Voice Memos transcription not working on a Mac: what it needs, and how to get the text anyway
By Ryleigh Newman · Published
When Voice Memos on a Mac shows no transcript button, or the transcript never appears, the cause is almost always one of three requirements Apple sets: the macOS version, the chip, or your country or region. This page goes through them in order, then shows how to get the words out of the memo with a different tool if Apple's transcript is not available to you.
I built YapToText, a dictation app for the Mac, so read what I say about Voice Memos with that in mind. Every fact about Voice Memos here comes from Apple's Voice Memos and Notes guides, read on October 11, 2026.
This app is completely free. You don't have to make an account. There are no subscriptions, no difficult downloads, and nothing is locked. Made for Apple silicon Macs. Source on GitHub.
The three things Apple's transcript needs
From Apple's Voice Memos User Guide, read October 11, 2026.
| Requirement | What to check |
|---|---|
| macOS 15 or later | Apple menu, About This Mac shows the macOS name and version |
| A Mac with Apple silicon | About This Mac shows Chip on Apple silicon. An Intel Mac shows Processor and gets no transcript |
| A supported country or region | Apple says audio transcription is not available everywhere, and its Voice Memos guide does not list where |
Apple's Voice Memos guide names no languages. Its Notes guide does, for audio recorded in a note: English, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, French, German, Japanese, Korean, Simplified Chinese and Traditional Chinese, on a Mac with M1 or later. If your Mac's language is outside that list, that is a likely reason.
Where the transcript should be
- Open Voice Memos and click the recording.
- Click the transcript button to view the text.
- Select text, Control-click it and choose Copy to take it elsewhere.
While recording, the same button shows the words live in place of the waveform. Search in Voice Memos also looks inside transcripts, so a memo that turns up for a word you said has been transcribed.
Old recordings and recordings from other devices
Apple says that when you open a recording made in macOS 14 or earlier, or one made on a device that does not support transcription, Voice Memos transcribes it automatically if it includes speech. So open the memo and give it a moment. A memo with only music or noise has nothing to transcribe.
If the words are wrong
Play the memo. A faint or distant recording gives any speech model little to work with, and no setting in Voice Memos changes the result. Apple's guide offers Writing Tools to summarize or proofread a transcript on Macs with Apple Intelligence, which tidies text but does not rehear the audio.
Get the text anyway
A voice memo is an ordinary audio file, so another app can transcribe it. Drag the memo out of Voice Memos to a Finder window, then give that file to a transcription app.
- YapToText. Drop the file on Transcribe a file on its Utility page. It runs on the Mac, does not depend on Apple's transcription or your region, and gives plain text. It needs an Apple silicon Mac with macOS 14 or later, so it covers macOS 14, which Voice Memos transcription does not.
- Pick the language. Its Language setting starts on your Mac's system language. For a memo in another one, choose it or Auto-detect language.
- An Intel Mac. YapToText does not support Intel either. The Intel Mac page lists what does work there.
The Voice Memos transcription guide has the full walkthrough for both routes.
This app is completely free. You don't have to make an account. There are no subscriptions, no difficult downloads, and nothing is locked. Made for Apple silicon Macs. Source on GitHub.
The short version
- No button. Check macOS 15 or later and Apple silicon in About This Mac.
- Everything is right, still nothing. Your region or language may not be offered.
- Old memo. Open it and wait. Apple transcribes it automatically.
- Wrong words. Listen to the audio first.
- Need the text now. Drag the memo to Finder and transcribe the file.
If Apple changes what transcription needs, open an issue on GitHub and I will update this page. Every one gets read.
This app is completely free. You don't have to make an account. There are no subscriptions, no difficult downloads, and nothing is locked. Made for Apple silicon Macs. Source on GitHub.
Related
Sources
- https://support.apple.com/guide/voice-memos/view-a-transcription-of-a-recording-vm4a03609f0d/mac (checked 2026-10-11)
- https://support.apple.com/guide/notes/record-and-transcribe-audio-apdb5106e334/mac (checked 2026-10-11)
- https://support.apple.com/en-us/116943 (checked 2026-10-11)
- https://github.com/ryleighnewman/YapToText (checked 2026-10-11)
- https://apps.apple.com/us/app/yaptotext/id6786382289 (checked 2026-10-11)
Questions
Why is there no transcript in Voice Memos on my Mac?
Transcription needs macOS 15 or later, a Mac with Apple silicon, and a country or region where Apple offers it. Check About This Mac for the first two.
Does Voice Memos transcription work on an Intel Mac?
No. Apple's transcript needs a Mac with Apple silicon.
Will Voice Memos transcribe my old recordings?
Yes. Apple says opening a recording made in macOS 14 or earlier transcribes it automatically if it includes speech.
Which languages does Voice Memos transcription support?
Apple's Voice Memos guide names none. Its Notes guide lists English, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, French, German, Japanese, Korean and Chinese for audio in notes.
How can I transcribe a voice memo if Apple's transcript is not available?
Drag the memo from Voice Memos to Finder and give the file to a transcription app such as YapToText, which runs on the Mac.