01 / FROM AUDIO TO TEXT
Start with the audio file you have.
When you want to turn MP3 into text, begin with the recording itself. A transcript gives you words you can read, search and work with in a document. It is useful for a voice memo, a conversation or a recorded talk, especially when listening through the whole recording each time would make a small detail hard to find.
Open the file transcription page. Its name mentions MP4, but it also accepts MP3 and other audio formats. Keep the recording somewhere you can find it in the file chooser. You do not need an account to use the page.
Select the recording.
Use the file control near the top of the page and choose your MP3. Check that you picked the recording you intended to use before you continue. The page works with a file you already have; it does not take a video link in this control.
Wait for the text.
After choosing the file, wait while the spoken words are returned. Give the page time to finish before deciding what to do with the result. If the page cannot accept or read the file, use the message on the page to decide what to check next.
Take the words with you.
Copy the text into your document or notes, or download a TXT file for a reading copy. If the result includes timings, SRT and VTT downloads are available too. Those formats keep timed cues for subtitle work; when there are no timings, those options stay off.
Choose the output for the job ahead. Copied text is handy when you already have a document open. A TXT file gives you a separate copy to open later. Timed cues help when the words need to line up with playback, but they are not necessary simply to read or search a transcript.
02 / BEFORE UPLOADING
Check the format and the file limits.
The upload page names MP3, M4A and WAV as audio choices. It also names MP4, MOV and WebM for video files. For this guide, the starting point is an audio recording: choose the actual file rather than a note containing its name or a link to where it appears online.
A single file can be up to 20 minutes and 200 MB. Both limits matter: a short recording can still be too large, and a small file can still run too long. Check the duration and file size before choosing it if you are unsure whether it fits. The page refuses a recording that is longer or larger than its limit.
If the browser cannot read your file, the page displays a message suggesting MP3, M4A or WAV. Check which file you selected and whether you have a readable recording in one of those formats. A file extension by itself is not a reason to assume the contents can be read. Keep the original recording available so you can listen back while reviewing the result.
The tool page is in English. The recording is transcribed in the language spoken in it. The language of the page itself does not mean you need to change the words you recorded.
03 / LONGER RECORDINGS
Make a long recording manageable before upload.
If your audio exceeds either limit, the page will reject it. Trim the recording before uploading so that the portion you choose fits both the duration and size limits. You can work with shorter portions in their original order if you need the words from more of the recording. Keep track of where each portion belongs so that you can put the resulting text back together without losing the thread.
Before trimming, decide what you actually need from the recording. If you are looking for a particular passage, it may be easier to select the relevant portion first. Leave enough surrounding speech to understand the passage in context. A sentence cut in the middle can be difficult to interpret when you return to the text later.
After working through your portions, read the joins while listening to the original. Check for a word cut off at a boundary or a repeated phrase where portions overlap. Save the assembled text in a way that lets you find the corresponding audio again; the recording remains your reference when a passage is unclear.
04 / REVIEW THE WORDS
Make the recording clear, then check the result.
Clear speech is easier to review than speech buried under other sounds. When you can control the recording, choose a quiet place, stay reasonably close to the microphone and avoid having people talk over one another. Listen to a short portion before recording more, so you can notice a distracting hum or a voice that is hard to hear. The guide to getting a more accurate transcript has more practical preparation ideas.
Once you have the text, treat it as a draft. Listen alongside it and correct names, numbers, unfamiliar terms and passages where speakers interrupt each other. Punctuation can change the apparent meaning of a sentence, so check the surrounding words before moving a comma or breaking a thought into separate sentences. If something is unclear, mark it for another listen instead of guessing.
Before using a quotation, return to the relevant moment in the audio and read the words in context. The guide on checking a transcript before you quote it walks through that review. A searchable transcript helps you find a passage; the recording helps you verify what was actually said.
If your starting point is an online video, see the YouTube transcript guide or the TikTok transcript page. For a video file you already have, read the guide to MP4 to text.
05 / QUESTIONS
Questions about audio transcripts.
Do I need an account to transcribe an MP3?
No account is needed on the file transcription page. Choose an eligible recording, wait for the words and then copy or download the result.
What if the recording is not in English?
The page is in English, while the recording is transcribed in the language spoken in it. Listen back to the recording when checking the words, just as you would with any transcript.
Can I get a transcript with timestamps?
When the result has timing information, you can download SRT or VTT with timed cues. If it has no timings, those downloads stay off; you can still copy the text.
What should I do if my recording is too long?
The page refuses a file over its limit. Trim the recording into shorter portions that fit the stated duration and size limits, and keep their order clear when you assemble the text.
READY WHEN YOU ARE
Start with your recording.
Choose an audio file and take the spoken words into a document.
Open the file transcription page ↗