Transcribe long and large audio files
Most free transcription sites stop at 30 minutes or a few hundred megabytes. Here the file is never uploaded, so there is no size or length limit: a two-hour recording finished in 32 minutes on an ordinary 4-core PC.
- Never uploaded
- No sign-up
- No daily limits
- Free
Keep this tab open and in front. Browsers slow down background tabs.
Click any line to fix a word. Downloads include your edits.
Quick answer: To transcribe a long recording, drop the file into the tool at the top of this page and choose the spoken language. iLoveAudioVideo turns the speech into text on your own device, so the recording is never uploaded. It is free with no sign-up, and you can copy the text or download it as TXT, SRT or VTT.
Updated
How it works
- Pick the spoken languageEnglish is set. Choose another of 16 languages if needed.
- Drop the recordingMP3, M4A, WAV, MP4, MOV, OGG, OPUS or WEBM, of any length.
- Copy or downloadFix any word by clicking it, then copy the text or save TXT, SRT or VTT.
Tested on long recordings
| Recording | Computer | Time taken |
|---|---|---|
| 2 hours | 4-core Windows PC, no graphics card, Chrome | 32 min |
| 1 hour | Apple M1 | 9 min |
| 1 hour | 4-core Windows PC, no graphics card | 15 min |
| 1 hour | 2019 Intel MacBook, running hot | 28 min |
Clear English speech, quality on Auto, measured in October 2026. Memory use stayed flat through the one-hour runs (under 3.5 GB for the whole browser), because the recording is read in pieces as it goes.
Tips for long recordings
- Use Chrome or Edge on a computer. Safari before version 26 can only read a few minutes of audio.
- Keep the tab open and in front. Browsers slow down background tabs.
- Plug in a laptop. On battery many laptops slow down.
- Leave Quality on Auto. It picks the most accurate setting your computer runs at a good speed, and steps down if the computer gets slower partway.
Measured, not promised
Results from our benchmark on clear, read English speech. Noisy audio, heavy accents and crosstalk give more errors. See the full benchmark.
Why your file never leaves your computer
Most online transcribers upload your recording to their servers. That costs them money for every minute, so free plans are capped at a few files or a few minutes a day, and your audio sits on someone else's computer.
Here the transcription happens on your own computer, inside this tab. Your recording stays on your device, so there is nothing to cap: transcribe as many files, as long as you like.
Questions
Is there a file size limit?
No. The recording is read from your disk in pieces, so a large file does not need to fit in memory or be uploaded.
Can I keep using my computer while it works?
Yes, but keep this tab open. Heavy work in other apps slows the transcription down.
Which quality should I choose?
Leave it on Auto. It picks the most accurate quality your computer runs well, and switches to a lighter one if your computer slows down. Best needs a fast computer.
Is it really free and unlimited?
Yes. Your device does the work, so a file costs us nothing to process. There is no daily cap, no length limit and no account.
Is my audio uploaded anywhere?
No. The file is read and transcribed inside your browser tab. The speech engine is downloaded once.
Why does it download something first?
That is the speech engine, which does the transcribing on your computer. It is a one-time download of 44–566 MB depending on the quality, and your browser keeps it after that. It has nothing to do with the size of your files.
Which browsers work?
Recent Chrome, Edge and Safari on a laptop or desktop. Chrome and Edge are usually fastest. Phones work for short files, but are slower.
Does it label different speakers?
Not yet. You get accurate text with timestamps; speaker labels are on our list.
Can I close the tab while it works?
Keep the tab open and in front. Browsers slow down background tabs, which can make a long file take up to four times longer.