Turn a recording into text you can use

Start with the recording you have

On Mac, use Add files in Whynote or drop the recording into the import area from Finder. On iPhone, choose Import audio or video and select a file saved on your phone. If the recording is in Voice Memos, share an audio copy to Files first.

Play a few seconds before importing to check that the download is complete and the voices are audible. Follow the Mac file transcription guide or the iPhone audio-to-text guide for the next steps. For a new conversation, you can record directly in Whynote on Mac.

Choose what you want to make from the recording

For a class, prepare lecture notes with concepts and examples. For a video, you can import an available YouTube transcript into Whynote and add your own notes.

For a work conversation, follow the recording-to-summary guide. Keep the commitments and follow-up actions clear by checking the draft against the original discussion.

Make the transcript useful for your task

Keep the recording available while checking names, figures and unclear phrases. Once the wording is right, decide which parts belong in your final note. For meeting audio, the meeting minutes template gives you a structure for decisions and actions.

An AI summary can help draft a shorter version with an appropriate plan, but it still needs a read-through. Check that a suggestion has not become a confirmed commitment and that any conditions survived the rewrite.

Choose the processing option in Whynote

Local recognition on Mac needs a downloaded model and a supported language. Cloud recognition sends the audio for processing and needs the internet. Prepare the local setup before relying on it without a connection.

Your transcription allowance and available features are shown in the app. Summaries and chat use connected processing, even when the transcript was produced locally. See the privacy policy for details about handling your data.

Local processing and speaker attribution

For several participants, prepare local speaker identification to help find the right line. The interview guide then explains quote checking and preparing readable text.

If data handling matters for the recording, review local recognition and privacy. Consider the model setting alongside text enhancement and account transfer.

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