Convert iPhone Voice Memos to Text — 3 Methods [2026 Guide]

Quick answer: On iOS 18+, open Voice Memos, tap any recording, and select "View Transcript" for built-in transcription. For Markdown export, share to Brain Dump instead.

What's new in iOS 18

Apple added native transcription to Voice Memos in iOS 18. This means you no longer need a third-party app for basic transcription.

How to use built-in transcription:

1. Open Voice Memos and tap any recording
2. Tap "View Transcript" or swipe up on the waveform
3. Copy the text or search within it

Supported devices: iPhone 12 and later. Available in English, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, French, German, Japanese, Korean, and Chinese.

Accuracy note: In Tom's Guide testing, Voice Memos outperformed Google Recorder with fewer transcription errors.

Option A — Share to Brain Dump (for Markdown)

If you need structured Markdown instead of plain text, share to Brain Dump:

1. Open Voice Memos and select a recording
2. Tap ••• → Share
3. Choose Brain Dump — Import & Transcribe
4. Get a clean Markdown note you can copy, export to Notes/Obsidian, or sync via iCloud

Why use this over built-in transcription:

• Clean Markdown structure (titles, lists, quotes)
• Optional AI polish (summary, action items, email draft)
• Export directly to Obsidian, Apple Notes, or any text app
• Works on iPhone 11 and earlier (no iOS 18 requirement)

Related: /blog/iphone-offline-dictation-airplane-mode, /learn/export-to-obsidian, /learn/shortcuts-automation

Option B — 1‑tap Shortcut (hands‑off)

Install the Shortcut “Voice Memo → Text (Brain Dump)” to skip menus:

1. Download it from our /shortcuts library.
2. In Voice Memos, tap Share → Voice Memo → Text.
3. Brain Dump opens with the transcript and a summary.

Tip: Pin the Shortcut in Share Sheet favorites to make it appear at the top.
Learn: /learn/append-to-last-note-shortcuts

Option C — Accessibility Live Captions (free, built‑in)

If you need something without installing an app, Live Captions can provide a quick transcript by captioning playback:

1. Settings → Accessibility → Live Captions → turn On.
2. Play your memo; copy text from the caption bubble.

Notes: availability varies by device/region/language; formatting is minimal and punctuation may need cleanup.

Troubleshooting

• Don’t see Brain Dump in the Share Sheet? Open your Share Sheet, scroll to Edit Actions…, and add it to Favorites.
• Large files? Share works best under a few hundred MB; trim long silences in Voice Memos first.
• Names/terms wrong? Add them once to a custom dictionary (/learn/custom-dictionary-jargon) and they’ll stick.

Why Markdown matters for memos

Plain text with lightweight structure moves everywhere — PRDs, Jira tickets, emails. Brain Dump converts your audio into readable Markdown so you can paste and keep moving.

If you want to keep it even simpler, use our 60‑second script: title, three short sentences, optional emotion tag. It keeps ideas tidy under pressure.