When someone can’t write something down or wants to quickly dictate voice memos, they can use handheld digital voice recorders or smartphone apps to record their ideas or important information. These speech recordings can be converted into text format using audio transcription services.
Thoughts, reminders, or personal notes can be recorded using the “Voice Memos” app on mobile devices, such as iPhones. You can also share your audio recordings via email or text with those who own iPhones, Android smartphones, Windows PCs, or Mac laptops.
Thanks to GPS, barcode readers, facial recognition, video recording, and virtual assistants, our phones now have capabilities that few people could have even dreamed of twenty years ago.
In this article, you’ll learn:
- Why converting voice recordings to text makes information easier to access, edit, and share.
- The main differences between automated transcription apps and professional human transcription services are.
- How accurate transcription—especially for legal recordings—can provide certified, court-ready documents.
Even though the voice recordings app can seem like a frivolous feature compared to Siri or Google Maps, for some professionals, recording memos is one of their phones’ most valuable functions. Because of this technology, we no longer need to carry a separate recording device or go for a pen and paper when we want to take quick notes or record an important message.
In the legal field, this convenience is compelling as attorneys, paralegals, and court reporters often rely on recorded depositions, client interviews, or witness statements. Here, legal transcription services transform those recordings into accurate, certified text that can be filed as evidence, shared with clients, or referenced during trial preparation, if done by a trusted transcription company like Ditto.
Use Cases For Converting Voice Recordings to Text
- You may need to convert an audio file to text if you regularly record voice memos.
- Visual learners tend to prefer reading text over listening to recordings.
- You will need additional storage for audio files than for text-based files.
- Text-based files are easier to exchange, while audio files demand more bandwidth to send and download.
- To quickly understand anything or to acquire the main points of a conversation, text is preferable to audio.
- Text may be merged and modified more easily than audio files.
Two Methods for Converting Voice Recordings to Text
To convert your audio notes into text, you have a wide range of possibilities. Ultimately, it comes down to your specific needs, budget, turnaround time, and other relevant factors. That said, even with so many available options, when you need to convert (or transcribe) audio recordings into text, you typically have two categories to choose from:
| Category | Description | Pros | Cons / Warnings | Examples |
| Automated / Machine Transcription | Voice-to-text software for computers, online platforms, or mobile apps. Fast and inexpensive but requires careful review. | Low cost, quick turnaround, convenient for personal notes. | Often inaccurate, struggles with multiple speakers, slang, and background noise; usually not court-usable. | – Express Scribe (manual tool, supports foot pedals & playback control, great for DIY transcribers)- SpeedScriber (fast automated service, editable transcripts, $0.37–$0.50/min)- Just Press Record (iPhone app, $4.99, simple one-tap transcription & sync) |
| Human / Professional Transcription Services | Skilled human transcribers who deliver certified, accurate transcripts. Better for legal, medical, or professional use where precision is non-negotiable. | Highly accurate, can understand accents and overlapping speech, remove filler words, and provide certification. | Higher cost and longer turnaround than apps/software. | – Ditto Transcripts (guaranteed >99% accuracy, HIPAA & CJIS compliant, U.S.-based)- Other reputable typing services companies |
For lawyers, voice memos aren’t just reminders… they’re potential evidence. Trial transcription services convert these recordings into accurate, certified transcripts that are admissible in court. Unlike automated apps, professional transcribers capture every word and nuance, ensuring clarity in motions, hearings, or depositions. This makes voice memos a reliable part of the legal record.
We Can Help You Get A Perfect Transcript
It makes sense why some content creators hesitate to trust their audio to a transcriptionist, especially when files contain sensitive information. That’s precisely where Ditto Transcripts stands apart.
With nearly 15 years of experience providing transcription services for the legal, law enforcement, and medical fields, we understand the importance of security and confidentiality.
Unlike many competitors that outsource work overseas or rely on AI with questionable safeguards, Ditto is 100% U.S.-based, FINRA, HIPAA- and CJIS-compliant, and able to certify transcripts for official use. The best part? Our services won’t break the bank. Our legal transcription pricing is transparent, allowing you to estimate your costs using our calculator easily.
To give you complete peace of mind, we’re happy to sign NDAs and confidentiality agreements, and we carry both general and cyber liability insurance. Every project is handled by skilled human transcriptionists who prioritize accuracy and security at every step.
When privacy, compliance, and reliability matter most, Ditto Transcripts is the partner you can trust.
Don’t believe us? Here’s one of our many client testimonials:
Ditto Transcripts is a Denver, Colorado-based FINRA, HIPAA, and CJIS-compliant transcription services company that provides fast, accurate, and affordable transcripts for individuals and companies of all sizes. Call (720) 287-3710 today for a free quote.