Transcribe a Zoom recording to text
Meeting over and Zoom gave you no transcript? Upload the MP4 or M4A and get the words as text. Local and cloud recordings both work. Transcriv never connects to Zoom, so all you need is the recording file and permission to use it. A free account covers your first 60 minutes.
Upload your Zoom recording
Click to upload or drag and drop
Zoom MP4 or M4A · Free: up to 60 min and 100MB per file
Which Zoom file to upload
A Zoom recording is usually more than one file. Upload the MP4 or the M4A. You only need one of them.
| File | Where it comes from | Upload it? |
|---|---|---|
| MP4 (video) | Local or cloud recording | Yes. The largest file, because it holds the picture too. |
| M4A (audio only) | Local or cloud recording, usually saved next to the MP4 | Yes. Same speech, much smaller file. Best pick for a long meeting. |
| VTT (Zoom's audio transcript) | Cloud recording, if audio transcript was turned on | No need. It is already a transcript. Use the SRT to text converter to strip the timecodes. |
| .zoom | A local recording that has not finished converting | Not yet. Let Zoom convert it to MP4 and M4A first. |
Already have Zoom's VTT? Convert it to plain text for free. Zoom lists its file types in its recording file format reference.
Zoom's own transcript vs uploading the recording
Zoom can make its own transcript, but only for cloud recordings, and only if it was turned on before the meeting. If you have one, start there. Upload the recording when there is no Zoom transcript or the meeting was recorded to your computer. Transcriv does not label speakers.
| Point | Zoom audio transcript | Upload to Transcriv |
|---|---|---|
| Setup | Create audio transcript must be on before the meeting, which needs a paid Zoom account and may be controlled by your admin. The meeting must be recorded to the cloud. | None. You upload the file after the meeting. |
| Which recordings | Cloud recordings made while the setting was on. Not recordings saved to your computer. | Any Zoom MP4 or M4A, local or cloud, however old. |
| What you get | A VTT file saved with the cloud recording, split into timestamped sections you can edit. | Text to copy, or TXT, DOCX, PDF, Markdown or JSON. SRT and VTT when timing data is available. No speaker labels. |
Want Zoom's transcript next time? Turn on Create audio transcript in the Zoom web portal before the meeting and record to the cloud. For your own account, open your profile menu, choose Settings, then Recording, and look under Advanced cloud recording settings. Zoom's audio transcription guide has the current steps.
Find a Zoom local recording
Local recordings are saved on the computer that recorded the meeting, usually in a Zoom folder inside Documents, with one folder per meeting. The recording settings in the Zoom desktop app show the exact folder.
Zoom converts the recording when the meeting ends. Wait for it to finish, or you will only find a .zoom file.
Download a Zoom cloud recording
Cloud recordings live in your Zoom account, not on your computer. Sign in to the Zoom web portal, open Recordings, pick the meeting and download the MP4 or the audio-only M4A.
Got a share link from someone else? Download from it if the host allowed downloads. If not, ask the host for the file.
How to convert a Zoom recording to text
- Upload the MP4 or M4A above.
- Read the transcript next to the recording. Check names, numbers and spots where people talked over each other.
- Copy the text, or download TXT, DOCX, PDF, Markdown or JSON. With timing data you also get SRT and VTT, and a timestamped transcript view.
The recording sets the ceiling. Clear audio with little background noise gives a transcript that needs fewer fixes. For your next meeting, a headset or external mic helps.
There are no speaker labels, summaries or translation. You get what was said, in the language it was said in. Turning it into minutes? See meeting transcription. Want a bot that records the call for you? Our Notta comparison covers that tradeoff.
Upload your Zoom recordingZoom MP4 too large? Upload the M4A
The 100MB free limit counts the whole file, video included. A shared screen or camera feed makes an MP4 big fast. The M4A has the same speech without the picture, so it is far smaller. Play it first to make sure the conversation is in it.
A smaller file does not get around the 60-minute limit per free file. For longer meetings, Pro at $9.99/month takes files up to 5 hours and 2GB, with 10 transcription hours a month. Need a smaller video instead? See MP4 to text.
Recorded a session with a client? See coaching session transcription.
Zoom recording transcript questions
Is there a way to transcribe an already recorded Zoom meeting?
Is there a way to transcribe an already recorded Zoom meeting?
Yes. Upload the MP4 or M4A here and you get the transcript from the file. It does not matter how old the recording is or whether Zoom made a transcript at the time.
Can I transcribe a Zoom meeting recording saved to my computer?
Can I transcribe a Zoom meeting recording saved to my computer?
Yes. A local recording is an ordinary MP4 or M4A file once Zoom has converted it, so upload it here like any other recording. It is usually in a Zoom folder inside Documents.
Why doesn't my Zoom recording have a transcript?
Why doesn't my Zoom recording have a transcript?
Zoom's audio transcript only applies to cloud recordings, and it has to be turned on before the meeting. Recordings saved to your computer do not get one. Upload the recording here to get a transcript anyway.
Can you transcribe a Zoom meeting without being the host?
Can you transcribe a Zoom meeting without being the host?
Yes, if you have the recording file and permission to use it. Transcriv never touches the Zoom account, so host rights do not matter here. Getting the file is the catch: in Zoom, recording or downloading usually needs the host's permission. Ask the host to share the MP4 or M4A.
How do I get Zoom to transcribe my next meeting?
How do I get Zoom to transcribe my next meeting?
Turn on Create audio transcript in the Zoom web portal before the meeting, then record it to the cloud. For your own account, open your profile menu, choose Settings, then Recording, and look under Advanced cloud recording settings. It needs a paid Zoom account. If you do not see it, your account admin may control it. Zoom's own audio transcription guide has the current steps.
Can I transcribe a Zoom meeting longer than 60 minutes?
Can I transcribe a Zoom meeting longer than 60 minutes?
Not on the free plan. A free file can be up to 60 minutes and 100MB, and a free account has 60 minutes in total. For meetings over an hour, use Pro ($9.99/month): files up to 5 hours and 2GB, with 10 hours each month.
Can I transcribe a Zoom recording from a link?
Can I transcribe a Zoom recording from a link?
No. Transcriv cannot open Zoom share links. Download the file from the link if the host allowed downloads, then upload it.
Can I transcribe a Zoom recording for free?
Can I transcribe a Zoom recording for free?
Yes, up to 60 minutes. A free account has 60 lifetime minutes, for files up to 60 minutes and 100MB. See how free transcription works for the details.
Should I upload the MP4 or the M4A?
Should I upload the MP4 or the M4A?
Either one. Both give the same transcript, since only the audio is transcribed. The M4A is smaller, so it fits the upload limit more easily. Minutes are counted by audio length, so both cost the same.
Does this work with Teams or Google Meet recordings?
Does this work with Teams or Google Meet recordings?
Yes, if you can download the recording as a file, such as an MP4. Upload it the same way. Transcriv does not connect to Teams or Google Meet.
Turn your Zoom recording into text
Upload the MP4 or M4A. No Zoom app or account connection, 60 free minutes.