Transcribing audio and video files with VoiceInk: formats, the queue, and what a Mode does to them
By Ryleigh Newman · Published
VoiceInk is mostly a live dictation app, but it can also transcribe files you already have, such as a voice memo, a lecture recording or a video. You add them in the Transcribe view, pick a Mode, and VoiceInk works through the queue one file at a time. Some of what a Mode does for live dictation does not happen for files, and that is the part people trip over.
I built YapToText, a different dictation app for the Mac, so read what I say about VoiceInk with that in mind. Every fact about VoiceInk here comes from its own docs, read on October 10, 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.
This guide in other languages: العربية, Čeština, Dansk, Deutsch, Ελληνικά, Español, Suomi, Français, עברית, हिन्दी, Magyar, Bahasa Indonesia, Italiano, 日本語, 한국어, Norsk, Nederlands, Polski, Português, Română, Русский, Slovenčina, Svenska, ไทย, Türkçe, Українська, Tiếng Việt, 简体中文, 繁體中文
How to transcribe a file
- Open Transcribe in the sidebar.
- Drag files in, or click Choose Files. Once there is a queue, use Add.
- Pick an enabled Mode in the top bar.
- Click Start. Files are processed one after another.
- Expand a finished row to read, copy or save the text.
Cancel stops and puts the file being processed back to pending. You need a working model or provider connection for the queue to run.
Formats
The docs list WAV, MP3, M4A, AIFF, MP4, MOV, AAC, FLAC, CAF, AMR, OGG, OGA, Opus and 3GP. For video, VoiceInk uses the audio track. It does not change your original file.
What the Mode does, and does not do, for a file
From VoiceInk's docs, Transcribe Audio Files, read October 10, 2026.
| Applies to files | Does not apply to files |
|---|---|
| The Mode's transcription model and language | Selected text, clipboard and screen context |
| Paragraph formatting and word replacements | Spoken word triggers that switch Modes |
| AI Enhancement, with its provider, model and prompt | Pasting into the active app |
| Respond, Custom Commands and Auto Send |
Files go through batch transcription, not the live streaming path, so choose a model that can do batch work. The docs name one that cannot: Cartesia Ink 2 cannot process imported files.
Where the results go
A finished row shows Original and Enhanced tabs when AI Enhancement produced a result. Each finished file also gets a History entry with the model, the Mode, timings and a converted copy of the audio. Clear empties the queue view, but what is already in History stays until you delete it or History cleanup removes it, as the VoiceInk History page explains.
The same job in YapToText
VoiceInk from its docs, read October 10, 2026. YapToText from its own settings.
| VoiceInk | YapToText | |
|---|---|---|
| Where | Transcribe in the sidebar | Transcribe a file on the Utility page, the menu bar, or History |
| Formats | A listed set of extensions | Anything macOS can decode, recognized by content, not extension |
| Adding files | A queue, processed one at a time | Drop or choose a file |
| Output | Original and Enhanced text, copy or save | Plain text with Copy, Insert and Send |
| Timestamps, subtitles, speakers | Not described in the docs | None |
| Where it runs | Local or cloud, by the Mode's model | On the Mac |
Neither is a subtitle tool. For captions or speaker labels, the guide to transcribing video on a Mac compares apps that do that, and the free audio file guide covers the free options.
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
- Where. Transcribe in the sidebar.
- How. Add files, pick a Mode, click Start.
- Formats. Common audio and video, the audio track is used.
- Not for files. Context, pasting, Custom Commands, Auto Send.
- Results. In the queue and in History.
If VoiceInk changes how file transcription works, 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://tryvoiceink.com/docs/transcribe-audio-files (checked 2026-10-10)
- https://github.com/ryleighnewman/YapToText (checked 2026-10-10)
- https://apps.apple.com/us/app/yaptotext/id6786382289 (checked 2026-10-10)
Questions
Can VoiceInk transcribe audio files?
Yes. Open Transcribe in the sidebar, add files, pick a Mode and click Start.
What file formats does VoiceInk support?
Its docs list WAV, MP3, M4A, AIFF, MP4, MOV, AAC, FLAC, CAF, AMR, OGG, OGA, Opus and 3GP.
Can VoiceInk transcribe video?
Yes, MP4, MOV and 3GP among others. It transcribes the video's audio track.
Why does my VoiceInk file transcription not paste?
Files never paste into the active app. The text stays in the queue and in History.
Does VoiceInk use AI Enhancement on files?
Yes, if the Mode you pick has it on. Context from your screen, clipboard or selection is not used for files.