Record with a Microphone, Get the Transcript
Microphone transcription turns audio you capture through your phone, laptop, or browser microphone into text. Record straight into ScreenApp on your phone or in the browser, or upload a recording you already made with another app or device, and get a transcript back.
The transcript comes with speaker labels and timestamps, and it is ready a few minutes after you stop recording rather than as you speak. live transcript while recording (beta).
What you get:
- A transcript in 100+ languages, with speaker identification
- AI notes and chat on the recording, so you can ask what was said instead of re-listening to it
- Export as PDF, DOCX, TXT, SRT and VTT
- Free plan: 2 transcriptions of recordings up to 45 minutes each
How to Transcribe a Microphone Recording
- Record or upload: Press record in the ScreenApp app or in your browser and speak into your microphone, or upload a recording you already have.
- Let it process: Recording stops when you do. The transcript, with speaker labels and timestamps, and the AI notes are ready a few minutes later.
- Read, search, or export: Search the transcript, ask AI a question about the recording, or export it as PDF, DOCX, TXT, SRT and VTT.
Accuracy depends on the recording itself, since ScreenApp does not apply noise reduction. A built-in laptop or phone mic held close to the speaker in a quiet room transcribes cleanly; a mic across a room, with fan or traffic noise behind it, will have more gaps. See how we measure accuracy.
Microphone Transcription vs Other Apps
| Feature | ScreenApp | SpeechTexter | Speechnotes | Otter.ai |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free tier | 2 transcriptions, up to 45 min each | Free, no plan | Free dictation; file transcription $0.10/min | 300 min/month, 30 min per conversation |
| Live text while you talk | live transcript while recording (beta) | Yes, as you speak | Yes, as you speak | Not stated |
| Speaker identification | speaker identification | Not stated | Not stated | Included |
| Export formats | PDF, DOCX, TXT, SRT and VTT | .doc and .txt | Not stated | Not stated |
| Languages | 100+ | 70+ | Not stated | 6 |
| Paid plan | $19/month annual | No paid plan | $1.90/month | $8.33/month annual |
Sources, checked 2026-09-16: screenapp.io/accuracy#languages, Transcription accuracy and languages, ScreenApp pricing, speechnotes.co, otter.ai/pricing, speechtexter.com
- vs SpeechTexter: SpeechTexter is free and types what you say into a text box in real time, in 70+ languages, but does not store any text you dictate and it does not accept an uploaded audio file. ScreenApp saves the recording and transcript to your account, with speaker labels and AI notes on top.
- vs Speechnotes: Dictating into Speechnotes is free and instant, but turning a separate audio file into text costs $0.10 a minute. ScreenApp’s plans include transcription rather than billing it by the minute.
- vs Otter.ai: Otter’s free plan caps you at 300 minutes a month and 30 minutes per conversation, in 6 languages. ScreenApp’s free plan covers 2 transcriptions of recordings up to 45 minutes each, in 100+ languages.
Who Uses Microphone Transcription
Students record a class or study group on their phone’s microphone, then read the transcript instead of re-listening to the whole session.
Interviewers and researchers set a laptop microphone on the table during a conversation and get a transcript with speaker labels afterward, so quotes are easy to find and attribute.
Podcasters and content creators record a voice memo or a solo take on their microphone and use the transcript as a script draft or as show notes.
Professionals dictating notes speak into their phone or laptop mic between tasks, then get a written record they can search instead of a folder of audio files.
People who prefer talking to typing use their device’s microphone as their main way of getting words down, whether that is a work memo, a journal entry, or a set of instructions for someone else.
Remote workers record a call or a briefing through their laptop’s built-in mic when there is no dedicated meeting-recording tool available, then get the transcript afterward.