Convert MP3 to text
Upload an MP3, or nearly any other audio file, and get back a transcript you can edit, search and export. Free files can run up to 60 minutes, and paid files up to 10 hours.
Transcribe a recording
Launching November 2026
Turn audio into text without converting it first
Your recording doesn’t have to be an MP3. To turn audio into text, upload the file you have, let it transcribe, and fix what needs fixing. No desktop software, no codec packs, no converter step losing quality.
Audio formats you can transcribe
| Format | What it is | Where you’ll see it |
|---|---|---|
| MP3 | Compressed audio that plays almost anywhere | Podcasts, downloads, handheld recorders |
| M4A | Apple’s compressed audio container | iPhone Voice Memos and other Apple apps |
| WAV | Uncompressed audio, so files get big | Field recorders and audio editors |
| FLAC | Lossless audio, smaller than WAV | Archives and music software |
| OGG | Open compressed audio | Voice notes and open-source apps |
| OPUS | Compressed audio tuned for speech | WhatsApp and Telegram voice notes |
| WMA | Windows Media audio | Older Windows dictation software |
| AAC | The codec inside many M4A files | Phones and video apps |
AIFF, ALAC and MPEG audio upload fine too. Video goes up as it is; video to text covers those formats.
How to transcribe MP3 files
Pick the file
Choose the MP3 on your computer or phone, or record a new one on the upload page.
Set two options
Language on auto or named, and Recognize speakers on for interviews and calls.
Read it against the audio
Playback follows the text word by word. Click a word to hear that bit again.
Export it
DOCX or PDF to share, TXT for notes, or CSV for sorting quotes in a spreadsheet.
Tips for a cleaner transcript
Noise isn’t filtered out, so the transcript hears exactly what you recorded.
- Record close to whoever is talking. A phone on the table beats a laptop mic across the room.
- Turn background music down or off while people speak.
- Keep each file to one language. It’s picked from the first 30 seconds of speech, so if a recording opens in another language, choose the main one yourself.
- Ask people not to talk over each other when you need clean speaker labels.
- Fix names with find and replace. Correct a misspelled name once and every line changes.
Who turns MP3 files into text
Recorded calls
Sales and support calls often download as MP3. Search for the moment a customer named a price, and the timestamp takes you there.
Podcast back catalogs
Old episodes become text you can quote in show notes. See podcast transcripts.
Dictation
Dictate letters or chapters into a recorder, upload the MP3 and edit the draft online. No typing it out.
Family and oral history
Old interviews with relatives are easier to share as text, and speaker labels keep track of who told which story.
What to do with the text afterward
When the transcript reads right, one click drafts a summary, chapters and action items. You get 3 AI summaries a day on Free; paid plans and hour packs have no daily cap. Search across every file for the call where someone said a phrase.
Your recordings are never sent to any AI company. The private transcription page covers HTTPS uploads, deletion and staff access, and the pricing page lists every limit.
MP3 transcription questions
Do I need to convert my audio to MP3 first?
No. M4A, WAV, FLAC, OGG, OPUS, AAC, WMA and other formats upload as they are.
How long can an MP3 be?
Free takes files up to 60 minutes and 2 GB. Hour packs and paid plans take up to 10 hours and 5 GB.
Can I transcribe several MP3s at once?
Free uploads 2 at a time. Paid plans and hour packs can upload up to 50 files at once.
Will it work on a noisy recording?
It will try, but noise and music make mistakes more likely. Give noisy stretches a careful listen in the editor.
Can I get the transcript as a Word file?
Yes. Export DOCX, with or without timestamps and speaker names.
Is there a limit on how many MP3 files I can transcribe?
On Free, 3 a day. Hour packs have no daily file limit and draw down your hours instead, and Unlimited has no daily limit either (fair use up to 720 hours a month).
Which languages can I transcribe MP3 files in?
Any of the 100 languages we transcribe. It detects the spoken one, or you choose. See languages.
More audio tools
- Voice memo to textTranscribe voice memos and WhatsApp or Telegram voice notes from M4A, OGG or OPUS files.
- Video to textGet a transcript or SRT and VTT subtitles from MP4, MOV, MKV and other video files.
- Interview transcriptionFor reporters checking quotes and researchers coding interviews, with every line tied to the audio.
- Podcast transcriptEpisode transcripts with hosts and guests labeled, plus draft chapters for show notes and YouTube.
- Free transcription3 files a day, up to 60 minutes each, with speaker labels and every export format.
Compare plans on the pricing page, or read our short privacy promises.
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Launching November 2026. Be first to hear when Textspert opens.
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