WAV to text
A WAV file is a recording with none of the compression tricks, and Transcrib Si reads it as it is: 64 MB per file. That makes it the best source for speech recognition and the worst thing to email — 30 minutes of 44.1 kHz stereo sound is about 318 MB.
In one line: .wav is accepted, one file per upload, 64 MB and 120 minutes at most. If the file is larger than 64 MB, send the compressed copy instead — the transcript will not change.
Why a WAV file is so heavy
The name WAV says almost nothing about what is inside; a .wav file is a RIFF container, and what it holds is a stream of samples. At the usual 44.1 kHz with 16 bits and two channels, one minute of audio is about 10.6 MB. Half an hour is 318 MB, which is five times over the limit.
None of that is a reason to avoid the format — it is a reason to check the size before you upload. A one-hour interview recorded as WAV will not fit in a single request; a compressed copy of the same recording usually fits twice over.
| Recording | WAV, 44.1 kHz stereo | Compressed copy | Fits in 64 MB? |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 minutes | about 53 MB | about 5 MB | Yes either way |
| 30 minutes | about 318 MB | about 29 MB | Only the compressed copy |
| 2 hours | about 1.3 GB | about 115 MB | Neither — split it up |
The sizes above are arithmetic from the sample rate and bit depth, not a measurement of a particular file. The exact number depends on the settings your recorder used.
Transcribing a WAV file
Four steps, and the file never has to leave your computer in a converted shape.
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Check the weight of the file
Look at the size in your file manager. Under 64 MB and you can skip the next step entirely.
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Compress it if it is too heavy
Any audio editor will write a compressed copy: mp3, m4a or ogg all qualify. Keep the original WAV on disk in case you need it later, and send the smaller copy.
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Upload and wait for the text
The box below takes the file, reads the sound and returns a transcript with a timestamp on every line. Tick the speaker option if more than one person is talking.
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Correct and export
Fix anything the engine got wrong in the editor, then take the result away as TXT, Markdown, SRT, VTT, CSV or DOCX.
Drop an audio or video file
or — mp3, wav, m4a, mp4, up to 64 MB and two hours
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What a WAV transcription costs
The plan sets the price; the container does not. What the container does is decide whether your file fits into one request.
| Plan | Price | Allowance | Per-file limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | 3 files a day, 30 minutes per file | 64 MB |
| Pro, billed yearly | $10 per month, $120 for the year | 1,500 minutes of audio per calendar month | 64 MB and 120 minutes |
| Pro, billed monthly | $20 per month | 1,500 minutes of audio per calendar month | 64 MB and 120 minutes |
Questions this page answers.
Is a WAV file more accurate to transcribe than an MP3?
The source is uncompressed, so nothing was thrown away before the recording reached you. In practice the difference between a clean WAV and a good compressed copy is small, and the words are the same either way. Send whichever file you have.
My WAV is bigger than 64 MB. Do I have to split it?
Not necessarily. Compressing it to mp3, m4a or ogg first will usually bring it under 64 MB. If even the compressed copy is over the limit, then the recording is long and needs cutting into parts — the long recording guide walks through that.
Does the service convert the file for me?
No conversion step is needed from you, and none is advertised from us either: the file is read as it is. The accepted containers are mp3, wav, m4a, mp4, webm, ogg, flac, aac, wma and mov, and each one is read directly.
Can I keep the timestamps from a WAV recording?
Yes, every line in the transcript carries the second it starts at, and that timing survives every export. It is also what makes SRT subtitles for a video possible.
Is there a way to try it without uploading my own recording?
Yes. The button under the upload area sends a short sample file so you can see the output shape before you hand over anything of your own. It is the same pipeline that runs on your file.
Where the numbers on this page come from
Each line names the page the figure was read on and the day it was read.
- Free $0, 3 files a day, 30 minutes per file, 64 MB — https://transcrib.si/pricing.html — checked 2026-10-25
- Pro $10 per month ($120 for the year), $20 per month, 1,500 minutes per calendar month, 120 minutes per file — https://transcrib.si/pricing.html — checked 2026-10-25
- Accepted containers: mp3, wav, m4a, mp4, webm, ogg, flac, aac, wma, mov — https://transcrib.si/app.html (the file input of the upload form) — checked 2026-10-25
- Exports in TXT, Markdown, SRT, VTT, CSV and DOCX — https://transcrib.si/pricing.html — checked 2026-10-25
- Size estimates: 10.6 MB for one minute, 53 MB for 5 minutes, 318 MB for 30 minutes, 1.3 GB for 2 hours, and 5 MB, 29 MB, 115 MB for the compressed copies — our own arithmetic on the bit rate, compared with the limit on https://transcrib.si/app.html — checked 2026-10-25
Where to go next
MP3 to text
The small, compressed cousin of the WAV file.
What an hour of audio costs
The price per minute at eight services, checked on one day.
Transcribe a long recording
What to do when one file is over the limit.
Transcribe audio to text
The general guide to every container.
Plans and prices
Every plan with its limits, in one table.
The app
Upload, edit the text, export, keep the history.
More to read: the privacy policy, the terms of service, about the author, the contact page and the security page.
Mark Burmistrov, Founder.
Every number on this page comes from the pricing page, the service contract or the upload form itself. The author of the page and the publisher of the site are the same person. Questions and corrections: support@transcrib.si.