Transcribe Audio Recording to Text
AI transcription with timestamps, right in your browser. Upload a file and get an accurate transcript in seconds — free, no account needed.
Drop your audio or video file here or click to browse
Supports MP3, WAV, M4A, FLAC, AAC, MP4, MOV, AVI, MKV and more
What is RecToText?
RecToText is a free online tool that transcribes an audio recording to text using AI speech recognition. Whether it is a voice memo from your phone, a recorded interview, a lecture, or a meeting, you get a clean, readable transcript with timestamps — without installing software or creating an account.
Manual transcription is slow: a one-hour recording can take four to six hours to type out. An AI transcriber does it in seconds, and timestamps let you jump back to any moment in the original recording to verify a quote or fill in an unclear word.
RecToText supports the most common recording formats — MP3, WAV, M4A, MP4 and MOV — so you can transcribe files from your phone, your recorder, or your video camera in one place.
How It Works
From audio file to finished transcript in three steps.
Upload
Drop your Audio Recording file into the box above. No account, no software to install.
AI Transcribes
Our speech recognition engine converts the speech to text with precise timestamps.
Download
Copy the transcript or download it as a TXT file or SRT subtitles.
Who Uses It?
Journalists
Turn recorded interviews into quotable text in seconds, with timestamps for fact-checking.
Students
Transcribe lectures and voice memos into searchable notes you can actually study from.
Podcasters
Get show notes, episode transcripts, and SRT captions from your audio in one step.
Researchers
Convert qualitative interviews and field recordings into text ready for analysis.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can it transcribe audio in other languages?
Yes. The transcription engine recognizes dozens of languages automatically, including Spanish, German, French, Portuguese, Chinese, Japanese, and many more. No setting is needed — it detects the spoken language on its own.
What is the difference between a transcript and subtitles?
A transcript (TXT) is the plain text of everything said in the recording. Subtitles (SRT) contain the same text split into timed segments that sync with playback. RecToText gives you both, so you can read the transcript or drop the SRT straight into a video player or editor.
Is this audio to text converter really free?
Yes. You can transcribe audio files for free, with no account and no credit card. Every visitor gets 2 free transcriptions per day, for files up to 10 minutes or 25MB.
Do I need to create an account?
No sign-up is required. Drop your file in the upload box, click Transcribe Now, and get your transcript. We built RecToText so you can go from audio to text in under a minute.
What audio formats are supported?
RecToText supports MP3, WAV, M4A, MP4, and MOV files. For video formats like MP4 and MOV, the audio track is extracted automatically before transcription.
How long does transcription take?
Most files are transcribed in a fraction of their audio length. A 5-minute recording typically takes well under a minute, depending on file size and current server load.
How accurate is the AI transcription?
RecToText uses a state-of-the-art speech recognition model. Accuracy is highest with clear speech and minimal background noise, and the model handles accents, technical vocabulary, and multiple speakers well. Timestamps are included so you can quickly verify any passage against the original audio.
Is there a file length or size limit?
Free transcriptions are limited to 10 minutes of audio and 25MB per file. This keeps the tool fast and free for everyone.
Can I download the transcript as SRT or TXT?
Yes. Every transcription can be copied to your clipboard, downloaded as a plain TXT file, or downloaded as an SRT subtitle file with timestamps.
Are my audio files stored on your servers?
No. Your file is processed in memory, transcribed, and then deleted immediately. We do not keep your audio or your transcripts.
Ready to transcribe your audio?
2 free transcriptions a day. No sign-up, ever.
Drop your audio or video file here or click to browse
Supports MP3, WAV, M4A, FLAC, AAC, MP4, MOV, AVI, MKV and more