Quick answer
How do I transcribe a WhatsApp voice note?
Inside WhatsApp, go to Settings > Chats > Voice message transcripts, turn it on, then press and hold a voice message and choose transcribe; WhatsApp says the transcript is generated on your device, but only in a limited set of languages. For any other language, or for text you can keep and export, save the voice note as a file and upload it to a transcription tool: TryScriptorium takes it without an account (one file up to 15 minutes and 25 MB, 3 tries a day, no account).
Updated
Two routes side by side
| WhatsApp built-in transcripts | Save the note and upload it | |
|---|---|---|
| Languages | "A few select languages to start"; the current list is on WhatsApp Help (we could not read it, so check your app's Transcript language setting) | 33 languages plus automatic detection, Arabic included |
| Where it is processed | On your device, per WhatsApp's announcement | On our server; guest files are deleted after 24 hours |
| What you get | Text under the message inside WhatsApp; the page we read does not describe exporting it | TXT, timestamped TXT, SRT, VTT, Markdown, JSON and CSV |
| Effort | Two taps once it is on | A few steps: save, upload, read |
| Best for | A quick read of one message in a supported language | Another language, a long note, or a file you keep or edit |
WhatsApp announced the feature on its own blog (read 2026-10-25); the table above states only what that post says.
Steps: save the note and upload it
- Save the voice note as a file. Press and hold the message, choose forward or share, then Save to Files (iPhone) or a file app, email or cloud folder (Android). Menu labels change between versions, so check WhatsApp Help if yours differ.
- Open the uploader. Go to WhatsApp voice note to text on your phone or computer.
- Upload the file. Choose the saved file (usually .opus or .m4a). One file up to 15 minutes and 25 MB, 3 tries a day, no account.
- Set the language and read. Pick the language of the voice note, or leave detection on, then read the text against the audio.
- Copy or export. Copy the text or download TXT, timestamped TXT, SRT, VTT, Markdown, JSON and CSV.
WhatsApp voice notes are normally Opus audio, and the uploader reads common audio and video files without converting. Details for iPhone, Android and WhatsApp Web are in the iPhone and Android guide.
Before you upload someone else's voice note
- A voice note is a recording of a person who sent it to you, not to a transcription service. For private or sensitive content, ask first.
- Uploading sends the audio to a server. If it must stay on the phone, use WhatsApp's on-device transcripts where your language is supported.
- Arabic notes are common and dialect speech varies in quality: see تفريغ رسائل واتساب الصوتية and read the result as a draft.
Sources
Every row about another product was read on that product's own page on 2026-10-25. Prices and limits change; confirm on their site before you rely on them. We make TryScriptorium, so read our claims with that in mind.
Questions
Can WhatsApp turn a voice message into text by itself?
How do I get a WhatsApp voice note transcribed in Arabic?
What file type are WhatsApp voice notes?
Is it free to transcribe a WhatsApp voice note?
Is the transcript always right?
Try it with your own file
Upload a recording and read the transcript.