How to Use Google Translate to Transcribe Voice to Text?

In the fast-paced information age, voice input has become the preferred way for many people to improve efficiency. Have you ever wanted to quickly convert a voice into text without downloading complicated software? In fact, Google Translate is not just a translation tool, it also has a practical function that many people overlook - voice to text. Whether you are a student, a content creator, or a professional who needs to record the content of a meeting, this hidden skill can help you easily convert voice into editable text. This blog will teach you how to use Google Translate to complete voice transcription. It is simple and efficient, and everyone can get started.

How to transcribe speech to text on Android using Google Translate?

Here are the steps:

1. Open the Google Translate app

Make sure you have the latest version of the Google Translate app installed (download it for free from the Google Play Store).

2. Choose a language pair

Select "Source language" (the language of what you want to say) and "Target language" (the language you want to see) at the top of the interface. If you just want to transcribe, you can set it to the same language.

3. Click the "Transcribe" or "Microphone" icon

If you only need one-way recording transcription, you can click the "Microphone" icon;

If you need to record the conversation continuously, you can click the "Transcribe" icon, and Google will automatically recognize the bilingual conversation and display the text in both languages.

4. Start speaking and automatically transcribe

Speak to your phone, and Google Translate will immediately convert your voice into text and display it on the screen. If the network is good, the recognition speed is very fast and is almost completed simultaneously.

5. Copy text or save as

After the transcription is completed, you can manually copy the recognized text and paste it into notes, WeChat, emails or other documents for easy organization and saving.

How to transcribe speech to text on iPhone using Google Translate

Step1: Download and install the Google Translate app on your iPhone.

Step2: Next, select the language you want to speak (source language) from the left, and then select the language you want to convert to (target language) from the right, and then proceed to the next step.

Step3: Click the "Transcribe" or "Microphone" icon

How to transcribe speech to text on your computer using Google Translate?

1. Open the Google Translate webpage

Go to translate.google.com in your computer's browser.

2. Set the language

Select the language you want to speak on the left (of course you can also directly select the detection language), and select the language you want to see on the right (the target language). If you only want to transcribe without translating, you can select the same language on both sides.

3. Click the "Microphone" icon

Find the microphone icon below the input box on the left. After clicking it, the system will request access to the microphone. Click "Allow".

4. Start speaking and automatically transcribe

Speak into the computer microphone, Google Translate will recognize your voice in real time and convert it into text in the input box on the left. If you set a different target language, it will also be automatically translated and displayed on the right.

5. Copy the transcription result

Once you are done, you can copy the text content on the right and paste it into any document, email or note application.

VidText - A simpler way to convert speech to text

If you think that using Google Translate has too many steps or is only suitable for short voice content, there is actually a more efficient alternative: VidText AI. This is an online tool designed specifically for speech-to-text conversion. It supports uploading audio and video files, and even directly pasting links to generate highly accurate transcripts with one click. There is no need to manually click the microphone or copy and paste repeatedly. VidText can help you save a lot of time, especially for users who need to transcribe podcasts, interviews, course recordings, or video subtitles. It is easy to operate, supports multiple languages, and has a fast transcription speed. It is an ideal assistant for content creators and record workers.

Step 1: Go to VidText and log in to your account. Once you are in the console, click the “Record” option in the right sidebar to get started.

Step 2: VidText will immediately start recording your voice and automatically transcribe it in real time on the screen. Once the recording is complete, you can export the transcription results to multiple formats such as TXT, DOCX, SRT, XLSX or PDF for subsequent organization and use.

FAQs

1. Is there a time limit for Google Translate voice-to-text?

Yes, Google Translate is suitable for short sentences or temporary voice input, and long-term speech may be automatically interrupted. If you need to transcribe long audio, it is recommended to use professional tools such as VidText.

2. Can I use Google Translate to transcribe audio files into text?

No. Google Translate only supports "real-time voice input" and cannot upload audio files. You need to "play" the recording with your phone or microphone to the playback device before it can be recognized.

3. What file formats does VidText support?

VidText usually supports common audio and video formats such as MP3, MP4, WAV, etc., and you can also paste online video links for transcription (please check its official website support list for specific formats).

4. Is the voice recognition accurate?

Both Google Translate and VidText use powerful voice recognition technology. The accuracy is high in a quiet environment, with a moderate speaking speed and clear pronunciation. However, background noise, dialects or overlapping speech will affect the recognition quality.

5. Do I need to be online to use these tools?

Yes, both Google Translate and VidText rely on cloud processing, so a stable network connection is required to work properly.