How to Transcribe Audio to Text on Mac (Free and Offline Options)

To transcribe audio to text on a Mac for free, record it in the Notes app or in Voice Memos, then click the Transcription button to see the text. If you already have an audio or video file, such as an interview, a lecture or a meeting recording, you need a file transcription app instead.

This guide covers both cases. The Apple steps are for macOS Sequoia 15, macOS Tahoe 26 and macOS 27, based on Apple's support pages as of October 19, 2026.

Which option fits you

• You are about to record something (a lecture, an idea, a meeting in the room): Notes or Voice Memos is free and enough for many people.
• You already have a file (MP3, voice memo from your phone, Zoom or video recording): use a file transcription app. For Zoom, see how to transcribe a Zoom recording on Mac.
• The audio is private (patients, clients, contracts): pick a tool that transcribes on your Mac, not in the cloud.

Option 1: Transcribe a recording in Notes

Notes can record audio and write a transcript as you go.

1. Open Notes and open or create a note.
2. Click the Attachment button in the toolbar, then click Record Audio.
3. Click Record. Click the Transcription button to watch the text appear live.
4. When you finish, click Pause, then Done.
5. To get the text, double-click the recording, click the More button, then choose Copy Transcript or Add Transcript to Note.

What you need:

• A Mac with M1 or later.
• A supported language. Apple lists English, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, French, German, Japanese, Korean and Chinese, and says transcription is not available in all regions.

If you do not see the Transcription button, your Mac or language is not supported.

Option 2: Transcribe a recording in Voice Memos

Voice Memos also shows a transcript of what you record.

1. Open Voice Memos.
2. Click a recording.
3. Click the Transcription button.
4. To copy the text, select it, Control-click and choose Copy. Paste it into any document or email.

You can also click the Transcription button while recording to see the text live. The search field in Voice Memos finds words inside transcripts, which helps when you have many recordings.

Apple notes that audio transcription is not available in all countries or regions.

For memos from your iPhone and what to do when a memo has no transcript, see how to transcribe voice memos to text on Mac.

How to transcribe an audio or video file you already have

Notes and Voice Memos work best with audio you record in them. Apple's guides do not describe importing an existing MP3, video or meeting recording for transcription.

You have three choices:

Play it aloud while Notes records

You can play the file through your speakers while Notes records. It is free, but it runs in real time, room noise gets in, and quality drops. Fine for a short clip, painful for an hour-long interview.

Use a cloud transcription service

Many websites transcribe files. You upload the audio, they process it on their servers and send back text. They work on any computer, but your recording leaves your Mac, and many charge per minute. Read their privacy terms before you upload anything confidential.

Use a local transcription app

A local app runs the speech model on your Mac. Nothing is uploaded, it works without internet, and there are no per-minute fees.

• Open-source Whisper tools such as whisper.cpp are free and accurate. Most run from the command line, so they suit technical users. Apps such as MacWhisper and Aiko put Whisper in a window. See Whisper apps for Mac, or compare MacWhisper alternatives.
• TalkFlowy transcribes audio and video files locally, with no upload. It runs on local AI models, works 100% offline and supports 50+ languages. The same app also does live dictation in any app with a text field.

TalkFlowy needs an Apple Silicon Mac (M1 or newer) with macOS 14.6 or later. It does not run on Intel Macs. There is a free trial with full features and no credit card, then a one-time lifetime license with no subscription.

See offline speech to text on Mac for why local processing matters and how to test any tool offline.

Tips for a cleaner transcript

1. Record close to the speaker. A phone or mic near the person beats a laptop across the room.
2. Cut background noise. Close windows, turn off fans and music.
3. One person at a time. Overlapping speech is hard for every transcription tool.
4. Use the right language setting. Transcribing Spanish audio with English selected gives poor results.
5. Skim and fix names. Names, brands and technical terms are where errors show up most.

Transcribing vs dictating

Transcription turns a recording into text. Dictation turns your voice right now into text in the app you are typing in.

If you mainly want to write by speaking, read how to dictate on Mac. Writers who record ideas on walks can combine both: see dictation for writers and content creators.