5 easy ways to convert audio files to text
What comes to mind when you think of the word transcription? Does it evoke images of leaning over your computer, headphones on, while trying to stop and start an audio recording as you type?
It’s one thing to turn written notes into typed text. Tap or click here to find out how. But transcribing audio files on your own can be a huge pain, especially if you aren’t trained in transcription.
You can always go the old-school route of transcribing it yourself, which could take hours. Or you can use a transcription service to convert audio files to text. There are plenty of free or low-cost options, most of which work in minutes. Here are five of the best to help you out.
Best ways to convert audio files to text
1. Otter.ai
Transcription software can be expensive depending on its features, but if you’re looking for a free or affordable way to get the job done, check out Otter.io. It’s a real-time, cloud-based speech-to-text program that transcribes your audio files for you on smartphones and computers — and it’s one of the most affordable options.
You can use Otter to transcribe interviews, lectures or meeting recordings, or for live captioning and to collaborate between teams. If your recording has multiple speakers, each person is assigned a different ID to make it easier to understand the transcriptions. You can also use the app to organize and share your audio or text files.
What’s nice about Otter is that you can try it for free before buying the basic plan. You’ll get 300 minutes of free service when you sign up for an account, and once you’re out of minutes, you can choose from the Premium and Teams plans.
The cost starts at about $8.50 per month for the Pro plan (when paid annually) and gives you a ton of extra features and up to 1,200 minutes of transcription.
2. Transcribe in Word
Are you a Microsoft Word user who’s looking for a transcription service? You’re in luck because Word has a feature called Transcribe that you can use to transcribe your .mp3, .wav, .m4a or .mp4 audio recordings.
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Like it or not, texting is the go-to form of communication for getting a message across quickly and efficiently. There is also a lower margin of error when things are spelled out plainly and clearly, rather than spoken over the phone or a staticky voice message.