Interviews & journalism
Turn recorded interviews into searchable text without sending sensitive audio to a cloud API or waiting in a queue.
Transcribe audio to text
Free, private audio to text in your browser — upload a file and transcribe locally with Whisper. No server upload.
Why use Whisper AI free transcription?
100% free in the browser
No subscription for this tool. Transcribe audio, voice, or URLs with OpenAI Whisper models running client-side.
Private by design
Your audio is not uploaded to our servers for transcription. Processing stays on your device in a Web Worker.
No sign-up required
Start immediately — no account, no API key. Ideal for one-off files, quick memos, or trying speech-to-text privately.
How free browser transcription works
Three steps from audio to text — all local after the model loads.
01
Add your audio
Upload a file, record with your mic, or paste an audio URL — depending on which free tool you use.
02
Choose language & model
Pick source language and a Whisper model size. Quantized models load faster on most devices.
03
Copy or export
Read the transcript on the page, copy to clipboard, or export TXT / JSON — your text, your workflow.
Who uses free audio to text?
Lectures & study notes
Convert class recordings and study MP3s into notes you can skim, quote, and archive — free and on your device.
Podcasts & meetings
Draft show notes or meeting minutes from audio files. Export TXT or JSON when the transcript is ready.
Free, private transcription
Built for people who cannot send sensitive audio to the cloud.
- Transcription runs in your browser via a Web Worker — not on Whisper AI servers.
- Audio files are not uploaded for the speech-to-text step on these free tool pages.
- Model weights may cache in your browser after the first load for faster repeat use.
- For how we handle site data overall, see our . Privacy Policy
Audio to text FAQ
What audio formats can I transcribe for free?
Common formats such as MP3, WAV, WebM, M4A, and more work in modern browsers. Drop a file or browse to upload — transcription runs locally with Whisper.
Is there a file size or length limit?
Very long files depend on your device memory and CPU. For best results, split extremely long recordings or use a smaller Whisper model with the quantized option enabled.
Do I need an account to transcribe audio?
No sign-up is required for this free browser tool. Open the page, add audio, and transcribe — no login for local transcription.
How is this different from cloud transcription services?
Cloud tools usually upload your audio to their servers. Whisper AI’s free tool runs the model in a Web Worker in your browser, so your file is not sent to us for transcription.
Is this transcription tool really free?
Yes. These pages are free to use with no paywall for local browser transcription. Optional paid plans apply to the Chrome extension and cloud features, not this on-page Whisper tool.
Is my audio private when I transcribe here?
For these free tools, speech-to-text runs locally in your browser. We do not upload your audio to our servers for transcription. URL mode fetches the file from the link you paste; that request goes from your browser to the host.
More free transcription tools
Voice / microphone to text
Free voice to text with your microphone — private, in-browser transcription. No account required.
Audio URL to text
Free URL to text — paste an audio link, transcribe privately in your browser. No upload for transcription.
Speech to text
Turn live speech into text with your microphone — free, private, and local in your browser. No account or upload required.
MP3 to text
Upload an MP3 and transcribe to text in your browser — free, private, and local with Whisper. No server upload.
MP4 to text
Upload a video MP4 and get a text transcript in your browser — free, private, local Whisper transcription.
M4A to text
Convert M4A and Apple voice memo files to text in your browser — free, private, local transcription.
WAV to text
Transcribe uncompressed WAV audio to text in your browser — free, private, studio-grade local Whisper.
Voicemail to text
Upload exported voicemail audio and transcribe to text in your browser — free, private, no cloud upload.
Video to SRT
Upload a video and download an SRT subtitle file — free, private transcription with timestamps in your browser.