Transcribe Audio to Text turns recordings into text on your iPhone without uploading the audio. Let its bundled speech engine finish preparing, then record or import a file stored on the phone. Before going offline, check that the recording opens and try a short transcription. The text stays in the spoken language.
What should I prepare before going offline?
Open the app before your trip and wait until the engine is ready. The speech model comes with the app; the first launch prepares it for your phone and can take several minutes. Try a short recording so you know what to expect.
Check existing audio files too. A name in iCloud Drive doesn’t mean the recording is downloaded. Open and play it before leaving. If you want the optional Apple Intelligence writing tools, check their device and language requirements and prepare any required models while you still have a connection.
How do I turn the audio into text?
Use Record for a new recording or Choose a file for audio or video you already have. The full transcript is made after you stop recording.
- Tap Record, choose the spoken language and then Start recording.
- Tap Start recording, then Stop when you have finished.
- After selecting an audio or video through Choose a file, choose the spoken language and Fast or High, then start transcription. Keep the app open while it works.
- Keep the app open while it transcribes, then replay any words you need to check.
What stays on the phone?
The app doesn’t upload recordings, transcripts, titles or file names for transcription. Speech recognition runs on the iPhone, and you don’t need an account.
Optional usage statistics and feedback you send can use the internet. The destination of an exported document is also your choice: saving to a cloud folder sends it to that service. Choose a folder on the phone when you want a local copy.
What should I check in the finished transcript?
Tap words in the transcript to replay names, numbers and anything you plan to quote. Quiet voices, overlapping speech and unfamiliar terms can cause mistakes even when the sentence looks right. Keep the recording so you can return to an uncertain phrase.
Allow time for the phone to process the audio. Recording length, phone model and temperature affect the wait. Offline tells you where the work happens, not how quickly it will finish.
Questions you may have
Can I transcribe in airplane mode?
Yes, once the engine is ready and the recording is stored on the phone. Try your planned recording or import workflow before the trip.
Do I need Apple Intelligence?
Not for transcription. It uses the bundled Whisper model. Highlights, Chapters and Clean read have separate device, model and language requirements.
Can I save the transcript while I am offline?
Yes. Export to a local folder in Files. A cloud folder or sharing destination may need a connection, so choose storage on the phone when you need an offline copy.
Do I have to download the speech model each time?
No. It comes with the app. The phone prepares it on the first launch and reuses that preparation when available.