Transcriv

MP4 to text converter

Upload the MP4 as it is. Transcriv reads its audio track and gives you the spoken words as text, so there is no audio to extract first. Copy it, or download TXT or Word. A free account covers 60 minutes.

Upload an MP4 file

Click to upload or drag and drop

MP4 files · Free: 60 min / 100MB per file · Pro: 5 hours / 2GB per file

How to transcribe MP4 to text

  1. Check the file is under 100MB on a free account. Video takes up most of the space (table below).
  2. Upload the MP4 above.
  3. Pick Plain text or, when the transcript has timing data, With timestamps: one line per passage with its start time, so you can jump back to that moment in the video. Then copy it or use the Download menu: TXT, DOCX, PDF, Markdown or JSON.

Which MP4s you can upload

Anything saved as an .mp4 file on your device. In practice, that is usually one of these.

Screen recordings

Demos, walkthroughs and recorded lessons. If your recorder saved an MP4, upload it as it is. A Mac screen recording is often MOV, which works too: see video to text.

Zoom and phone video

A Zoom cloud or local recording, or a video from your phone camera, saved as MP4. Zoom files have their own guide.

Transcribe a Zoom recording

YouTube and Instagram downloads

Only videos you own or have permission to use. Download the MP4 first: Transcriv does not open links.

Google Drive or Dropbox

Download the MP4 to your device, then pick it here. Files are not imported from cloud storage.

How much MP4 fits in 100MB?

Less than you'd think. The picture takes most of the file, so a few minutes of phone video can be bigger than an hour of audio.

Approximate MP4 size per minute and how much fits in 100MB
RecordingExample bitrateSize per minuteFits in 100MB
1080p phone videoabout 16 Mbpsabout 120 MBunder 1 minute
720p videoabout 5 Mbpsabout 38 MBabout 2–3 minutes
Screen recordingabout 2 Mbpsabout 15 MBabout 6 minutes
Audio only (M4A or MP3)128 kbpsabout 1 MBthe full 60 minutes

Rough estimates in decimal MB. Real bitrates vary by device, app and settings, so check your actual file size before you upload. A file over 100MB is refused, not partly transcribed.

Too big? Extract the audio from the MP4

The transcript only needs the sound. QuickTime Player on a Mac can export audio only, and VLC can convert a video to an audio file. Upload that instead with MP3 to text. Minutes are counted from the recording length either way. Or move to Pro, at $9.99/month, for files up to 2GB. See pricing.

What it won't do

  • Open an MP4 link, a YouTube page or a cloud folder.
  • Read on-screen text, slides or clicks. You get what is said, not what is shown.
  • Label speakers or burn captions into the video.

Want times next to the words? See timestamped transcripts. Need a caption file instead? See video to SRT. Have MOV, WEBM or another format? See video to text. Recorded a call? See meeting transcription.

MP4 to text questions

How do I convert MP4 to text for free?

Create a free account and upload the MP4. Free accounts include 60 transcription minutes for the lifetime of the account, for files up to 60 minutes and 100MB.

Is there an MP4 to text converter with no limit?

Not here. The free 60 minutes do not reset. Pro is $9.99/month with 10 transcription hours a month and files up to 5 hours and 2GB.

Can I transcribe MP4 to text without signing up?

You can upload before signing in, but guest uploads have limits. After the first two, guest results are locked previews that show only the first 75 characters. Sign in for the full transcript.

How long can an MP4 be?

On a free account, up to 60 minutes and 100MB, and the file must fit both. Video often hits 100MB long before 60 minutes. On Pro, at $9.99/month, up to 5 hours and 2GB. A file over either limit does not start, so it is not cut short and no minutes are used.

Can I upload MOV, WEBM or MKV instead of MP4?

Yes. WEBM goes in as it is. MOV, MKV and M4V are converted on upload, so you do not need to turn them into MP4 first. The same size and length limits apply. See Video to text.

Can I transcribe an MP4 from my phone?

Yes. Open this page in your phone's browser and pick the video from the file picker. Phone video is large: a few minutes can pass 100MB. Trim it, or save just the audio and upload that.

Can I convert an MP4 link or a YouTube video to text?

Not from a link. Transcriv only works with files you upload. If you own the video or have permission, save it as an MP4, then upload the file.

Can it pull the text that appears on screen?

No. It transcribes speech from the audio track. Slide text, captions burned into the picture and other on-screen words are not read.

Are minutes counted from the video or the audio?

From the length of the audio track, rounded up to the next whole minute for each file. Resolution does not change the minutes used.

How do I turn an MP4 into a text file or Word document?

After transcription, open the Download menu: TXT gives you a text file, DOCX a Word document. Pick the With timestamps view first if you want times in the file.

Does MP4 to text transcription include timestamps?

Yes, when the transcript has timing data. Switch to the With timestamps view and each passage starts with its time, such as (4:12). Copy and the TXT, Word, PDF and Markdown downloads keep the times.

Is there a free app to transcribe an MP4 video?

Yes, in your browser: there is nothing to install. Open this page on a phone or computer and upload the MP4. A free account includes 60 transcription minutes, for files up to 60 minutes and 100MB.

Can I get subtitles from an MP4?

When the transcript has valid timing segments, the Download menu offers SRT and VTT, one cue per segment. Locked previews cannot export subtitles. See Video to SRT.

Turn your MP4 into text

60 free transcription minutes for the lifetime of your account.

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