M4A to text
Upload an M4A file - the iPhone Voice Memos format, and the default for most macOS and iOS recorders - and get a clean transcript with speaker labels and a summary.
What this tool does
M4A is an AAC audio stream in an MP4 container. It is what iPhone Voice Memos produces, what macOS QuickTime writes by default, and what many Android recorders and Zoom cloud recordings save. Rename the file, mail it to yourself, or AirDrop it to your laptop, then drop it into RecordX and you get the whole conversation back as text.
The free tier lets you upload files up to 5 minutes long with no signup required to try. Create a free account and you get 60 transcription minutes a month for longer files, exports, and history. Same engine that powers the paid plans.
How it works
- Upload the file. Sign up at recordx.io, open the web app, and drag your file into the upload area.
- Wait for the transcript. Short files come back in seconds; longer files a few minutes. Speaker separation and the AI summary run automatically.
- Download or ask the AI. Read, edit, and export the transcript, copy the summary and action items, or ask questions of the transcript in the built-in editor.
Formats supported
Any M4A that a phone, a laptop, or a meeting tool writes: AAC-LC, AAC-HE, mono or stereo, low or high bitrate. Voice Memos "lossless" mode (also M4A, ALAC-encoded) uploads the same way.
What kinds of M4A files work
- iPhone Voice Memos - the app on every iOS home screen. Share sheet -> save to Files -> upload.
- Android voice recorders - Samsung Voice Recorder, Google Recorder, and third-party apps that save AAC in an .m4a wrapper.
- Zoom cloud recordings - the audio-only export that Zoom offers alongside the MP4 video.
- QuickTime screen recordings - when you tick "microphone" QuickTime captures the mic track as M4A.
What you get back
Speaker-labelled transcript
Turns split by speaker. Rename Speaker 1 / Speaker 2 to real names in one click.
Timestamps
Every segment carries a timestamp so you can jump back to the audio moment.
AI summary and action items
A one-paragraph summary, a bullet list of decisions, and a checklist of follow-ups.
Beyond file uploads
The same RecordX account handles new conversations as they happen:
- Chrome extension - records Zoom, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams, Webex, and Slack calls locally. No bot joins the room.
- Mobile apps - iOS and Android apps for in-person meetings, interviews, and site visits.
- Softphone - a built-in dialer with your own DID number for recorded phone calls.
- Calendar auto-join - connect Google Calendar so the app records the meetings you accept without lifting a finger.
FAQ
Do I need to convert Voice Memos to WAV or MP3?
No. Upload the .m4a straight from Files or from your Mac. RecordX handles AAC natively.
Voice Memos saved in lossless mode - will those work?
Yes. Lossless Voice Memos are still an .m4a container (ALAC audio); RecordX reads them like any other M4A.
Why is my Voice Memo mono? Will diarization still work?
iPhone records mono by default. Speaker separation runs on acoustic cues, not channels, so mono is fine - you still get Speaker 1 / Speaker 2 turns.
What if my recording is a Voice Memo interview from a phone on a table?
Common case, works well. Put the phone equidistant from both speakers on a hard surface (not a soft napkin) for best pickup.