How to convert an M4A file to text

To convert an M4A file to text, open HiText, tap File and choose the M4A, or share it to HiText from another app. On a computer, upload it in the HiText web app. In a few minutes you get the full transcript, with automatic language detection, an AI summary and a translation if you need one. Your first 30 minutes are free.

Transcribe my M4A file

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audio_only.m4a

Zoom · 47:12

SummaryTranscriptQuiz

Weekly team call:

Decided: Launch moves to the 28th.
Owner: Sam updates the release notes.
Open: Pricing page copy.

47:12

Transcript ready

M4A to text in three steps

1
Find the M4A
It may be in Files, in Voice Memos, in your recorder app or, for Zoom, in the Documents/Zoom folder on your computer.
2
Send it to HiText
In the app, tap File and pick the M4A, or use Share from the app where it is. On a computer, upload it in your browser.
3
Read the transcript
In a few minutes you have the text, an AI summary and, if you like, a translation. Copy it, share it or download it as TXT from the web.

Where M4A files come from

M4A is AAC audio inside an MP4 container: small files with good quality. That's why so many apps record in it.

iPhone Voice Memos: every recording is an M4A (voice memo to text)
Zoom local recordings: besides the MP4 video, Zoom saves an audio-only file called audio_only.m4a
Voice recorder apps on Android, such as Samsung Voice Recorder
Audio exported from podcasts, audiobooks or editing apps

Long M4A files

An hour of M4A usually weighs well under 100 MB, so a full meeting, lecture or interview fits easily. Longer files just take a bit more time to transcribe. If your recording is a WAV instead, see WAV to text.

Tips for a cleaner transcript

If the M4A mixes languages, choose the main language instead of automatic detection
Trim long silences or music at the start in your editor if you want a tidier text
For meetings with several speakers, record close to the people talking

Frequently asked questions

How much does it cost to convert M4A to text with HiText?

You start with 30 free minutes of transcription, no card needed. To keep transcribing you can subscribe to Pro inside the app; you see the price before paying and can cancel any time from your App Store or Google Play subscription settings.

Can I convert M4A to text on my computer?

Yes. Sign in at app.trytiro.app and upload the M4A (up to 1 GB). You get the transcript, summary and translation, and can copy it or download a TXT file.

Does it export subtitles or Word documents?

No. HiText gives you the plain text, which you can copy or download as TXT, plus a summary. It doesn't create SRT subtitle files or Word documents.

Which languages does it transcribe?

13 languages, including English, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, French, German, Dutch, Russian, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Hindi and Arabic, with automatic detection. You can read the transcript translated into 15 languages.

What happens to my files?

Your audio is used only to transcribe it and is deleted from our servers when it's done (at most within 7 days if something fails). The transcript and summary are kept on your device and on our servers until you delete them in the app. We don't use your content to train AI models. Details in our privacy policy.

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Your M4A, in text

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