Transcribe WhatsApp Voice Notes to Text
Turn your WhatsApp voice note into accurate, searchable text — pay-as-you-go, no subscription.
WhatsApp voice notes are Opus audio files, usually saved with an .opus or .ogg extension. PlainScribe takes both as-is: save the voice note out of WhatsApp, upload it, and get a transcript you can copy, search, translate or export. That matters most for languages WhatsApp's own transcripts don't cover, such as Urdu and Hindi.
Does WhatsApp transcribe Urdu or Hindi voice notes?
WhatsApp has built-in voice message transcripts, but only in some languages. When we checked WhatsApp's help page on 7 November 2026, the Android list was English, Portuguese, Spanish and Russian, and on iPhone the list depended on the iOS version. Urdu, Hindi, Bengali and Punjabi were not on either list.
WhatsApp may add languages later, so check Settings > Chats > Transcript language in your own app. If your language is there and you only need to read one note, the built-in transcript is free and quicker. Use PlainScribe when your language isn't listed, or when you need text you can keep, edit, translate or share.
How to get a voice note out of WhatsApp
WhatsApp keeps voice notes inside the app, so first save a copy somewhere you can upload from. The menus differ slightly between versions; these are the usual routes.
- Android: press and hold the voice note, tap Share, and send it to Google Drive, Files or your own email.
- iPhone: press and hold the voice note, tap Forward, then the share icon, and choose Save to Files or AirDrop it to your Mac.
- WhatsApp Web or Desktop: open the message menu on the voice note and choose Download.
- Upload the saved .opus or .ogg file to PlainScribe. No conversion needed.
Urdu, Hindi and other South Asian voice notes
Pick the language in the Audio language menu before you upload. Auto-detect recognizes Hindi, but not Urdu, Bengali, Punjabi, Gujarati, Nepali or Pashto, and spoken Urdu left on Auto can come back as Hindi in Devanagari. Choosing Urdu gives you Urdu script.
PlainScribe transcribes each file in one language. Voice notes that mix in English come out with the English words either in English or spelled in the chosen script, so expect to tidy those up.
What it costs and what happens to the file
Your first transcript is free, up to 2 hours of audio. After that it's $4 per audio hour from prepaid credits, so a 3-minute voice note costs about $0.20. The smallest top-up is $10.
The uploaded audio is deleted after processing and the transcript after 30 days. Voice notes carry other people's words, so check the sender is fine with you uploading theirs.
Language guides
How to Convert WhatsApp Voice Note to Text
Upload your WhatsApp Voice Note
Drop in your WhatsApp voice note (up to 1GB). No conversion needed — it's transcribed as-is.
AI transcribes it
59 languages (pick yours, or leave it on Auto-detect for common ones), speaker labels, punctuation and timestamps. Most files finish in minutes.
Export your text
Download TXT, CSV, SRT, VTT, or JSON — plus an AI summary if you want the key points without re-listening.
What People Transcribe from WhatsApp Voice Note
- Family voice notes in Urdu, Hindi or Punjabi
- Client and supplier instructions sent as voice notes
- Interview answers recorded on WhatsApp
- Announcements in community and school groups
Your file doesn't stick around
The uploaded WhatsApp voice note is removed automatically after processing, and the transcript auto-deletes after 30 days — for everyone, including your free first transcript. Download anything you want to keep.
Pay only for what you transcribe
$4 per audio hour with prepaid credits — no subscription, no monthly quota. Get your first transcript free (up to 2 hours), no credit card required.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does WhatsApp transcribe Urdu voice messages?
Not according to WhatsApp's help page when we checked it on 7 November 2026: Urdu wasn't on the Android or iPhone list of transcript languages. You can save the voice note and upload it to PlainScribe with Urdu selected as the audio language.
Can I convert a Hindi WhatsApp voice note to text?
Yes. Hindi wasn't on WhatsApp's own transcript language lists on 7 November 2026, but PlainScribe transcribes Hindi into Devanagari. Save the voice note, upload it, and pick Hindi (or leave Auto-detect on, which recognizes Hindi).
What file type is a WhatsApp voice note?
Opus audio, usually saved as .opus or .ogg. PlainScribe accepts both directly, so you don't need to convert the file first.
How do I transcribe a WhatsApp Voice Note file to text?
Upload your WhatsApp voice note file to PlainScribe (up to 1GB). The file is transcribed directly — no conversion needed. It transcribes 59 languages. Auto-detect recognizes 33 of them, and the rest transcribe when you pick the language at upload. You export the result as TXT, Markdown, CSV, SRT, VTT, or JSON.
How much does WhatsApp Voice Note transcription cost?
PlainScribe charges $4 per audio hour ($0.067 per minute) on a pay-as-you-go basis — no subscription. Your first transcript is free (up to 2 hours of audio) with no credit card.
How accurate is WhatsApp Voice Note transcription?
Highly accurate on clear audio. Accuracy depends mainly on recording quality and language — clear speech close to the microphone transcribes best, regardless of file format. Speaker diarization automatically labels who said what.
What happens to my WhatsApp Voice Note file after transcription?
Your uploaded file is removed automatically once processing completes, and the transcript auto-deletes after 30 days. For sensitive recordings, the included desktop app transcribes 100% offline on your own machine.
Other Formats
Transcribe Your First WhatsApp Voice Note Free
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