For recordings from desktop audio editors, handheld recorders and other tools that export WAV. The input is an audio file, not a link to a recording or a live microphone stream.
How to transcribe a WAV file
- Check the recording’s duration and file size before uploading. Both need to fit your plan.
- Open Workspace and select the WAV file. Choose the recognition language and, for a conversation, optional speaker separation.
- Start transcription and open the result when processing is complete. Replay timestamped segments to check unclear phrases.
- Generate a summary or mind map if needed. Basic and Pro also support DOCX and SRT export.
Why the file-size limit matters for WAV
WAV is a container format, and file size depends on its encoding and recording settings. Uncompressed PCM recordings can be much larger than MP3 files of the same duration.
For an illustrative calculation, stereo PCM recorded at 44,100 samples per second and 16 bits per sample uses about 176,400 bytes per second before container overhead: roughly 635 MB for an hour. That would exceed Basic’s 500 MB file limit even though the duration is below its two-hour limit.
Choose the plan using both limits
Free: up to 30 minutes and 200 MB per file, with 30 transcription minutes per month. Basic: up to two hours and 500 MB per file, with 600 monthly minutes for $9.90. Pro: up to four hours and 1 GB per file, with 2,000 monthly minutes for $19.90.
If a file is too large, you can prepare a smaller supported audio file in your own audio editor, or choose a plan that fits the original. Changing only the filename extension does not convert the audio. Check that the exported file plays correctly before uploading.
Clear speech matters more than the filename
Saving a noisy recording as WAV will not recover missing words or remove overlapping speech. Before transcribing a long session, listen to a short section to check that the main speaker is audible.
After transcription, verify names, numbers and any passages that sound ambiguous. Keep the original recording when converting files so you can return to it if a later export introduces a problem.
What a timestamped WAV transcript looks like
Illustrative example written for this guide, not a customer recording or a guaranteed AI result.
FILE workshop-excerpt.wav TRANSCRIPT [00:08] Speaker A: Before we start, write down one problem you want to solve. [00:15] Speaker B: I want to reduce the time spent reviewing support calls. REVIEW Replay 00:15 to confirm the wording before using the answer in your workshop notes. NEXT STEP Generate a summary for an overview, or export a Word transcript on a paid plan.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to convert WAV to MP3 first?
No. WAV is an accepted input format. The file must be valid, playable and within your plan’s duration and size limits.
Why is my WAV file too large even though it is short enough?
File duration and file size are separate limits. Uncompressed audio can reach the size limit before reaching the duration limit.
Does WAV guarantee a more accurate transcript?
No. The clarity of the speech, noise, language and overlapping voices still matter. The filename extension alone does not guarantee accuracy.
Can I download a Word document?
Yes, on Basic and Pro. In Export, select Word and choose whether to include speaker labels and timestamps.