Transcribe audio to text for free
Pick your audio (voice memo, MP3, M4A, WAV, OGG) and get the text with timestamps. The transcription happens in your browser with the Whisper model: the audio isn't uploaded to any server and you don't need to sign up.
Where your file goes
Nowhere. That goes for client calls, appointments and meetings too. The audio is read and transcribed inside your browser, by your device's processor or graphics card. The internet is only used to download the program and the model: the library comes from jsDelivr, parts of the video engine come from unpkg, the text fonts come from Google Fonts and the Whisper model comes from Hugging Face. None of those addresses receive your file, and no Tavea server takes part in the transcription. The site only logs the page visit, with nothing from the file. Want to check? Transcribe a file, turn off your internet and, in the same tab, transcribe another one: it works the same.
Limits, no sugarcoating
- The first run downloads the model. That's about 27 MB for the engine plus 80 MB for the accurate model or 44 MB for the fast one. Audio over 5 minutes, on a computer with a graphics card, uses a larger version of the model: 209 MB. Burning subtitles into an MP4, or opening a file over 250 MB or in a format the browser can't read, downloads another 32 MB for the video engine. All of it stays in your browser cache, so later runs skip the download. On a phone, use Wi-Fi.
- The model is small. It gets names, brands and technical terms wrong, and it does worse with noise, loud music or several people talking at once. Proofread before you publish.
- In stretches with no speech, it can make up a sentence. We filter out the most common ones, but check any silent or music-only parts.
- Phones: the limit here is 200 MB and 20 minutes of audio, so the tab doesn't crash from lack of memory. On a phone with little memory, even that can fail. On a computer the limit is 2 GB and 2 hours.
- Time: it depends on your device. In our test on a desktop computer, with the model already loaded, a 42 s video took 8 s on the processor, and 6 min of audio took 57 s on the graphics card. A weak device can take longer than the audio itself. Keep the tab open until it finishes.
Recorded a voice memo with your video idea?
A lot of people record an idea and forget it. Transcribe it, cut it down to the main point and use it as your video script. Test the opening in the hook analyzer.
How to transcribe an audio file
- Choose the file. On iPhone, share the recording from Voice Memos to Files first, so the file is on your device. The same goes for WhatsApp audio: save or share it.
- Check the spoken language.
- Click transcribe. The first time, your browser downloads the model.
- Copy the text or download it as TXT or SRT.
Frequently asked questions
Does it work with iPhone voice memos and Zoom recordings?
Yes. Voice Memos saves M4A files, and Zoom saves M4A or MP4. Both open here.
Does it work with WhatsApp audio?
Yes. WhatsApp audio comes as OGG or OPUS and opens here. Save or share the file to your device and pick it in the tool.
Is my audio sent anywhere?
No. It's processed in the browser, on your device. Tavea doesn't receive the file or the text.
Does it tell speakers apart?
No. You get a single text with timestamps, without marking who said what.
Can I transcribe a long meeting?
On a computer, up to 2 hours. The wait grows with the audio, so a long meeting can keep your machine busy for quite a while. On a phone the limit is 20 minutes.
Does a noisy recording work?
It works worse. Street noise, background music and people talking over each other increase the mistakes. If you can, record close to the mic.
Does it work offline?
After the first transcription, with the tab open, yes. The page and the first download need internet.
Keep reading
Is this audio turning into a video?
Once you film and publish, paste the link into Tavea. It scores the hook from 0 to 100, marks the second viewers tend to leave and writes a script for your next video. Your first 2 analyses are free, no card needed, with 1 script each; paid plans get 3.
See your hook scoreUpdated November 5, 2026.