How to transcribe audio to text online
To transcribe audio to text online, open an audio to text converter in your browser, upload the file, choose the language and download the result. On TranscribeBolt that takes four steps, works in the browser on iPhone, Android, Mac and Windows without an app, and costs 2 credits per started minute (about $0.20 for 10 minutes), with TXT, SRT and VTT downloads.
- Open the converter
Go to the TranscribeBolt home page in Chrome, Safari, Edge or Firefox. Nothing to install.
- Upload the file
Tap "Choose an audio or video file" and pick the recording (MP3, M4A, WAV, MP4, MOV and more, up to 120 minutes). The length and price appear first.
- Pick the language and add names
Leave Auto-detect on or choose the language; type unusual names or terms in the optional box.
- Transcribe and download
Sign in, tick the consent box and press Transcribe. Then copy the text or download TXT, SRT or VTT.
How to transcribe audio to text on iPhone
To transcribe audio to text on iPhone, use the transcript built into Voice Memos: open a recording, tap the More button and choose the transcript option to read it or copy all of it. Apple's guide says it needs an iPhone 12 or later and is not available in every country or region. For a file you want with timestamps or as SRT, save the memo to Files and upload it to an online converter.
- Open the memo
Open Voice Memos and tap the recording.
- View or copy the transcript
Tap the More button, then the transcript option to view or copy the text (menu names vary by iOS version).
- Need timestamps or SRT?
Tap Share → Save to Files, then upload that M4A on the TranscribeBolt home page.
How to transcribe audio to text on WhatsApp
To transcribe audio to text on WhatsApp, turn on voice message transcripts once and then long-press any voice message you received. WhatsApp's help center says the setting is under Settings > Chats > Voice message transcripts, the transcript is made on your phone, only you see it, and the feature is not yet on every device or in every language.
- Turn transcripts on
Open WhatsApp Settings > Chats and switch on Voice message transcripts.
- Pick the language
Choose the language most of your voice messages use and let it download.
- Transcribe a message
Press and hold a voice message, open the More options menu if it appears, and tap Transcribe.
WhatsApp Help Center: How to turn voice message transcripts on or off
How to transcribe audio to text in Word
To transcribe audio to text in Word, use Home > Dictate > Transcribe and choose Upload audio. Microsoft's support page says the feature is currently in Word for Microsoft 365 on Windows for commercial accounts (Word for the web for government accounts), takes WAV, MP4, M4A and MP3 files, allows 300 minutes of uploads a month on Microsoft 365, and labels speakers as Speaker 1, Speaker 2 and so on.
How to transcribe audio to text for free
The free ways to transcribe audio to text are the built-in transcripts in iPhone Voice Memos and WhatsApp, and running the open-source Whisper model on your own computer, which takes some setup. Word's Transcribe is included only with a paid Microsoft 365 subscription. TranscribeBolt is paid per minute: new accounts get no free credits right now.
| Option | What it transcribes | Cost | Output | Speaker labels |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TranscribeBolt (this site) | Any audio or video file | 2 credits/min, 5-credit minimum | TXT, SRT, VTT | No |
| iPhone Voice Memos | Memos recorded on the iPhone | Free | Copy text | No |
| WhatsApp transcripts | Voice messages you receive | Free | Read in chat | No |
| Word (Microsoft 365) | Uploaded WAV, MP4, M4A, MP3 | Microsoft 365, 300 min/month | Word document | Yes |
Checked 2026-11-11 on Apple Support, the WhatsApp Help Center and Microsoft Support.
Transcribing audio: common questions
How long does it take to transcribe one hour of audio?
On TranscribeBolt an hour is thirty 2-minute parts, sent one after another; how long each part takes depends on the speech service, so there is no fixed time. Keep the tab open until the last part is done.
Do I need to convert my file to MP3 first?
No. The converter reads most audio and video formats in the browser and converts them itself. Convert only if your browser shows an error reading the file.
How do I use the transcript in Premiere Pro?
Download the SRT from TranscribeBolt, then import it into your Premiere Pro project and drag it onto the timeline as a caption track; the times count from the start of your file, so trim nothing before importing. Adobe's help pages say newer versions of Premiere Pro also have their own Speech to Text in the Text panel.
Can I get a transcript of a YouTube video this way?
Only from a file you have. TranscribeBolt does not download from links; many YouTube videos have captions you can open on YouTube itself.