To turn a Zoom recording into text, send the recording file to the Potok bot on Telegram. Zoom saves a local recording as an MP4 video plus a separate M4A audio file, and the audio file is the smaller choice. Files up to 2 GB work, and the transcript exports as TXT, DOCX, PDF, SRT or 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
- The M4A file holds only the sound, so it is much smaller than the MP4 video of the same meeting.
- A cloud recording can be downloaded from the Zoom web portal, and a local one sits in a folder on your computer.
- Meetings with many voices benefit from numbered speaker labels.
- The bot reads the sound, not the shared screen or the chat panel.
How to do it
- Locate the recording. A local recording sits in a folder on your computer after the meeting. A cloud recording is on the Zoom web portal.
- Pick the audio file. If you have the M4A audio file, choose it, because it is smaller than the MP4 video.
- Download from the portal if needed. For a cloud recording, use the download option on the web portal.
- Send it to the bot. Open @potok_now_bot in Telegram and attach the file. Use Upload when it is close to 2 GB.
- Create notes. Turn on labels and timestamps and export DOCX for minutes, or SRT to caption the video.
What the result looks like
[00:00] Speaker 1: Thanks for joining, we have three topics today.
[00:04] Speaker 2: Can we start with the budget update?
[00:08] Speaker 1: Yes, then hiring, then the launch plan.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Sending the huge MP4 when the M4A is there | It takes longer and adds nothing for speech. | Choose the audio file. |
| Forgetting to look in the folder after the call | The file may be converting right after the meeting. | Wait until the files appear. |
| Recording participants without telling them | They should know about it. | Say so at the start. |
| Expecting shared slides in the text | The text has only speech. | Add slide notes by hand. |
More
See the full list of languages, the tools and the glossary.
Frequently asked questions
What files does Zoom save?
A local recording is an MP4 video plus a separate M4A audio file.
Which one should I send?
The M4A is smaller and holds the sound you need.
Where is a cloud recording?
It can be downloaded from the Zoom web portal.
Can I send the Zoom link?
No. The bot reads files, not meeting links.
Can the bot label different speakers?
Yes, with numbers like Speaker 1 and Speaker 2.
Sources
Each source was opened by hand on the date shown. Pages change, so open the source if a detail matters to you.
- Zoom (software) (Wikipedia), Wikipedia · checked
- MP4 file format, MPEG-4 Part 14 (Wikipedia), Wikipedia · checked
- Speaker diarisation (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