Free · no sign-up · up to 8 min

Convert audio to text online, for free.

Transcribing audio to text takes just seconds: drop your file, get a clear transcription with speakers separated, then export to TXT, DOCX or PDF on a paid plan. Hosted in Europe, GDPR-compliant, no data shared.

🇪🇺 Hosted in Europe 🔒 GDPR 🌍 50+ languages 🗑️ Auto-deletion
🎙️
Drop your audio here or click to browse
MP3, WAV, M4A, FLAC, OGG
Max 50 MB · 8 minutes · Free, no account

Convert, transcribe or write up audio as text? All three phrases describe the same operation: turning an audio file into written text. "Convert" emphasises the format, "transcribe" the text output, and "write up" is often used for meeting minutes. Our tool covers all three use cases with the same accuracy, on clean, good-quality audio. For meetings and structured minutes, see our guide to transcribing a Zoom meeting.

How to convert audio to text in 3 steps?

Converting an audio recording into written text takes less than two minutes with an automatic transcription tool. Here is the process:

  1. Upload your audio file: drag and drop an MP3, WAV, M4A, OGG or any other common format into the upload area above. The tool accepts up to 8 minutes per file without an account.
  2. Start the automatic transcription: the AI analyses the audio, detects the language, separates the speakers and generates the text. No sign-up required.
  3. Copy or download your text: the transcription appears on screen, timestamped and ready to copy. Exports to TXT, DOCX or PDF are included in paid plans.

Which audio formats are supported?

Our audio-to-text converter accepts all the standard formats used by smartphones, voice recorders, video-conferencing software and professional audio editors:

For video files (MP4, MOV, WebM), simply extract the audio track first with a free tool such as VLC or Audacity. This option will arrive directly in the tool within a few weeks.

Why convert audio to text?

Turning an audio file into text serves many professional and personal use cases:

In every case, the written transcription is indexable, searchable and shareable: three qualities an audio file simply does not have.

Automatic vs manual transcription: what's the difference?

Manual transcription means typing out the text while listening to the audio. It offers maximum accuracy but takes roughly 4 to 6 hours of work per hour of audio. It is the traditional method of stenographers and professional transcribers.

Automatic transcription powered by artificial intelligence (like the one this tool offers) processes the same hour of audio in 5 to 10 minutes. Quality is very good on clean audio, and a quick review is enough to fix the rare errors.

For most professional use cases, automatic transcription is a clear upgrade over the manual method. Only contexts that demand strict legal compliance (verbatim court proceedings) still justify human transcription. Our guide to verbatim transcription styles explains when full verbatim is required.

Doing qualitative research? See our dedicated page on interview transcription for research and analysis.

Unlock more with a free account

120 minutes included, no credit card. Your first 2 meeting summaries come in full, then you get a one-paragraph summary; speakers are separated and renamable in one click from sign-up. Exports, decisions and action items come with the 7€ Pass (one-off payment) or a paid plan.

Which plan is right for you?

Try it with no account, create one when you need the summary, go paid for exports or if you transcribe several hours per month.

No account Free account Starter · from €7/mo
billed annually · €9/mo month-to-month
Minutes / month 2 files × 8 min per day 120 min 400 min
Transcription + diarisation ✓ ✓ ✓
AI summary ✗ Full for the first 2, then short summary Full
Actions, decisions & chapters extracted ✗ First 2, then with the Pass ✓
Topics & key questions ✗ First 2 ✓
PDF / DOCX export ✗ ✗ ✓
History + search ✗ ✓ ✓
Hosted in Europe, GDPR ✓ ✓ ✓

Frequently asked questions

Do I need to create an account to transcribe audio?
No. Files under 8 minutes are transcribed for free without sign-up. To get meeting summaries (your first 2 in full, then a one-paragraph summary) or name your speakers, a free account (120 minutes per month) is required. Exports (TXT, DOCX, PDF) are included from the Starter plan.
Which audio formats are accepted?
MP3, WAV, M4A, FLAC and OGG (Opus accepted with a free account). Maximum size 50 MB. Maximum length 8 minutes for the free version without an account. For longer files, create a free account that gives you 120 minutes and then monthly plans.
Are my files kept?
No. The audio is deleted immediately after processing, never stored long-term. The transcription itself is kept for 48 hours at most, then automatically erased. No data is used to train an AI model.
Where is the data hosted?
The service is hosted in Europe and GDPR compliant. Audio is deleted after processing and your files are not used to train models.
How accurate is the transcription?
Quality is very good on clean audio (external mic, little background noise, distinct speakers). It drops on degraded recordings or with strong accents. A quick review is still recommended for any official document.
How do I convert an audio file longer than 8 minutes?
The 8-minute limit only applies to the free version without an account. By creating a free account you immediately get 120 minutes of transcription and can process files several hours long. Paid plans unlock up to 50 hours per month.
Can I identify the different speakers?
The free tool automatically detects speaker changes and labels them as "Speaker 1", "Speaker 2"… With a free account, you can rename each speaker (Marie, Thomas…) directly from the interface, and those names are kept in the transcript and in exports (paid plans).
Can I export the transcription to Word or PDF?
Yes, with a paid plan: exports to TXT, DOCX (Word) and PDF are included from the Starter plan (9€/month). You can also unlock a single transcription with a one-off purchase. The free account (120 minutes per month, no credit card) does not include exports. With no account, the transcription stays copyable from the screen but not downloadable.
Can I convert audio to text in multiple languages?
Yes. The tool automatically detects the language of the audio and supports English, French, Spanish, German, Italian, Portuguese and around fifty other languages.
How do I transcribe a WhatsApp voice message to text?
Export the voice message from WhatsApp (OGG or Opus format; for the no-account tool, simply rename an .opus file to .ogg), then drop it into the upload area above. The transcription is ready in a few seconds, with no sign-up for files under 8 minutes. Same process for iPhone voice memos (M4A format) or Telegram voice notes.