# Lecture transcription for recorded classes

Upload the recording of a class and read it as text you can search and study from. Lecture transcription on Kotosay works in 90+ languages, with a timestamp on every line so you can find the moment you missed in your recording.

- Searchable text
- Timestamps on every line
- Files up to 10 hours with Unlimited

## How to transcribe a recorded lecture

1. **Upload the recording**: Audio from your phone, or the video from your course platform.
2. **Fix the terms**: Correct names, formulas and terms in the editor. The timestamps stay.
3. **Study from the text**: Copy sections into your notes, or export DOCX or PDF with Unlimited.

## What students do with the text

### Catch up

Read the part you missed instead of rewatching the whole class.

### Revise

Mark exam topics in the transcript and copy them into your notes.

### Search

Find every mention of a term across a semester of lectures.

### Study in another language

Run a lecture through the translate page with Unlimited, timestamps included.

## Lecture length per plan

|  | No account | Free account | Unlimited |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free | $9.99 a month, or $119 paid once a year |
| Files | Your first file | 3 a day | 3 at once |
| Transcribed per file | First 5 minutes | First 5 minutes | Up to 10 hours |
| Read, edit and copy | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| TXT, DOCX, PDF, SRT and VTT | No | No | Yes |
| Translation | No | No | Yes |

A full lecture runs well past the free 5 minutes, so the whole text needs Single file or Unlimited. Cancel Unlimited in one click at the end of the semester.

## What happens to your file

Lecture recordings are transcribed on secure servers and deleted automatically 24 hours later. Your transcripts stay until you delete them.

## Also useful

- [video transcription for MP4 and MOV](https://kotosay.com/video-to-text)
- [transcribe audio to text free](https://kotosay.com/free-transcription)
- [subtitle generator for SRT and VTT](https://kotosay.com/subtitle-generator)
- [translate French audio to English](https://kotosay.com/translate-french-to-english)

## Pricing

### Free: $0

To try Kotosay on your own recordings.

- 3 files per day
- First 5 minutes of each file
- One file at a time
- Read and copy in the browser
- Free converters in your browser

### Unlimited: $9.99 a month, $119 a year, pay once a year

For long files, exports and translation.

- Unlimited minutes
- Files up to 10 hours
- 3 files at once
- Translation
- TXT, DOCX, PDF, SRT, VTT
- Use on 3 devices

- [Pricing](https://kotosay.com/pricing)

## Lecture transcription from recording to notes

### Can you record the lecture?

Check your course or university policy first, and ask the lecturer. Many universities allow recording for personal study, and disability services can arrange permission where it is needed. Keep the recording and the transcript for your own use.

### Recording that transcribes well

Plan how you record. Lecture to notes works best when the audio is clear. Sit near the front and lay the phone flat on the desk, pointing toward the lecturer. If the class is recorded officially, ask for that file, because a microphone on the lecturer beats a phone in row twelve.

Tip: Pick the lecture language from the list before you upload when a class starts with music or a long silence.

### Seminars and questions from the room

In a seminar, voices far from your phone come out quieter, and a question from the back row can be faint in the transcript. Put the phone in the middle of the table, and ask the lecturer to repeat questions from the room before answering. Those repeats are the lines you will read clearly.

### Lecture transcription for a two hour class

Yes, with Unlimited. It takes files up to 10 hours, so a full session and the questions afterwards fit in one file. On a free account, the first 5 minutes of each file are transcribed, and the rest stays locked until you open that lecture with Single file or take Unlimited.

### Technical terms in lecture transcription

Lectures are full of terms, formulas, abbreviations and the names of authors. Those are the words to check first. Fix them in the editor while you review, and the timestamps stay in place for the next time you look something up in your recording.

### Formulas come out as words

Spoken maths turns into words in the transcript, such as x squared plus two x. Rewrite those lines in notation in your notes. When a long expression could be read two ways, use the timestamp to find it in your own recording and listen there. Chemical formulas and code read aloud need the same treatment.

### Review on the day of the lecture

Lecture transcription pays off most when you open the text on the same day, while the class is still fresh in your mind. Keep your own recording at hand, because Kotosay deletes its copy of the audio 24 hours after transcribing, and the timestamps tell you where each passage sits in your file.

The review itself is short. Skim the text, correct the names the lecturer wrote on the board, and mark every passage where the lecturer said a topic will come up in the exam.

### Can I turn a lecture recording into notes?

Yes. Turning a lecture recording to notes works best in a few steps. Read the transcript once, mark the key points, then copy those passages into your notes app or document. Kotosay works as a lecture note taker you review afterwards, so the notes stay in your own words.

- Search the transcript with your browser's find command for a term or a topic.
- Copy definitions and examples into your notes with the timestamp next to them.
- Export DOCX with Unlimited to keep a semester of lectures in one folder.

### Matching the transcript to the slides

If the lecturer shares slides, type the slide number into the transcript whenever the class moves on, for example [Slide 14]. Later you can read each slide next to its explanation. Copying text into your notes works on every plan, also on a free account.

### For lecturers

If you teach, transcribe lectures to text for students who need it, and export SRT or VTT with Unlimited to add subtitles to course videos. Subtitles help students who are hard of hearing, studying in a second language or watching without sound.

## Lecture transcription questions

### How do I transcribe a recorded lecture?

Upload the recording on this page, from your phone or from the course platform. Kotosay detects the language and writes the transcript with a timestamp on every line. Fix terms and names in the editor, then copy the text or export it with Unlimited.

### Can I turn a lecture recording into notes?

Yes. Read the transcript, mark the key points and copy those passages into your notes with the timestamp next to them. The timestamps show where to find each passage in your recording. With Unlimited, export DOCX to keep a whole semester of lectures in one folder.

### What is the best free lecture transcription app?

The one that fits your timetable and your recordings. Kotosay runs in the browser with no app to install. A free account transcribes the first 5 minutes of 3 files a day, enough to test your seat and your microphone. Full lectures fit Single file or Unlimited, which take files up to 10 hours.

### Can I transcribe a two hour lecture in one file?

Yes, with Unlimited, which takes files up to 10 hours and runs 3 at once. On a free account the first 5 minutes of the lecture are transcribed and the rest stays locked. A lecture video uploads as sound only, which keeps it light.

### Can I search the lecture transcript for a topic?

Yes. Use your browser's find command on the transcript to jump to every mention of a term, then use the timestamp to find that passage in your recording. With Unlimited, export DOCX or PDF and search across all your lectures in one folder on your computer.

### Is it allowed to record lectures?

That depends on your university and your lecturer, so check the course policy and ask first. Many universities allow recording for personal study, and disability services can arrange permission where it is needed. Keep the recording and the transcript for your own study.

### Does it handle technical terms?

Common terms usually come through, while rare terms, formulas, abbreviations and names of authors need a check. Fix them in the editor as you review, and the timestamps stay in place. Picking the lecture language from the list helps when a class mixes languages.

### Can I export a lecture transcript to Word or PDF?

Yes, with Unlimited. Download the transcript as DOCX to keep editing your notes in Word or Google Docs, or as PDF to read on a tablet. Fix names and terms in the editor first, and the export keeps the timestamps, so every point leads back to its moment in the lecture.

### Can I transcribe lectures in another language?

Yes. Transcription works in 90+ languages, and the language is detected for you. With Unlimited you can also translate a lecture into the language you study in, and each line keeps its timestamp, which helps on an exchange semester or in an international program.

### Can I get subtitles for my course videos?

Yes, with Unlimited. Upload the course video, fix the words in the editor and export SRT or VTT. Most course platforms and video players accept those files, and subtitles help students who are hard of hearing or studying in a second language.

### Which recording app should I use?

The voice recorder that came with your phone is usually enough. Voice Memos on an iPhone saves M4A, and most Android recorders save M4A or MP3, which all upload directly. What matters more is where you sit: near the front, with the phone flat and pointing at the lecturer.

### Can I upload a lecture from Zoom or Teams?

Yes. Download the recording from Zoom, or from OneDrive or SharePoint for Teams, then upload the MP4 here. Your browser normally sends only the sound. Online lectures often have clear audio, because the lecturer speaks straight into a microphone, which makes the transcript cleaner.

### Can I cancel at the end of the semester?

Yes, in one click from your account. Unlimited then runs until the end of the period you paid for, so many students cancel before the break. Your renewal date is in your account at any time, and each payment comes with a receipt.

- [Kotosay](https://kotosay.com/lecture-transcription)