Transcribe a voice memo in three steps
The steps are the same on iPhone and iPad. One purchase covers the Mac as well, so a memo recorded on the phone is readable there too.
Record it, or open a memo you already have
Record in Apple's Voice Memos app the way you normally do, or open an existing recording. Meetings, lectures, interviews and quick notes all work.
Share the memo to Transcribe Here
Open the memo, tap the share button, and choose Transcribe Here. The audio is copied into the app on your device. Nothing is uploaded.
Read the transcript
Whisper transcribes the audio locally, usually in seconds for a short memo. Read it, search it, copy it, or share the text out.
The bundled Whisper Tiny model works with no connection at all. Larger models download once and then run on the device.
Why transcribe on the device
A cloud transcription service sends your recording to a server and bills by the minute. On-device transcription keeps the audio where it was recorded.
- Private by default
- Voice memos often hold interviews, medical notes or client calls. The audio and the transcript stay in the app container on your device.
- Works offline
- The bundled model needs no network. Airplane mode, a basement or a plane seat all work.
- No per-minute cost
- You are not paying a service every time you press record.
When transcription is missing or will not start
Most reports of voice memo transcription not working come down to one of these.
The memo is only in iCloud
If the recording has not downloaded to this device there is no local audio to transcribe. Open it once in Voice Memos so it downloads, then share it again.
The recording is long
Long files take longer and need more memory. The Tiny model is fastest; a larger model is more accurate on accents and noisy rooms.
The share sheet does not list the app
Scroll the app row in the share sheet, or open Transcribe Here once so iOS registers it. On iPad the share sheet opens as a popover from the top of the memo.
The audio is silent or very quiet
Check the first few seconds. No model can transcribe audio the microphone did not capture.
Beyond Voice Memos
The same on-device transcription handles other audio you already have.
Voice recorder apps
Share any recording to Transcribe Here from the share sheet.
Audio files
Import from the Files app, or share in from another app.
Meetings and calls you recorded
Any format the app can read becomes searchable text.
iPad and Mac
One Universal Purchase covers iPhone, iPad and Mac, so a memo recorded on the phone is readable on the Mac.
Can you do this for free?
Yes, with limits worth knowing before you start.
- Free
- On-device recording and transcription, the bundled Whisper Tiny model, and offline use. No account and no sign-up.
- Local Pro
- Larger Whisper models for accuracy, unlimited audio imports, and optional sync through your private iCloud. A one-time App Store purchase.
Questions people ask
Is there a free way to transcribe voice memos on iPhone?
Yes. Transcribe Here records and transcribes on the device with the bundled Whisper Tiny model at no cost, and with no account. The larger models are the paid part.
Does the transcript leave my phone?
No. Transcription runs on the device, with no upload and no transcription service in the path. If you turn on Local Pro iCloud sync, your library syncs through your own private iCloud rather than to us.
Can I use Google Docs or ChatGPT instead?
Both work by sending the audio somewhere first. Google Docs voice typing is live dictation, not file transcription, and ChatGPT needs a paid plan and sends the file to a server. For a sensitive recording, on-device is the shorter path.
How accurate is on-device Whisper?
The bundled Tiny model is good on clear speech and short memos. Larger models, downloaded once, are noticeably better on accents, crosstalk and background noise.
Does it work on iPad and Mac?
Yes. One Universal Purchase covers iPhone, iPad and Mac, and recordings, transcripts and purchases carried over from when the app was called Recall.