# MP3 to text converter for podcasts and recordings Upload an MP3 and get it back as text you can read, fix and copy. The MP3 to text converter on Kotosay also takes M4A from iPhone voice memos, and the first 5 minutes of your first file are free with no account. - MP3 and M4A upload directly - 90+ languages - Up to 10 hours with Unlimited ## How to convert MP3 to text 1. **Upload the MP3**: Drop the file in, or pick it from your phone or computer. 2. **Read and fix**: The language is detected for you. Fix names and terms in the editor, and the timestamps stay. 3. **Copy or export**: Copy the text on any plan, or download TXT, DOCX, PDF, SRT or VTT with Unlimited. ## Where MP3s come from ### Podcast episodes The file from your podcast host, turned into show notes and an episode page. ### Voice recorders Handheld recorders and recorder apps that save MP3 by default. ### Audio from a video edit An MP3 exported from a video project, transcribed for a script or captions. ### Course and talk audio A recorded talk as text to search before you write about it. ## MP3 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 | Podcast seasons and long talks fit on Unlimited, which runs on up to 3 devices. Your renewal date is in your account at any time. For one long episode, Single file opens that file in full for $4.99. ## What happens to your MP3 Your MP3 is transcribed on secure servers and deleted automatically 24 hours later. The transcript stays in your account until you delete it, or the whole account, yourself. ## Also useful - [audio transcription for voice memos and calls](https://kotosay.com/audio-to-text) - [free audio converter to MP3](https://kotosay.com/audio-converter) - [subtitle generator for SRT and VTT](https://kotosay.com/subtitle-generator) - [interview transcription for research](https://kotosay.com/interview-transcription) ## 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) ## MP3 to text for podcasts, recorders and voice memos ### Why MP3 to text works well for speech MP3 is one of the most common audio formats, so almost every podcast host, recorder and editing app can save one. It keeps speech clear at small file sizes, which makes uploads light. You can transcribe MP3 files from any of them. Turning an MP3 audio file to text takes one upload, and you go from MP3 to transcription with nothing to install. WAV, AAC, OGG, FLAC and the other common formats work the same way. ### M4A to text from an iPhone To transcribe M4A files from Voice Memos, open the memo, tap the More button and choose Share or Save to Files. Then upload the file from your phone's browser. The M4A goes up as it is. ### Getting the MP3 off your device A handheld recorder keeps its MP3s in a folder you can open once it is plugged into a computer by USB. On a podcast host, the episode page in your dashboard usually lets you download the file you published. Drop the file in with its original name, since the name has no effect on the text. ### Does bitrate matter? For speech, bitrate matters less than the recording itself. A low-bitrate MP3 of a clear speaker usually transcribes cleanly, while a high-bitrate file with music under the voice can lose words. What hurts most is noise, clipping and distance from the microphone. Clipping is the harsh distortion you hear when a voice was recorded too loud. Upload the MP3 as it is, because converting it to WAV first adds file size and no detail. ### Long MP3 files A free account transcribes the first 5 minutes of each MP3 and marks where the locked part begins. Unlimited takes files up to 10 hours, so a full episode or a long talk goes through as one file. It also runs 3 files at once, which helps when you upload a season of episodes. ### Podcast show notes from the transcript A podcast transcript gives you more than show notes. Pull quotes for social posts, write chapter titles from the timestamps and publish the full text on the episode page for listeners who prefer to read. ### Interview recordings for research and articles Researchers who record qualitative interviews often code the text in NVivo, MAXQDA or ATLAS.ti. All three import Word files, so a DOCX export from Unlimited goes straight into your project. Before that, mark who speaks. Use the timestamps to locate where each turn begins, then type initials such as I and P at the start of it in the editor. Journalists can check every quote against the recording. Jump to the timestamp in your own copy, listen to the sentence once more, then copy it. ### Music, lyrics and spoken word Kotosay is made for speech. Songs with vocals over loud instruments come out patchy, because the music covers the words. In a podcast with an intro jingle, the spoken parts transcribe normally. ### Phone call recordings Call recorders often save MP3 or M4A, and both upload directly. Phone lines carry a narrower band of sound than a microphone in the room, so expect a few more names and numbers to fix in the editor. Laws on recording calls differ by country and state, so ask before you record. ### From MP3 to a finished document - Fix names and terms in the editor. The timestamps stay where they are. - Copy the text into show notes or an article on any plan. - Download TXT, DOCX or PDF with Unlimited. - Export SRT or VTT if the MP3 belongs to a video. Tip: For a podcast, note the timestamp of each topic while you read. Those times make quick chapter marks for your show notes. ## MP3 to text questions ### How do I convert an MP3 to text? Upload the MP3 at the top of this page. Kotosay detects the language, transcribes the file and opens the text in the editor. Your first file shows 5 minutes without an account, and a free account transcribes the first 5 minutes of each MP3, 3 files a day. ### Is the MP3 to text converter free? Yes, to start. Your first file needs no account and shows its first 5 minutes. A free account transcribes the first 5 minutes of 3 files a day, and you can read, edit and copy every transcript. Unlimited adds long files, exports and translation. ### Can I transcribe an M4A file from an iPhone voice memo? Yes. Voice Memos saves M4A, which uploads directly. Open the memo, tap the More button, then Share or Save to Files, and upload it from your phone's browser. The transcript opens in the editor, and you can read it later on any device you sign in with. ### Is there a limit on MP3 file size? You can pick an MP3 of up to 1 GB, and your browser compresses it before upload. A free account transcribes the first 5 minutes of each MP3 and locks the rest. Unlimited takes files up to 10 hours and runs 3 at once. ### How long does it take to transcribe a one hour MP3? It depends on the file and how busy the servers are at that moment, so the time varies. A one hour MP3 runs past the free 5 minutes, so the full text needs Single file or Unlimited. Use the free first 5 minutes to check the quality before you pay. ### Can I transcribe MP3 files in other languages? Yes. Transcription works in 90+ languages, and Kotosay detects the language for you. You can also pick it from the list before you upload. With Unlimited, the translate page gives you the episode in another language, and every line keeps its timestamp. ### Which output formats do I get? Every plan lets you read, edit and copy the text in the browser. With Unlimited you can also download TXT, DOCX, PDF, SRT and VTT. DOCX suits Word and Google Docs, PDF is ready to share, and SRT and VTT carry the timing for subtitles. ### Does a low bitrate affect the transcript? Not much for speech. A low-bitrate MP3 of a clear voice usually transcribes cleanly. Noise, clipping and a speaker far from the microphone cost far more words. Upload the MP3 as it is, because re-encoding adds no detail. ### Can I turn a song into lyrics? Spoken words work best. Vocals over loud music come out patchy, because the instruments cover the words. For a song, expect to fill gaps by hand in the editor. A podcast with a short music intro is fine, as the spoken parts transcribe normally. ### Can I get an SRT file from an MP3? Yes, with Unlimited. Export the transcript as SRT or VTT, and every line keeps its start and end time. That helps when the MP3 is the soundtrack of a video, or when you want timed quotes from a podcast episode for a clip or a post. ### Can I translate an MP3 transcript? Yes, with Unlimited. Upload the MP3 on the translate page, pick the language you need, and Kotosay returns the transcript in that language. Every line keeps its timestamp, so the translated SRT or VTT stays in time with the audio. Names and numbers stay as they were spoken. ### Can I delete my MP3 after transcription? Yes, whenever you like. We delete your MP3 automatically 24 hours after transcribing it, and the transcript stays until you delete it. You can remove a single file, delete your whole account or ask support to delete your data. Files you only convert with the audio converter stay on your device. - [Kotosay](https://kotosay.com/mp3-to-text) ## Site language - [Português](https://kotosay.com/pt-br/transcrever-mp3.md) - [Español](https://kotosay.com/es/mp3-a-texto.md) - [Bahasa Indonesia](https://kotosay.com/id/mp3-ke-teks.md) - [Français](https://kotosay.com/fr/transcrire-mp3-en-texte.md) - [Italiano](https://kotosay.com/it/trascrivere-mp3-in-testo.md) - [Deutsch](https://kotosay.com/de/mp3-transkribieren.md) - [Türkçe](https://kotosay.com/tr/mp3-yaziya-cevirme.md) - [العربية](https://kotosay.com/ar/mp3-to-text.md) - [日本語](https://kotosay.com/ja/mp3-to-text.md)