Is WMA a file format or a codec?
Both, in layers: WMA is the codec family of Microsoft, and a .wma file is normally stored in the ASF container, which also carries the metadata.
WMA to text
Transcribe a WMA file to text
Transcribe a WMA file to text: the Microsoft audio codecs become a line per segment with timecodes and speaker labels. Free $0, 3 files a day.
3 files a day up to 30 minutes, free99+ languagesSpeaker separation and timestamps
In short
Upload the WMA and get the text: one line per segment with a timecode, speakers named on request. WMA is a family of Microsoft codecs inside an ASF container. The free plan is $0 with 3 files a day, one file is up to 30 minutes.
How to transcribe a WMA file
- 1
Check that the file is not protected
Windows Media DRM is part of the ASF container. A protected recording needs a licence before it can be heard, so a transcript needs an unprotected copy of the audio.
- 2
Upload and name the language
Drop the file on the widget above.Rthe recording language is detected automatically.
- 3
Take the transcript away
Lines with both times, saved to your account. TXT, Markdown, SRT, VTT and CSV on every plan; DOCX needs the Pro plan.
What you get
- TXT
Plain text for an email, a note or a chat
- SRT
Subtitles for video editors and platforms
- VTT
Subtitles for a browser and a website
- CSV
A table: time, speaker, text
- DOCX
A Word document with speakers and times
- Markdown
Text with headings for notes
What a WMA file is, and what one upload may weigh
| What | Value |
|---|---|
| The codecs | a family from Microsoft: the lossy WMA, WMA Pro, WMA Lossless and WMA Voice, all with the .wma extension |
| The container | a WMA file is normally stored in the Advanced Systems Format, which also carries the metadata and may carry Windows Media DRM |
| The versions | from version 1 to version 9; 9.1, 9.2 and 10 stay compatible with the 9 decoder, and WMA Lossless arrived in 2003 |
| Export | TXT, Markdown, SRT, VTT, CSV and DOCX (DOCX is a Pro feature) |
The case
Why a protected file is a problem before it is a transcript
WMA is a family of codecs from Microsoft, and the files live in the Advanced Systems Format container. The plain WMA is lossy, WMA Pro adds multichannel and high resolution, and WMA Lossless keeps every sample; all of them share the .wma extension. That container may also carry Windows Media DRM, and a protected file is a different animal.
Tips
A protected WMA has to be unprotected before the upload.
The .wma extension hides the codec: WMA, WMA Pro and Lossless all use it.
Check the opening minute for names.
Export DOCX when the transcript goes to an editor.
Questions this page answers
Which WMA version do I have?
The versions run from 1 to 9, and 9.1, 9.2 and 10 stay compatible with the 9 decoder. WMA Lossless arrived with the 9 series and stores an audio CD at 470 to 940 kbit/s.
Can a WMA carry a video?
The ASF container was built for audio and video, but a .wma file normally holds a single audio track. For a transcript the sound is what counts.
What does a protected WMA do?
It stays locked: the file carries Windows Media DRM and needs a licence before it can be played. Unprotect a copy first, then send that copy to the service.
Sources
- EWikipedia — Windows Media Audioen.wikipedia.org · checked 22 October 2026
- TTranscribsi — the pricing pagetranscrib.si · checked 22 October 2026
Reading: 5 minutesUpdated 
Transcribsi editorial team
Drop a recording — the text arrives in a minute
Speakers by name, a time on every line, export to TXT, SRT, VTT, CSV and Markdown.
3 files a day up to 30 minutes, free99+ languagesSpeaker separation and timestamps