How to turn voice memos into text on iPhone

Get the text of a voice memo

Recordings with speech are transcribed on their own. Apple says memos made in iOS 17 or earlier are transcribed when you open them, as long as they include speech.

1. Open Voice Memos, which is in the Utilities folder
2. Tap the recording you want
3. Tap the More button
4. Choose View Transcript to select and copy part of it, or Copy Transcript for all of it
5. Paste the text into Notes, Mail or any document

Watch the words appear while you record

1. In Voice Memos, tap the Record button
2. Swipe up from the top of the waveform, then tap the Transcription button
3. The waveform steps aside and the words appear, with the current word highlighted
4. Tap Pause if you need a moment, then Resume
5. Tap Done to save the recording and its transcript

Record and transcribe in Notes

Notes keeps the recording and its transcript inside a note, which is handy for meetings or lectures. Deleting the recording also deletes its transcript.

1. In a note, tap the Attachments button, then tap Record Audio
2. Tap the Record button and start talking
3. Tap the Transcription button to see the live transcript
4. When you're finished, tap Pause, then Done
5. Later, tap the recording and then the Transcription button to read it
6. Tap the More button and choose Add Transcript to Note or Copy Transcript

What you need, and the limits

Apple lists the same languages for both apps: English (all variants), Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, French, German, Japanese, Korean, Simplified Chinese and Traditional Chinese. Voice Memos transcription isn't available in every country or region. If the Transcription button is missing, your iPhone doesn't meet the requirements or doesn't detect a supported language.

Other ways to get text from your voice

• Apple's Journal app can record audio in an entry and transcribe it, in English only
• Keyboard dictation: tap the Dictate button in any text field and talk. It stops after 30 seconds of silence
• Phone calls: on iOS 18.1 or later, a recorded call's transcript appears in Notes
• Paid transcription services suit long interviews with several speakers, where accuracy matters more than speed

When a voice journal app makes more sense

Voice Memos and Notes are fine for the odd memo. If you talk every day, a journal app keeps each recording as a dated entry you can browse by day, search and lock. Dawn Light writes down what you say as you speak, on your iPhone, in any language your device's speech model supports.