Transcribe Audio to Text Online Free
This tool transcribes audio to text online free, right in this browser tab — no sign-up, no login, and no account, ever. A compact AI speech model (OpenAI's Whisper, running locally via WebAssembly) listens to your file and writes down what it hears. Audio, video, MP3, WAV, M4A, MP4 — drop any of them in and get back a transcript you can copy or download, either as plain text or as timestamped SRT subtitles.
Free, Private Audio to Text Conversion — No Sign Up Required
Select or drag your file onto the dropzone above. The AI model downloads to your browser the first time you use it — usually a few seconds to a minute depending on your connection — and is cached after that, so every transcription after the first is instant to start. There's no account to create, no email to hand over, and no payment screen: the model runs on your own device, so there's no metered cloud API putting a cap on how much you can transcribe — unlimited files, free, without login.
Because the audio never has to reach a server to be understood, the whole process finishes as fast as your device can run the model — usually well under the length of the recording itself for the default Tiny model.
Transcribe MP3, WAV, M4A, and Video Files to Text
Any audio format your browser can play works here — MP3, WAV, M4A, and more — and so does video: pick an MP4 or WEBM file and the tool pulls the audio track out of it automatically before transcribing, so you never have to extract the audio yourself first. That makes this a video to text converter as much as an audio one, useful for turning a recorded meeting, lecture, or podcast episode straight into a searchable transcript.
Get Timestamped SRT Subtitles from Your Transcript
Open Transcription Settings before picking your file and turn on
Include timestamps (SRT). Instead of one block of plain text, the result
screen then shows your transcript broken into timed cues, and the download button gives you a
ready-to-use .srt file — the standard subtitle format most video players and
editors accept directly. Leave the toggle off for a plain .txt transcript with no
timing information, better suited for notes, articles, or search.
Tiny vs. Base: Choosing a Whisper Model for Speed or Accuracy
Transcription Settings also lets you pick the AI model size. Tiny is the default — fast, and accurate enough for clear speech with one speaker and little background noise. Base is a larger model that takes longer to transcribe but handles accents, overlapping speakers, and noisier recordings noticeably better. Switching models downloads that model's weights the first time you use it, the same one-time cost as the default.
Tips for Getting the Most Accurate Transcript
- Set Audio language explicitly if you know it — auto-detect is accurate on clear speech, but a short or noisy clip gives the model less to work with.
- Switch to the Base model for recordings with background noise, music, or more than one speaker talking at once.
- A closer, cleaner recording always transcribes better than a distant or echoey one — the model can only write down what it can actually hear.
- Longer files are transcribed in 30-second segments, so progress updates as it works rather than making you wait for the whole file at once.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I transcribe audio to text for free?
Select or drop your audio or video file above. A local AI speech model loads in your browser (once, then it's cached) and writes out the transcript — no sign-up, no account, and no limit on how many files you convert. When it's done, copy the text or download it as a .txt file.
Is this audio to text converter really free with no sign up?
Yes. There's no account to create and no payment screen at any point. The transcription runs on your own device using a local AI model, not a metered cloud API, so there's no usage cap tied to a sign-up wall — you can transcribe as many files as you want.
Does this tool require a login or account?
No login and no account, ever. The AI model downloads to your browser and does the listening there, so there's nothing to authenticate — just pick a file and get your transcript.
Can I get a transcript with timestamps (SRT subtitles)?
Yes. Open Transcription Settings before choosing a file and turn on Include timestamps (SRT). The result screen then gives you a downloadable .srt file with a timestamp on every line, ready to use as video subtitles.
Can I convert video files to text, not just audio?
Yes. This is a video to text converter as well as an audio one — drop an MP4 or WEBM file the same way you'd drop an MP3, and the tool pulls the audio track out of it and transcribes that. There's no need to extract the audio yourself first.
How accurate is free AI audio transcription?
It depends mostly on audio clarity and the model size you choose. The default Tiny model is fast and handles clear speech well; switching to Base in Transcription Settings trades a slower transcription for noticeably higher accuracy, especially on accents, background noise, or multiple speakers.
