How to Transcribe Audio: Easy Steps to Convert Audio to Text

Audio transcription has become more than a convenience in today's digital-first world — it is a necessity. Businesses, content creators, educators, and researchers rely on transcription to convert spoken words into text for accessibility, searchability, and repurposing.

With the exponential rise in digital audio and video content, transcription ensures inclusivity for individuals with hearing impairments, improves content discoverability for SEO, and allows information to be easily referenced or repackaged into articles, reports, or subtitles.

Let's look at the different ways to transcribe audio to text, best practices to ensure accuracy, and how advancements in AI are shaping the future of transcription.

What is Audio Transcribing?

Audio transcription is the process of converting spoken words in an audio file into written text. This can be done manually by someone listening to the audio and typing it out or automatically using AI-powered transcription software. Unlike translation, which involves converting text from one language to another, transcription focuses purely on converting spoken words into text in the same language. Understanding the difference between translation vs transcription is crucial for selecting the right tool for your content needs.

Search engines cannot index audio, but they can index text, making transcriptions a valuable asset for SEO. For instance, transcripts allow podcasters to improve accessibility and repurpose episodes into blogs or social media content. With podcasting alone expected to reach 650 million+ listeners worldwide by 2027 from 500 million in 2023, the demand for transcription is growing. Similarly, businesses using video marketing (which makes up 65% of all online traffic) can transcribe their content to reach a broader audience.

Why is Transcription Important?

1. Accessibility: According to the World Health Organization, over 430 million people worldwide have disabling hearing loss. Transcriptions help them access audio and video content.
2. SEO Benefits: Pages with transcripts rank higher in search engines since they provide more searchable text.
3. Content Repurposing: A podcast episode transcript can be turned into a blog post, newsletter, or social media snippets, maximizing content reach.

What Are the Different Ways to Convert Audio to Text?

There are multiple approaches to transcribing audio into text, each with its advantages and limitations. Whether you prioritize accuracy, speed, or convenience, choosing the correct method depends on your specific needs. Here are the different ways to efficiently convert audio into written content:

Manual Transcription

Manual transcription involves listening to an audio recording and typing out the content word for word. It requires careful attention to detail, especially when dealing with different accents, fast speech, or background noise.

Pros

• High accuracy: Human transcribers can understand context, detect errors, and distinguish between speakers.
• Better handling of complex content: Industry-specific jargon, multiple speakers, and background noise are easier to manage manually.

Cons

• Time-consuming: Transcribing an hour of audio can take up to four to five hours.
• Requires effort and concentration: Listening and typing simultaneously can be exhausting.

Using Transcription Software

Automated transcription software uses artificial intelligence to process and convert audio files into text. These tools analyze speech patterns and generate transcripts in minutes. While software-based transcription is fast, it often requires editing to correct errors.

Some advanced tools, such as Murf AI, go beyond transcription by offering text-to-speech capabilities, allowing users to create voiceovers and dub the transcribed content into multiple languages, making it ideal for global audiences. For example, a YouTube creator who uploads educational videos can use transcription software to generate subtitles quickly, increasing viewership from non-native speakers.

Voice-to-Text Mobile Apps: Transcription in Your Pocket

Smartphone apps and built-in features on iOS and Android provide on-the-go transcription, converting speech into text in real time. Both operating systems offer native voice-to-text capabilities, such as Apple's Dictation and Google's Live Transcribe, alongside third-party apps.

Apps like Otter.ai and Notta use AI-driven speech recognition technology to transcribe conversations, interviews, and meetings directly on your device.

These apps are convenient but may struggle with background noise or multiple speakers. However, they offer a portable solution for quick, casual transcription needs.

Human Transcription Services

Some transcription services combine AI-generated transcriptions with human editors to refine accuracy. These hybrid models deliver the speed of automation with the precision of human review. Services like Rev and GoTranscript use this approach to produce high-quality transcripts. For instance, a legal firm handling recorded depositions may choose to use human transcription services to ensure accuracy in legal transcripts, which are crucial for court proceedings.

Step-by-Step Guide on How to Transcribe Audio Files

Audio transcribing might seem overwhelming initially, but breaking it down into clear steps can make the process seamless. Whether you opt for manual transcription or AI-powered tools, following a structured workflow ensures efficiency and accuracy. Here’s how you can get started:

Step 1: Choose Your Transcription Method [Manual vs. Automated]

Consider these factors when choosing a method:

• Need for high accuracy? Manual or hybrid transcription is best.
• Dealing with large volumes? Automated tools save time.
• Budget constraints? AI-based transcription tools are more cost-effective.

Step 2: Upload Your Audio File

Most transcription tools require you to upload an audio file. Commonly supported formats include MP3, WAV, and M4A. Manual transcription does not require this step.

Step 3: Start Transcribing

Manual Transcription:

• Play the audio at a slow speed.
• Type out the words spoken, marking different speakers.
• Use timestamps for clarity if needed.

Automated Transcription:

• AI software processes the audio and generates a text file.
• Post-editing is needed to correct errors.

Step 4: Edit and Proofread the Transcript

Regardless of the method, proofreading is essential to ensure accuracy. Grammar, misheard words, and punctuation errors should be corrected.

Step 5: Export or Copy the Transcript

Once the transcript is finalized, it can be exported in various formats such as TXT, DOC, or SRT, making it easy to work with different applications. Many transcription tools also allow seamless integration with subtitling software, enabling content creators to add captions to videos for improved accessibility and engagement.

How Murf Enhances Transcription

Murf goes beyond transcription by offering multilingual dubbing and AI voiceover capabilities. Once an audio file is transcribed using the Audio to Text option on the Murf Studio, users can also achieve high-quality voiceovers in multiple languages, making their content more accessible to a global audience with Murf Dub. This is particularly beneficial for businesses, educators, and content creators who need to expand their reach across different regions. Murf’s AI-powered voice synthesis also ensures natural-sounding narration, allowing users to generate professional-grade audio content from text effortlessly.

You can dub the files in multiple languages using Murf Dub as follows:

Step 1: Log in to the platform

Start by creating an account on Murf Dub, a user-friendly AI-powered dubbing tool. Once your account is set up, log in to access the platform’s features and begin the dubbing process.

Step 2: Upload the video

Select the video file that requires dubbing and upload it to the Murf Dub platform. Ensure the video format is supported for smooth processing and accurate audio extraction.

Step 3: Select the target language

Choose the languages in which you want the dubbed audio to be generated. Murf Dub offers a wide range of languages, allowing you to expand your content’s reach across diverse audiences.

Step 4: Edit and proofread

Review the automatically transcribed text to ensure accuracy and make any necessary edits. This step helps refine the content, correct potential errors, and enhance clarity before finalizing the dubbed version.

Step 5: Dub the video in the target language

Once the text is reviewed and refined, initiate the dubbing process to generate the final audio. Murf Dub will synchronize the AI-generated voice with the video, creating a natural and professional-quality dubbed output.

Best Practices for Accurate Audio Transcription

Even the best transcription tools and methods can fall short without proper techniques. Ensuring accuracy requires attention to detail, the right tools, and a few key strategies. Here are some essential best practices to improve the quality of your transcriptions:

Use High-Quality Audio

Clear recordings significantly impact transcription accuracy. Background noise, overlapping dialogue, and low-quality microphones can lead to errors. Using a high-quality microphone and recording in a quiet environment improves results.

Timestamping

Adding timestamps helps users navigate the transcript quickly. This is especially useful for extended interviews, meetings, or lectures where specific sections must be referenced frequently.

Proofreading

AI-generated transcripts are fast but not always perfect. Reviewing and editing the transcript helps eliminate misinterpretations, typos, and contextual errors. This step is crucial, particularly for legal, medical, or technical content.

Speaker Identification

Labeling different speakers ensures clarity, especially in conversations or interviews. Tools that offer speaker identification can automatically distinguish between speakers, but manual verification improves accuracy.

Contextual Understanding

Industry-specific terminology, slang, and accents can challenge transcription accuracy. Verifying specialized terms and using context clues can help refine the final transcript. Keeping a glossary of frequently used terms can also be beneficial.

Final Thoughts

The transcription industry is growing at a rapid pace, driven by AI advancements, growing accessibility demands, and stricter data security regulations. AI-powered transcription tools are expected to achieve near-human accuracy, with platforms already boasting over 90% accuracy in ideal conditions. As businesses and individuals transcribe more sensitive information—legal proceedings, medical consultations, and confidential meetings—data protection will become a primary concern.

Additionally, closed captions are gaining momentum, fueled by legal mandates and consumer preferences. According to a report, around 80% of Facebook users watch advertisements without sound. In the U.S., 40% of users view YouTube ads silently, while in the UK, this figure stands at 35%.

Looking ahead, AI-driven transcription will incorporate real-time multilingual support, enabling businesses to communicate seamlessly across global markets. With increased automation, costs are expected to decrease, making high-quality transcription more accessible for small businesses and content creators. As these trends unfold, transcription will continue to enhance accessibility, global communication, and digital content optimization.