How to Turn a Voice Memo Into Text on iPhone (Built-in and Free Ways)

On an iPhone 12 or later running iOS 18 or newer, the Voice Memos app makes a transcript for you. Open the recording, tap the More button (three dots) or the transcript button (a speech bubble with quotation marks), then view or copy the text. If your phone or language isn't supported, you can still turn a voice memo into text for free with the Notes app or with dictation.

That's the short answer to how to transcribe a voice memo on iPhone. The rest of this guide walks through each free route step by step. It also covers what each one can't do, so you don't lose an afternoon to a missing button.

Before you start: check if your iPhone can do it

Built-in transcription depends on three things: your iPhone model, your iOS version and your language. Apple's App Store listing for Voice Memos says audio transcription is available on iPhone 12 and later. It came with iOS 18, so you'll need that or a newer version.

Language is where it gets a little murky. The App Store footnote names only English variants (US, UK, Canada, Australia, Ireland, New Zealand and South Africa). Apple's guide to Voice Memos transcripts on iPad lists a longer set: English, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, French, German, Japanese, Korean and Chinese. Apple also notes it isn't offered in every country or region.

A quick way to check:

• Open Settings > General > About to see your model and iOS version.
• Open Settings > General > Software Update if you're behind.
• Open any recording in Voice Memos and look for a transcript option. If it's there, you're set.

If you're on an iPhone 11 or older, skip ahead to the dictation method. It works on far more phones.

Method 1: How to transcribe a voice memo on iPhone with the built-in transcript

This is the easiest route and costs nothing. There's no "transcribe" button to press. On a supported iPhone, the app makes the transcript by itself, and it may do the same for older recordings once you've updated.

View the iPhone voice memo transcript

1. Open Voice Memos and tap the recording you want.
2. Tap the More button (three dots) and choose View Transcript. On some versions, you'll instead see a transcript button that looks like a speech bubble with quotation marks.
3. Press play. The text follows along with the audio, so you can check a word you're unsure about.

You can also watch the transcript appear live while you record. Tap the transcript button during recording to see your words as you speak.

Copy the text somewhere useful

A transcript stuck inside Voice Memos isn't much use for an email or a document. To get it out:

• Tap More and choose Copy Transcript to copy the whole thing.
• Or touch and hold a word, drag the handles over the part you need, and tap Copy.

Then paste it into Notes, Mail, Messages or any document. Apple's Voice Memos guide for Mac describes the same copy option on a Mac. That helps if your recordings sync there through iCloud and you'd rather tidy up long text on a bigger screen.

Search inside your recordings

The transcript also makes your memos searchable. Use the search bar at the top of the recordings list and type a word you remember saying. Apple says search covers both titles and transcripts. This is handy for the many recordings still called "New Recording 14." For more ways to dig one up, see how to find an old voice memo on iPhone.

When the transcript option is missing

If you can't find it, work through this list:

• Old phone. Models before iPhone 12 don't get the feature.
• Old iOS. Update to iOS 18 or later.
• Language. Your iPhone's language, and the language spoken in the recording, need to be supported.
• Region. Some countries and regions don't have it.
• Just updated. Older recordings may need a little time to process. Give it a while and check again.

Some people on Apple's community forums report an error saying transcription needs an internet connection. If you see that, connect to Wi-Fi and try again.

Method 2: Turn a voice memo into text free with the Notes app

The Notes app on iOS 18 and later can record audio and make a transcript too. It's a good choice when you want the text and your own notes on the same page. Think of a lecture, a meeting or a list of instructions.

Record straight into a note

1. Open Notes and start a new note.
2. Tap the paperclip icon in the toolbar and choose Record Audio.
3. Tap the red button to start. Tap it again to pause or resume.
4. Tap the speech bubble icon to switch to the transcript and watch the text appear as you talk.
5. Tap Done. The recording is saved inside the note.

Put the transcript into the note itself

By default, the transcript lives inside the audio attachment. To make it part of the note:

1. Tap the recording's title to open it full screen.
2. Tap the three dots.
3. Choose to add the transcript to the note, or copy it.

According to Popular Science's walkthrough, the same menu lets you search the transcript, save the audio to Files, or share it.

Transcribe a recording you already have

This is the useful trick if Voice Memos itself won't show a transcript for a file. Popular Science reports that you can tap the paperclip, choose Attach File, and pick an audio file. It's then embedded and can be transcribed the same way.

To get a memo into Files first, open it in Voice Memos, tap More > Share, and choose Save to Files. Then attach it in Notes. This route has the same device and language requirements as Voice Memos. So it won't rescue an iPhone 11. It does help with audio someone sent you, or a recording from another app.

Notes is also good for appointments where you want to hear the advice again later. If that's your situation, our guide on remembering what the doctor said covers how to ask permission and what to write down.

Method 3: Use dictation as a free workaround

Dictation is the old-fashioned way to get a voice memo to text, and it works on almost any iPhone. It types what it hears into any text box. So you play the recording out loud and let dictation "listen."

Set it up

Apple's dictation guide explains the basics:

1. Go to Settings > General > Keyboard and turn on Enable Dictation.
2. Open a new note and tap where you want the text to go.
3. Tap the microphone key on the keyboard and start speaking.

Apple says many languages are processed on the device, so you may not need an internet connection. Commas, periods and question marks are added for you in supported languages.

Play the memo out loud

Here's the catch. Dictation listens through the microphone, so playing a memo on the same phone isn't a reliable way to feed it. The simplest fix is two devices:

1. Play the memo on a second device, like an iPad, a Mac or another phone. Turn the volume up.
2. Hold your iPhone near the speaker, with dictation running in a new note.
3. Pause dictation if it stops early, then tap the microphone again to carry on.

A tidier option is to listen on headphones and repeat the memo out loud in your own words. It sounds slow, but for a two-minute memo it can be quicker than fixing a messy transcript. You also get to drop the "um" and the false starts as you go.

What to expect

Dictation works best with one clear voice, little background noise, and a speaker held close to the phone. Expect to fix names, numbers and technical words. It's fine for a shopping list or a quick idea. It's frustrating for a long interview with three people talking over each other.

Which free method should you use?

Here's a quick comparison to help you pick.

If your iPhone supports it, start with the built-in transcript. Use Notes when you want to keep writing around the text. Fall back on dictation only when nothing else works.

When a free method isn't enough

Built-in transcripts are good for getting the gist and finding a quote. They have limits worth knowing about:

• No speaker labels. The text doesn't say who said what. For an interview or a meeting, you'll be adding names by hand.
• Mistakes with names and jargon. Brand names, place names and medical terms often come out wrong. Check anything you'll rely on against the audio.
• Plain text only. You copy and paste. There's no export to a document format with timestamps.
• Language mixing. A recording that switches between two languages may come out garbled.

If you need speaker labels, timestamps or a guaranteed-accurate transcript for legal or research work, a paid service is the honest answer. Many transcription apps accept files from the Share sheet, so you can send a memo straight from Voice Memos with More > Share. Some offer a short free trial, then charge by the minute or by subscription. Human transcription services cost more, and are generally the better choice for poor audio and crosstalk. Some note-taking apps, EyeNotes among them, can read recordings into text with a cloud AI that is on by default and can be turned off in Settings.

Before uploading anything private, read how the service stores your audio. A memo about a medical appointment or a work meeting deserves that one extra minute.

Tips for better transcripts next time

The best fix for a bad transcript is a better recording. A few small habits help a lot:

• Get close. Hold the phone a hand's width from your mouth, or put it in the middle of the table.
• Cut the background. Step away from the fan, the TV or the coffee machine.
• Spell out the tricky bits. Say a name, then spell it: "Call Siobhan, S-I-O-B-H-A-N." Even if the name comes out wrong, the spelling gives you something to check against.
• Say what it is first. Start with "Plumber quote for the kitchen sink." Those opening words make the memo easier to find when you search.
• Keep it short. Several short memos are easier to search and fix than one long one.

That last tip connects to a bigger point. Many voice memos never get played back, and turning them into text is one way to make them useful. If that sounds familiar, our piece on why you never listen back to your voice memos looks at the habit behind it. And if you record ideas on the move, see how to capture an idea when you can't type.

The short version

• On an iPhone 12 or later with iOS 18 or newer, open the memo and tap View Transcript or the quotation-mark button. It's free and automatic.
• Copy the text with Copy Transcript, or select a passage and tap Copy.
• Use Notes > paperclip > Record Audio to record and transcribe in one place. Use Attach File for audio you already have.
• On older iPhones, play the memo out loud from another device into dictation, or repeat it yourself.
• Pay for a service only when you need speaker labels, timestamps or near-perfect accuracy.