To turn an iPhone Voice Memo into text, share the recording to the Potok bot on Telegram. Voice Memos saves M4A files, and a recording can be shared from the Voice Memos app through the Share button. The transcript returns in the chat, files up to 2 GB work, and exports include TXT, DOCX, PDF, SRT and VTT.
Transcribe a recording
Send your voice message, audio or video to @potok_now_bot on Telegram and the text comes back in the chat.
Open @potok_now_bot in Telegram
Files up to 2 GB · export to TXT, MD, DOCX, PDF, SRT and VTT · speaker labels and timestamps · about 30 languages
Key facts
- Voice Memos stores each recording as an M4A file, so no conversion is needed.
- Sharing starts from the recording in the app and ends in a Telegram chat with the bot.
- A memo recorded on a desk or in a pocket picks up different noise, so test a short one first.
- Long memos, like a classroom or a lecture hall, come back as a file.
How to do it
- Open the recording. In Voice Memos, tap the memo you want. The list shows the date and the length.
- Use the Share button. Tap the Share option for that recording. The labels may differ between iOS versions, so follow what your phone shows.
- Pick Telegram and the bot chat. Choose Telegram, then the conversation with @potok_now_bot.
- Wait for the text. A short memo returns as a chat message. For a long one, the bot sends a file.
- Export it. Save as TXT, MD, DOCX, PDF, SRT or VTT. Switch on speaker labels when more than one person was recorded.
What the result looks like
[00:00] Speaker 1: Idea for the newsletter, start with the customer story.
[00:05] Speaker 1: Add a short list of three tips after it.
[00:11] Speaker 1: Send the draft on Wednesday.
Sample text written by us to show the layout of a transcript. It is not the output of the recognition engine and not a real recording.
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Where it works | Telegram bot @potok_now_bot; large files go through the bot's mini app |
| File size | Up to 2 GB |
| Export | TXT, MD, DOCX, PDF, SRT, VTT |
| Speakers and time | Speaker labels and timestamps can be switched on |
| Languages | About 30 languages with good published results; a few more with warnings |
| Translation | The transcript is not translated into another language |
| Dictation | A separate Potok desktop app lets you dictate text into any program; it recognises Russian speech |
Common mistakes
| Mistake | What happens | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Recording with the phone in a pocket | Fabric rustle covers the words. | Hold the phone near the speaker or put it on a stable surface. |
| Trimming the memo and losing the start | The first sentence often carries the topic. | Check the beginning before you send. |
| Forgetting that iCloud sync may delay the memo | A new recording may not be on another device yet. | Share from the iPhone that recorded it. |
| Skipping a name check | Short spoken names are easy to mishear. | Replay those seconds and fix the text. |
More
See the full list of languages, the tools and the glossary.
Frequently asked questions
What file type do iPhone Voice Memos use?
Voice Memos saves each recording as an M4A file, so no conversion is needed.
How do I send a Voice Memo to the bot?
Open the recording, use the Share button, pick Telegram and choose the bot chat.
Is there a size limit?
Files up to 2 GB are supported, and the Upload button of the mini app handles the biggest ones.
Can I share the memo as a document?
Yes. Sending it as a document or an audio file both work.
Does the text keep the original language?
Yes. The text stays in the spoken language and is not translated.
Sources
Each source was opened by hand on the date shown. Pages change, so open the source if a detail matters to you.
- Voice Memos (Wikipedia), Wikipedia · checked
- MP4 file format, MPEG-4 Part 14 (Wikipedia), Wikipedia · checked
- Bit rate (Wikipedia), Wikipedia · checked
Try it on your own recording
Send your voice message, audio or video to @potok_now_bot on Telegram and the text comes back in the chat.
Open @potok_now_bot in Telegram