Transcribe a Lecture: Long Files, Timestamps, Text Export

To transcribe a lecture, send the recording to the Potok bot on Telegram and export text. Long files are fine up to 2 GB, which suits a full lecture. Switch on timestamps to jump from a line in your notes back to the exact point in the recording for review.

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

Long files are the main challenge: a long lecture can get large, so check the size before you send.
Timestamps for review let you find the moment where the lecturer explained a hard point.
A text export is quicker to skim than the audio is to replay, and it is easy to search for a term.

How to do it

Ask to record. Check with the lecturer. Many allow it for study, some restrict sharing the recording.
Sit near the front. Place the phone close to the speaker. Back rows pick up chairs and chatter.
Check the file size. Use the audio file size calculator if the recording is long or uncompressed.
Open the bot. Open @potok_now_bot in Telegram and attach the recording. Use Upload for a file near 2 GB.
Switch on timestamps. Do it before you send. They make the text easy to review.
Export TXT. Choose a text file. It opens fast, even on a phone.
Review with the slides. Open the slides next to the text, mark terms to check, and note the time of each key point.

What the result looks like

Example: an introduction to a physics lecture

[00:00] Speaker 1: Good afternoon. Today we cover energy and the idea of conservation.
[00:07] Speaker 1: Energy is not created or destroyed, it only changes form.
[00:14] Speaker 1: Remember this when we do the pendulum problem next week.

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.

What Potok can do
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

Common mistakes and how to fix them
Mistake	What happens	Fix
Sending one huge file without checking the size	A very long uncompressed recording can pass the limit.	Check the size first, or send a compressed copy.
Recording from the back row	The lecturer's voice is faint, and the room noise gets in.	Sit closer, or ask for a microphone feed.
Trusting technical terms	Rare words may come out as similar common ones.	Compare the terms with the slides and the textbook.
Sharing the transcript without asking	The lecturer may own the material.	Keep the text for your own study unless you have permission.

See the full list of languages, the tools and the glossary.

Frequently asked questions

How long a lecture can I send?

Files up to 2 GB are accepted. For anything near that, use the Upload button of the mini app.

Do I need timestamps?

They are optional, but handy for revision because they point back to the audio.

What format should I choose for study notes?

TXT is quick and light. DOCX lets you highlight and add comments.

Can I get notes for several lectures?

Yes. Send each lecture separately and keep them in one folder named by course and day.

Is the text a finished set of notes?

Treat it as a draft. Check names, formulas and numbers against the slides.

Sources

Each source was opened by hand on the date shown. Pages change, so open the source if a detail matters to you.

Lecture (Wikipedia), Wikipedia · checked 2026-10-18
Megabyte (Wikipedia), Wikipedia · checked 2026-10-18

Try it on your own recording