• How to Transcribe Audio to Text with Best Audio to Text Converter. Transcribing audio to text is a time-wasting, boring part of most journalists' job, yet it is the best way to convert your recorded audio into highly accurate, readable text. By using your voice instead of your fingers to communicate important action items, interviews, and ideas, then transcribe audio to text, you'll save every.
• Nov 21, 2017  So grab your microphone or phone, fire up the voice recorder, then send the file to Bear File Converter to turn it into text. Please rate this article: Select rating Give Convert Audio Files To Text! 1/5 Give Convert Audio Files To Text! 2/5 Give Convert Audio Files To Text! 3/5 Give Convert Audio Files To Text! 4/5 Give Convert Audio Files To.

1. Audio To Text Converter Software For Mac Free
2. Youtube Audio Converter Mac
3. Audio File Converter For Mac
4. Free Mp3 Converter For Mac

by Christine Smith • 2020-06-23 21:05:14 • Proven solutions

A product by IBM, Watson’s Speech to Text, can transcribe audio files to text for free. The tool is easy to use, and you can access it from your web browser. It means that you don’t have to install a transcription program on your PC for conversions, and you can process transcriptions on Windows, Mac.

'I often download sermons (mp3 files) from the website of a local church. I'd like to capture these sermons in-text for future reference. Does any software exist that will convert an audio file to text?'

Cases are that you may need to convert MP3 to text for this or that reason, but have you got any suitable converter to translate audio files to text? Don't worry! We collect 12 tools for your reference below.

Part 1. Top 8 Ways to Convert Audio to Text You Can Try

1. Watson Speech to Text

A product by IBM, Watson’s Speech to Text, can transcribe audio files to text for free. The tool is easy to use, and you can access it from your web browser. It means that you don’t have to install a transcription program on your PC for conversions, and you can process transcriptions on Windows, Mac, and Linux computers.

Pros:

● It lets you record audio from your device’s microphone.

● It detects sounds from the speakers, and it can transcribe in real-time.

Cons:

● It supports only MPEG, WAV, FLAC, OPUS, and MP3 file formats at the time of this writing.

2. Sonix

Offering 30 minutes of free transcription as a trial without asking for any credit card details, Sonix is a genuine and no-nonsense converter online that is available in three subscription plans. The web tool gives optimum accuracy in conversions, and even offers lucrative discounts if you buy their Enterprise plan.

Audio To Text Converter Software For Mac Free

Pros:

● Sonix is recommended by many renowned organizations such as CNBC, Harvard University, Stanford University, ESPN, etc.

● The enterprise subscription offers advanced training for its users.

Cons:

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● Registration is required even to use the trial transcription.

3. Happy Scribe

Endorsed by BBC, Forbes, Spotify, and other such trusted organizations, in addition to being an efficient speech to text converter, Happy Scribe can also transcribe MPA, MPE, MPEG, M4A, WMA, MP4, and MOV files with ease for as low as 12 Euros for every hour of conversion. The solution automatically recharges your account as soon as the credits go below the threshold limit.

Pros:

● No credit expirations.

● It can transcribe Zoom meetings.

Cons:

● Since AI is used for transcription, the text might not be as accurate as expected.

4. Rev

One of the best and most trusted transcription services, Rev does not rely on any Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology, and the humans do all the conversions that the organization has hired for the purpose. It ensures that the accuracy level of the transcribed audio remains up to 99%.

Pros:

● It can add English and foreign captions to your videos.

● It offers a rough draft (generated by the machines) with up to 80% accuracy at comparatively cheaper rates.

Cons:

● Rev is a bit expensive than other service providers in the same industry.

5. AmberScript

A web portal that can accept your MP3 audio files and transcribe them to text, AmberScript remarkably expedites the entire process with the help of ASR (Automatic Speech Recognition) technology. The app offers a trial transcription where it supports up to 30 minutes for free. After this, you are required to purchase their paid subscription for further conversions.

Pros:

● It uses Artificial Intelligence (AI) for transcription.

● It offers a convenient method to upload the source files.

Cons:

● Only the most expensive subscription offers 99% accuracy where the humans review the transcriptions.

6. Vocalmatic

Vocalmatic is an AI-powered Audio to Text converter that converts mp3 to text free. It provides a 30 minutes trial period for free after which you have to pay to use.

Step 1. Upload your MP3 audio files for transcription. Vocalmatic supports MP3, M4A, MP4, FLAC, OGA, WAV, AAC, OPUS, OGA, MOGG, WebM, WMA, and many other common file types.

Step 2. Then Vocalmatic will automatically translate mp3 audio files to text when recognizes the loaded media file using AI.

Step 3. Edit the transcribed file to perfection with the built-in editor.

Tips: Generally, the automated transcription isn't 100% accurate, Vocalmatic allows you to edit the resultant file to your liking. The editor is feature-rich with the ability to use Keyboard shortcuts for audio controls.

7. Bear File Converter

It is an online converter tool, which supports MP3, WAV, WMA, and more. It uses either Baidu or CMU Sphinx as the audio recognition engine.

Step 1. Select the Recognition engine as either Baidu or CMU Sphinx. Baidu is the new recognition engine that is faster and more accurate.

Step 2. Select the media files to convert either from your computer or a URL. Bear File converter supports audio files in the format MP3, WAV, WMA, OGG. The online tool has a file size limit of 3MB.

Step 3. Click the submit button to begin the conversion. The process is about to take 45s per MB of audio content. After the conversion, the resulting file is a text file with the materials.

8. 360Converter

It is another online tool to transcribe mp3 to text online. It supports uploading a file from the computer, URL, and Cloud, i.e., Google Drive or Dropbox. This tool also has the upper hand as it supports conversion from English, Chinese, French, and Hindi.

Step 1. Select your target MP3 audio file for upload. 360Converter allows users to upload files from Local Disk, URL or Cloud either Google cloud or Dropbox

Step 2. Choose the language in the audio file. The engine used by Vocalmatic supports four different languages, i.e., English, Chinese, French, and Hindi.

Step 3. Set the start and end time of duration you want to transcribe. Just fill in the text box for from and to.

Step 4. Check the box before I agree to Terms & Conditions and hit Start Conversion to start converting files.

Part 2. Top 3 Software to Transcribe MP3 to Text

1. Google Speech to Text

Google Speech to Text is a service from Google that allows users who aren't good at typing to record their voices and use it for voice typing. The service works by utilizing google's speech data and combining it with Google docs to work.

Pros:

● Fast, especially for real-time typing, as it does not need prerecorded audio files.

● Very accurate.

Cons:

● It can only work in real-time and not with prerecorded files.

2. Inqscribe

If you are looking for advanced software, Inqscribe might be your best choice. With Inqscribe, you can turn your mp3 files to text on mac or windows. It is flexible, user-friendly, and avoids the use of complex configurations and customizations. The tool only allows you to convert your audio files but doesn't allow you to record the sound right inside the software.

Pros:

● Feature-rich.

● It can convert movie subtitles.

Audio File Converter For Mac

Cons:

● It doesn't allow recording directly into the software.

● Installation is required.

3. HyperTranscribe

HyperTranscribe is also another powerful tool to convert audio files to text. The machine has several Keyboard controls that make the convert smoother. HyperTranscribe also has support for automatic looping and supports media files such as MP3, AVI, MPEG, and AIFF.

Pros:

● It is very efficient through the use of keyboard controls.

● It supports all the media types supported by QuickTime.

● It provides easy keyboard shortcuts for easy navigation.

Cons:

● Need to install as it can't work online.

Part 3. MP3 Format to Text App for Chrome to Recommended

Have you ever been in a situation where you wished you could convert your audio file? This Chrome Extension Transcribe can do precisely that for you. Anyone who needs a transcription program for journalism or education purposes can use this tool. The extension takes another approach to transcribe; instead of automatic audio to text conversion, it focuses on easing the process of manual transcription. But wait, there is more, the app is straightforward to use and can work offline.

Step 1.Install the extension in the Chrome browser. Visit Chrome web store using a Chrome web browser and search for the extension transcribe. Click on Install to install the extension on your browser.

Step 2.Sign up for a free week. Before making full use of Transcribe, you need to sign up to get a free trial, just like using a converter online, free.

Step 3.Choose an MP3 audio file from the computer. Click on Choose File and navigate to your audio file. Transcribe supports MP3 and WAV.

Tips: If you need to slow down or pause the audio, you can use the controls to control exactly how the sound plays to your liking. For quick controls, use Esc for pause/resume, F1 for slow down, F2 for speed up, F3 for rewind 2 seconds, and F4 for forward 2 seconds.

Step 4.Transfer text to the destination. When you finish transcribing, you can copy the words to your text editor for saving.

Now, there is no need to worry about writing everything a speaker is saying. Just open your recorder, record the speech as audio and later transcribe it to text. It is possible thanks to several online, desktop, and chrome extensions available to your disposal. I am hoping you will put them to good use and make your life a lot easier.

Recommended Video and Audio Converter

Wondershare UniConverter - Best Video/Audio Converter for Mac/Windows

• Convert video/audio files in 1000+ formats without losing quality.
• Extract audio files from videos easily and convert to MP3/WAV/M4A/WMA and more other formats.
• Edit video/audio files with trimming, cutting, adding watermarks, applying effects, editing subtitles, etc.
• Support 30X faster conversion speed than conventional converters with unique APEXTRANS technology.
• Burn music to CDs or videos to DVD for playing on any playable device.
• Download online videos and convert to MP3/MP4/MOV/AVI formats as you need.
• Transfer files from PC/Mac to iPhone/iPad/Android and other devices directly via a USB cable.
• Versatile toolbox: Add video metadata, GIF maker, cast video to TV, video compressor, and screen recorder.
• Supported OS: Windows 10/8/7/XP/Vista, Mac OS 10.15 (Catalina), 10.14, 10.13, 10.12, 10.11, 10.10, 10.9, 10.8, 10.7, 10.6.

Attention: Wondershare UniConverter can't convert MP3 or other audio formats to text, but it can convert MP3 to other audio formats like WAV. If you need to convert speech to text, please check any methods mentioned in this article.

Last time when I interviewed our guest Chris Pirillo, I needed an app that could convert an audio file with his speech into a text document. Frankly speaking, I wanted to save my time instead of boring typing each word that he had pronounced. So I surfed the Internet carefully and came across several good apps which could convert audio files (in MP3, WMA or M4A formats) into text docs automatically. Now I’m happy to share them with you.

1. VoiceBase

UPD: Voicebase used to be the best voice to text solution for many years. Unfortunately, since 2019 it’s no longer a free audio to text conveter. Now it provides API for audio transcription and speech analytics on the paid basis. So you’d better skip the part about Voicebase and try the tools below.

VoiceBase is an online voice to text transcription service for companies and individuals. Though, it mainly focuses on business clients, an ordinary user, like you and me, can convert a voice recording into a text file for free at VoiceBase. As for January 2016, each new user is granted a free account with $60 credit and up to 50 hours of audio storage. It costs about $0.01 to transcribe 10 second speech. VoiceBase uses smart voice recognition technology, so the quality of its machine audio transcript is high.

Obviously, the final text quality depends on original sound track and the speaker’s accent. VoiceBase understands US English pronunciation seamlessly. If a person speaks clearly, then the text is close to manually written. If an interviewer mumbles or lisps, then you’ll have to review the transcript or hire someone for text checkup. Fortunately, you can order human transcript right in your VoiceBase account. Moreover, you can turn video into text!

SEE ALSO: 200+ Useful Resources & Tools for Teachers & Students

This audio to text converter understands English, Dutch, French, German, Italian, Spanish (including Latin American version). In fact, VoiceBase is remarkable for quick and easy speech to text conversion. The website interface is clear and you smoothly go step by step:

1. 1. Go to www.voicebase.com and click the green Upload a file button in the middle of the screen.
   2. Create a free VoiceBase account. Provide your name, email address and click the Sign Up button. You have to confirm your account via email to get access to VoiceBase.
   3. Click the green Upload button at the top right corner.
   4. Add an audio or a video file of a supported format. If needed, to join video or audio parts together. Name your file, add a description, select the Machine Transcription, and a file sharing type (Private or Public).
      Tip: use Audio Converter by Freemake to make a supported audio file for VoiceBase.
   5. Your file will be processed and you’ll be notified by email when it’s ready. Later, you can find the file at the My Content tab. For example, I’ve added a 10 minute audio interview in M4A format and it took about 15 minutes to convert it into a text file.
   6. When the text file is done, go to My Content tab in your VoiceBase account and click on the name of your file.
   7. Check the Machine Transcript box right under your audio file.
   8. Copy the transcript and save it as text document.

Free Mp3 Converter For Mac

Summary: VoiceBase is a fast online audio to text converter. Needless to say, it is suitable for everyone no matter what you need: an automatic or human speech to document conversion.

2. Dragon Dictation

Definitely, you may try another voice-to-text converter: Dragon Dictation. We dedicated a special article to it. In a few words, Dragon Dictation is completely different from VoiceBase. It pretends to be a universal speech recognition tool for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android and other platforms. Please note that the desktop version is paid ($75-150 for home users, $300 for enterprises), while the mobile apps are free for US & Canada.

Like Apple’s Siri, Dragon Dictation is capable of understanding what you say to it. However, the main focus of the app is to memorize your speech notes as a piece of text. It is easy to create documents of any length and edit, format and share them directly from your mobile device. Dragon can handle specialized industry vocabulary, and it comes with excellent features, such as the ability to transcribe text from an audio file you upload.

To do this, follow the steps:

1. Open the software. From the DragonBar, select Tools>Transcribe Audio>Transcribe Recording.
   
2. Click Select the speaker and select who the voice in the recording belongs to – Me or Someone else.
3. In the Input audio file field, enter the file name of the recording and the directory path where it’s located, or click Browse to navigate to it.
   In the Output text file field, enter a file name for the transcribed output file and enter the directory path where you want to save it.
4. Optionally deselect Automatically add commas and periods if you do not want Dragon to add this punctuation to the transcription, as the accuracy may degrade when this option is selected.
5. Then follow the transcription wizard, it will prompt you to choose what you want to do next. Select the needed options and click Done.

Summary: Dragon Dictaion is much more than a simple audio to text converter. You should invest into it only if you’re sure to use dictation options on the regular basis. For occasional uses, it’s advisable to try a free program from the ones listed below.

3. Sonix.ai

Sonix.ai is an online app to trascribe audio. The free trial includes 30 minutes of free audio to text conversion. I think it’s enough for an occasional use. The developers provide a complete access to all the features with no credit card required. The only thing you need is to sign up, you may do this with your Google account just in one click. The premium account isn’t expensive (from $11.25 per month).

To convert a speech file into Word document, follow the steps:

1. Drag and drop the audio (or video!) file into the browser window from your PC or choose the required file from your Dropbox or Google Drive.
   
2. While the file is being uploaded, choose the language spoken. Click the big blue button below.
3. Reply a few questions about the quality of the audio file (about background noise, etc.). Press Continue trascribing.
4. Wait a bit while the text file is being prepared. After that, you may review and edit the text.
5. Download the Word file to your PC, share online or save to your Google Drive.

Summary: Sonix.ai is brilliant for rare audio transcriptions. It provides a decent text quality and is not overloaded with feature. Definitely, a must have for picky users.

4. Inqscribe

Inqscribe is a transcription software for Windows, Mac OS. You can use it free with no license (with limited features) or instantly unlock all the features by purchasing a paid license ($99) or by requesting a 14-day trial.

Apart from audio files, you can also transcribe long video files including full-length movies, there is no time limit in all version. However, with a free one you won’t be able to save and download the resulted text file. Still you may copy the text to the clipboard.

The tool works in the same way as all the above mentioned. You need to add a multimedia file, choose a language and launch the audio to text conversion. InqScribe transcripts contain embedded timecodes that allow instant access to arbitrary times within the media file.

SEE ALSO: 5 Easiest Ways to Add Captions to Video Free and Fast

InqScribe also features a flexible editing environment, QuickTime and Windows Media support, customizable keyboard shortcuts for controlling media playback and inserting repetitive text, and a range of import and export options available in the paid version.

Summary: InqScribe is like a Swiss knife for creating captions and subtitles. You should try the evaluation version if you need to precisely transcribe a long video with further media export.

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