MP4 to text what was said in the video, with timestamps.
To convert an MP4 to text, pick the video here, create your free account and upload the file. No need to extract the audio or make an MP3. We transcribe the speech with speakers separated and timestamps, and you download TXT, PDF or SRT. The same upload also gives you chapters and captioned clips.
Free on the 3-day trial- Your MP4 transcribed directly, no audio extraction
- Speakers separated and a timestamp on every line
- An SRT on the video's own timing
- Chapters and vertical clips from the same upload
- Cancel anytime in the app, no fee
You create the account and upload this file in the next step. The trial lasts 3 days or 1 hour of media.
How to convert an MP4 video to text
- 01
Pick the .mp4
A screen recording, a downloaded class, a phone video or a recorded meeting. We show the file's name, size and length.
- 02
Sign up and upload
Upload the same MP4 or, if the video is already on YouTube, paste the link. Set a start and end if you only need part of it.
- 03
Read, fix and download
Click a sentence and the video jumps to that spot. Fix names and terms right in the transcript and download TXT, PDF or SRT.
Should you extract the audio from an MP4 before transcribing?
For the text, it makes no difference: transcription uses the soundtrack, and video and audio count the same toward your trial and plan hours. Uploading the whole MP4 has one advantage. With the picture included, the same transcript becomes vertical clips with burned-in captions, without uploading anything else.
Extracting the audio only helps when the upload is heavy. A one-hour class in 1080p MP4 is close to 2 GB, and its MP3 is about 86 MB. If your connection is slow and you only want the text, send the MP3. If you plan to make clips for social media, send the video.
| What you get | Uploading the MP4 | Uploading only the MP3 |
|---|---|---|
| Transcript with speakers | Yes | Yes |
| Chapters | Yes | Yes |
| MP3 snippets | Yes | Yes |
| Vertical clips with captions | Yes | No |
| Size of one hour | About 2 GB in 1080p | About 86 MB |
Where the MP4 files people turn into text come from
MP4 is the format of nearly every video that passes through a phone or a computer. Android phones record MP4, WhatsApp delivers videos as MP4, screen recorders save MP4 and meeting recordings usually come out as MP4. Course and event platforms also download classes and talks in this format.
In almost every case, what people want is what was said, not the picture: meeting minutes, a class summary, a source's exact words. Since every sentence keeps its timestamp, you can check the moment in the video before you quote anything.
- A recorded meeting that needs minutes or a list of decisions
- A downloaded class or course to study with the text alongside
- A video interview to quote in the speaker's own words
- A livestream or church service saved as MP4, turned into text and chapters
- A WhatsApp video with an explanation you want to keep
Silent MP4s, loud music and long videos: what to check
Transcription depends on sound. A screen recording made with the mic off has no speech, so there is nothing to transcribe: open the video and check that you can hear the voice before uploading. Loud music under the speech, room echo and two people talking at once are what cause the most corrections.
Length is not a problem. There is no per-file limit, and a three-hour livestream goes in whole. If you only care about the talk in the middle, set a start and end before processing and only that range counts toward your hours. If the video is already on YouTube, you don't even need to download it: paste the link, livestreams included.
From the text to subtitles for the same video
Because the text comes from the MP4 itself, the SRT is already on the video's timing. It has TV, Netflix and YouTube presets, ready to upload to YouTube Studio or import into your editor. The TXT and PDF work for minutes, summaries or handouts, with or without speaker names and timestamps.
In vertical clips, the same transcript becomes burned-in captions, with 235 styles to pick from. Fix a name in the transcript and the fix carries to the text, the SRT and the clip captions.
More than MP4 to text. The same video becomes chapters, clips and captions.
See also
Frequently asked questions
How do I convert an MP4 video to text?
Pick the MP4 on this page, create your free account and upload the video. We transcribe the speech word by word, with speakers separated and timestamps, and you download TXT, PDF or SRT. The language is detected for you, among 90+ languages.
Do I need to extract the audio from the MP4 first?
No. The MP4 goes in as it is and transcription uses the soundtrack. Extracting the audio only helps if the file is too heavy for your connection, and then you lose the vertical clips, which need the picture.
Does a video use more hours than an audio file?
No. Only the length counts. A 40-minute MP4 and a 40-minute MP3 use the same time from your trial or plan. If you only need part of it, set a start and end before processing.
Does it work with meeting or screen recordings?
Yes, as long as the recording has sound. Each participant shows up as a speaker, with a timestamp on every line. Screen recordings made without a mic have nothing to transcribe.
Can I get subtitles for the MP4 as an SRT?
Yes. The SRT comes out on the video's own timing, with TV, Netflix and YouTube presets. Upload it to YouTube Studio or import it into Premiere Pro, DaVinci Resolve or Final Cut Pro.
The video is already on YouTube. Do I need to download the MP4?
No. Paste the link to the video, a short or a livestream once the replay is available. The transcript comes out the same way, with speakers and timestamps.
How much does MP4 to text cost?
Nothing on the trial: it lasts 3 days or 1 hour of media, whichever ends first, and it starts with a card on file. Cancel in the app before it ends and you pay nothing. After that, plans include 10, 20 or 35 hours a month, from R$ 59 (BRL).
What was said in your MP4, as text. And as chapters, clips and subtitles.
Upload the video or paste a YouTube link. We transcribe it with speakers and timestamps, and you download TXT, PDF or SRT. Trial of 3 days or 1 hour of media.
See the result on your own recording before adding a card.