FROM CALL RECORDING TO TEXT
Transcribe a Zoom recording.
From the file you already have.
Find the audio file Zoom saved, check whether Zoom’s own transcript covers your needs, then import the recording to get a transcript, summary or translation on your phone.
TRANSCRIPT
Illustrative excerpt: we agreed to move the review to Thursday and share the draft beforehand.
THE SHORT ANSWER
First, check what Zoom already made
To transcribe a Zoom recording on your phone, get the recording file, ideally the audio-only M4A, onto your iPhone or Android phone, import it into Voice Note Transcriber, and choose Transcribe. Zoom computer recordings save an MP4 video file and an M4A audio-only file. Cloud recordings can be downloaded from Zoom’s web portal.
Zoom also has its own transcription. Its cloud recording settings include a Create audio transcript option that transcribes cloud recordings automatically, and availability depends on your plan and your account admin. If that transcript is already there, you may not need another tool. Use the app when you only have a computer recording, or want a summary, action items or translation saved on your phone.
FROM CALL RECORDING TO TEXT
How to transcribe a Zoom recording file
1. Find the recording
Zoom’s file format guide explains the files a recording creates. Computer recordings save to a Zoom folder in Documents by default, and you can check the location in the desktop app’s recording settings. The M4A is audio-only, smaller than the video, and enough for transcription. For a cloud recording, download it from Recordings in the Zoom web portal, if your admin allows downloads.
2. Move it to your phone and import
Transfer the file with any method you already use, such as a cloud drive, AirDrop or a cable. Menus differ by device and service. In Voice Note Transcriber, import it from your phone’s files, or share it into the app. On iPhone, the share extension takes one file at a time. The in-app picker can select several. M4A and MP4 are both supported.
3. Choose an output and review it
Choose Transcribe for the full text, Summarize with Action items or Dates/deadlines for follow-ups, or Translate for another language. One job returns one output. Check names, numbers and decisions against the recording, then file the result in a folder for that project or client so search can find it later.
FROM CALL RECORDING TO TEXT
Zoom’s transcript vs. this app
Use Zoom’s own transcript when it’s enabled on your account: it’s made where the recording lives, and nothing needs to be moved. Zoom also lets participants save live meeting transcripts as a text file when that feature is turned on. Check Zoom’s current help pages for plan and language details, since those can change.
Use Voice Note Transcriber when your recording only exists as a local file, when you want a summary style such as Action items rather than the full text, or when you want a translated summary. It is an iPhone and Android app, not a Zoom integration, so it never connects to your Zoom account.
FROM CALL RECORDING TO TEXT
Pick the right file
A recording folder can hold several files. Choose the one that makes the upload easiest:
- M4A (audio only): the best choice for transcription, and smaller than the video.
- MP4 (video): also supported, but larger, so it hits size limits sooner on long calls.
- Per-participant audio: if the host turned on separate audio files, you may get one M4A per person, which can make review easier.
- Zoom’s VTT or TXT transcripts: text files, not audio. Open them directly. They aren’t something to import here.
FROM CALL RECORDING TO TEXT
Before you upload a call
Make sure you’re allowed to record and process the call: tell participants, and follow your organization’s rules about where recordings may be uploaded. Processing happens online, the audio is removed after processing, and you can delete saved results in the app.
Long recordings may exceed the app’s current size or length limits, so the M4A file is the safer pick. For turning any meeting into tasks and deadlines, see the meeting transcription guide. For general file questions, see the audio to text guide.
QUESTIONS
Zoom recording questions
Where does Zoom save local recordings?
By default, in a Zoom folder in your Documents folder on Windows, macOS and Linux. You can check or change the location in the Zoom desktop app’s recording settings. Zoom’s help center has the current steps.
Can I transcribe a Zoom recording without the desktop computer?
Only if the file can reach your phone, for example a cloud recording downloaded on the phone, or a local file synced through a cloud drive. The app needs the file itself, not a meeting link.
Should I import the MP4 or the M4A?
The M4A. It contains the audio you need for transcription, and it is smaller, so it is less likely to hit upload limits. Both formats are supported.
Does the app connect to my Zoom account?
No. It doesn’t sign in to Zoom, join meetings or fetch cloud recordings. Download or export the recording first, then import the file.
See the app overview or learn how to summarize a recording.
FROM CALL RECORDING TO TEXT
Get the text out of your Zoom recording.
Download the iPhone or Android app, import the M4A or MP4 file, and choose a transcript, summary or translation.