How to Transcribe Voice Memos on iPhone (Step by Step)

If you record ideas, client briefs or podcast notes as voice memos, you don't need a separate app to turn them into text any more. Apple's Voice Memos app can transcribe speech on supported iPhones, both while you record and afterwards, and you can copy the text straight into an email or document. I dictate a lot of first drafts on walks, so this is one of my favourite small iPhone features.

Everything below follows Apple's official iPhone User Guide. Apple notes that the feature depends on your iPhone model, your language and your country or region, so I've included what to do if the transcript option doesn't appear.

Which iPhones can transcribe Voice Memos

According to Apple's support page, audio transcription in Voice Memos is available on iPhone 12 or later, in these languages:

• English (all variants)
• Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, French and German
• Japanese and Korean
• Simplified Chinese and Traditional Chinese

Apple also says it's not available in all countries or regions. If you open a recording made in an earlier version of Voice Memos (iOS 17 or earlier), Apple says the app will transcribe it automatically if it contains recorded speech, so older memos aren't left out.

Watch a live transcript while you record on iPhone

1. Open the Voice Memos app. Apple notes it lives in the Utilities folder.
2. Tap the record button to start recording.
3. Swipe up from the top of the waveform, then tap the transcript button to watch the words appear live.
4. The waveform disappears for a moment and the transcript shows instead, with the current word highlighted.
5. To go back to the waveform, tap the waveform button.
6. Tap pause to stop for a moment and Resume to carry on. Tap the save button when you're finished.

View or copy a Voice Memos transcript after recording

1. Open Voice Memos and tap the recording you want.
2. Tap the options button for that recording.
3. To copy part of it, choose View Transcript, select the text you want, then tap Copy.
4. To copy all of it, choose Copy Transcript.
5. Open a Mail message, a note or any document and paste the text in.

Once the text's in a document, you can tidy it up and turn it into a blog post, a newsletter section or a client follow-up. My voice memo method for creating content shows how I turn rambling recordings into usable drafts.

Search your iPhone voice memos by what you said

Transcripts make your recordings searchable, which is brilliant when you know you said something but can't remember which memo it's in. Apple describes it like this:

1. Open Voice Memos and swipe down from the middle of the list of recordings to reveal the search field.
2. Type a word or phrase.
3. The list shows only recordings with that text in the title or the transcript.
4. Select a term in the transcript, and the playhead jumps to that point in the audio.

It's worth renaming important recordings too. Apple says a new memo is saved as New Recording, or with your location name if Location Services is turned on, and you can tap the name to change it.

Record and transcribe audio in the Notes app instead

Apple's Notes app can also record audio and transcribe it, which is handy if you want the recording and your written notes in one place. Apple says this is available on iPhone 12 and later when the device language is set to one of the supported languages.

1. Open a note in the Notes app.
2. Tap the attachments button, then tap Record Audio.
3. Tap the record button to start. You can pause and resume as you go.
4. Tap the transcript button to see the live transcript.
5. When you've finished, stop the recording and save it.

To work with the text later, tap the recording, open the transcript and choose Add Transcript to Note or Copy Transcript. You can also choose Find in Transcript to search it. Apple warns that deleting the audio recording also deletes the transcript, so copy anything you need first. Apple also documents call recording with transcripts saved in Notes, which needs iOS 18.1 or later, and you should always tell the other person before you record a call.

Use Dictation when you only need the words

If you don't need an audio file at all, Dictation types your words straight into any text field. Apple says Dictation is processed on your iPhone in many languages with no internet connection needed, although it may not be available in every language or region.

1. Open the Settings app, tap General, then tap Keyboard.
2. Turn on Enable Dictation.
3. In any text field, tap the microphone button on the keyboard and start speaking.
4. Say the name of a punctuation mark, such as "exclamation point", where needed, or let automatic punctuation handle it in supported languages.

Transcribe voice memos on older iPhones

If your iPhone is older than iPhone 12, the built-in transcript won't appear, but you can still get text from your recordings by sharing the audio file:

1. In Voice Memos, tap the recording, then tap the options button.
2. Tap Share, then Options, and choose Rendered to create a single .m4a file.
3. Send it by AirDrop, Mail or Messages, or save it to Files.
4. Upload the file to a transcription tool on your phone or computer.

Microsoft's help pages list .m4a among the formats Word's Transcribe feature accepts, and apps such as Otter.ai can transcribe uploaded recordings. I've rounded up more options in where to transcribe audio to text for free. Check each app's privacy terms before you upload recordings of clients or colleagues.

Voice Memos transcript not showing: what to check

• No transcript button. Check your iPhone is an iPhone 12 or later and that your language and region are supported.
• Wrong language. Transcription follows supported languages only, so speech in another language may not be transcribed.
• Older recording looks empty. Open it and give the app a moment. Apple says older memos with speech are transcribed automatically.
• Mistakes in names or jargon. Transcripts can mishear unusual words, so check names, numbers and product terms before you share the text.
• Nothing in Notes. Apple says if you don't see the transcript button, your iPhone doesn't meet the requirements or doesn't detect a supported language.
• Software's out of date. Update iOS in Settings, as features and menus change between versions.

If you rely on your phone for work, my list of iPhone apps for business covers other tools that save time on the go.

Frequently asked questions

Can iPhone transcribe voice memos automatically?

Yes, on supported models. Apple says Voice Memos transcription works on iPhone 12 or later in a set list of languages, and it isn't available in every country or region.

Why can't I see the transcript in Voice Memos?

Your iPhone may be older than iPhone 12, your language may not be supported or the feature may not be offered in your region. Updating iOS can also help.

How do I copy a Voice Memos transcript?

Tap the recording, tap its options button and choose Copy Transcript for the whole thing, or View Transcript to select and copy part of it.

Can I search inside my voice memo transcripts?

Yes. Swipe down on the recordings list to show the search field, type a word and Voice Memos shows recordings with that text in the title or transcript.

What can I use on an older iPhone?

Share the recording as an .m4a file and upload it to a transcription tool, or use Dictation to speak straight into a note or document.