter that does the tidying for you
Every transcript comes split into sentences, grouped by speaker and stamped with its time, so you can find what you need fast.
Speaker labels
Every line says who is talking, so interviews and meetings read like a script instead of a wall of text.
Timestamps
Every sentence carries its start time, so you can find a quote in the original recording and check it.
90+ languages
English, Spanish, French, German, Japanese, Chinese and many more, detected automatically.
TXT, DOCX, SRT, VTT
Plain text for notes, Word for editing, and subtitles for YouTube or Premiere.
Video files too
Upload MP4, MOV or WebM as it is. No need to extract the audio first.
Private by default
Your file is only used to make your transcript, never to train AI models. We delete the original audio once it is done, and anything left over within 48 hours.
Is Transcribe Audio right for your recording?
Use it for recorded files you want to read, search or turn into subtitles. Check the limits below before uploading an important recording, and try a short sample to judge the result.
Useful for
- Occasional interviews, lectures, podcasts and voice memos
- Trying a short recording before creating an account
- Buying minutes when needed, without a monthly subscription
- Getting speaker labels, timestamps and downloadable subtitles
Current limits
- Recorded files only; no live meeting transcription
- Transcription in the spoken language; no translation or summaries
- Clean text rather than strict verbatim with every filler and pause
- No speaker renaming on the page; edit the exported Word file
What people transcribe
Interviews and meetings
Speaker labels and timestamps for quotes, notes and review. Zoom, Teams and phone recordings work as they are.
Interview transcription →Videos and podcasts
Upload a video or episode and download SRT or VTT captions, or use the transcript for show notes.
Video to text →Voice memos and lectures
Recordings from your iPhone or Android, including M4A voice memos and recorded lectures, become text you can copy and search.
Voice memo to text →How to get a more accurate transcript
A few recording habits matter more than any setting.
Record close to the speaker
Keep your phone within arm's reach of each speaker. Laptops across a room pick up echo, which costs accuracy.
Cut the background noise
Turn off fans, music or notifications before you record. In a noisy room, a headset microphone helps most.
Avoid talking over each other
Speaker labels are cleanest when one person speaks at a time.
Pick the language if you know it
It helps with short audio clips and recordings that start with music or silence.
Audio transcription FAQ
What is audio transcription?
Audio transcription means turning speech in a recording into written text. Here it is automatic: upload an audio or video file and get audio transcription with speaker labels and timestamps in a few minutes.
How do I transcribe an audio file to text?
Upload your audio file on this page, pick its language or leave it on automatic, then press start. Your transcript appears below, ready to download as TXT, DOCX, SRT or VTT.
Is this audio transcription free?
Yes for files up to 30 minutes: 3 full transcripts a day, without an account. Sign up for 30 more free minutes, no card needed. After that, minutes come in packs, and each file is charged for its real length, rounded up to the next minute.
Can I use it without an account?
Yes: 3 files a day, with full transcripts up to 30 minutes each and the first 10 minutes of longer files. Read and copy the text on the page. Downloading TXT, Word or subtitles needs a free account, and your transcripts move into it when you sign up.
What happens with files longer than 30 minutes?
You see the first 10 minutes free. If it looks right, unlock the full transcript with your minutes within 24 hours of uploading, without uploading again. When your minutes already cover a long file, it is transcribed in full straight away.
Do I need a subscription? Do minutes expire?
No subscription. You buy a pack once: 3 hours for $6.99, 15 hours for $19.99 or 50 hours for $49.99, about $1 to $2.33 per hour of audio. Purchased minutes never expire.
Can I get a refund?
If a transcription fails, its minutes go back to your balance automatically. Within 14 days of buying a pack you can ask for a refund of any minutes you have not used. See the refund policy for details.
How accurate is the transcription?
On clear audio, most words come out right. Phone calls and laptop recordings usually do well; loud music, echo, crosstalk and very strong accents lower accuracy, so check important quotes against the audio.
Which languages can it transcribe?
More than 90, including English, Spanish, French, German, Portuguese, Japanese and Chinese, detected automatically. When speakers switch languages for whole sentences, results vary, so try a short sample first.
Which audio and video formats can I upload?
MP3, M4A, WAV, FLAC, OGG, OPUS, AAC, AMR, AIFF and WebM audio, plus MP4, MOV, WebM and MKV video. Files can be up to 2 GB and 10 hours long, or 500 MB without an account.
Can it tell different speakers apart?
Yes. Speaker detection is on by default, and your transcript labels each turn as Speaker A, Speaker B and so on. If you know how many people are talking, set the number under more settings for cleaner labels. It works best when people do not talk over each other.
How long does it take?
A one-hour interview is usually ready in a few minutes. You can leave this page and find it later under Your transcripts.
What happens to my files?
Your audio is stored privately and only used to create your transcript. We never use your files to train AI models. We delete the original file after transcription, with an automatic cleanup within 48 hours as a backup. You can delete finished transcripts from Your transcripts or the transcript itself. We keep minimal billing and abuse-prevention records; deleting a transcript does not refund used minutes. See the privacy policy for details.
What is an audio to text converter?
An audio to text converter is a tool that listens to audio recordings and writes out every word. This one also labels who is speaking and timestamps every sentence.
Do I need to install any software?
No. Everything runs in your browser on Windows, Mac, Linux, iPhone and Android. Upload from your computer or straight from your phone.
Can I make subtitles from my audio or video?
Yes. Download the SRT or VTT file and upload it to YouTube, Vimeo, Premiere Pro, DaVinci Resolve or any player that supports captions.
Is there anything it does not do?
It transcribes recorded files in the language spoken. It does not translate, write summaries or transcribe live calls as they happen. For a live meeting, record it and upload the file afterwards.
Still have a question? Email support@transcribeaudio.co
Ready to transcribe your audio?
Upload a file up to 30 minutes and get its full transcript free, no account needed.
Transcribe audio free