Is there a transcription app that never uploads my audio and works offline?
Yes. Transcribe transcribes on your iPhone or iPad with Apple's on-device speech models. It does not upload recordings or transcripts, has no account, and works offline after you download a language once.
Download Transcribe on the App Store
How the options compare
- Voice Memos (built in): Free and already installed. Apple's guide lists iPhone 12 or later and ten languages, and says it is not available in every country or region. It offers a transcript but no meeting tools or export formats.
- Cloud services such as Otter: Otter's privacy policy says audio recordings you provide are collected, that it uses cloud providers such as Amazon Web Services, and that it trains its AI on de-identified audio recordings and transcriptions. They add features such as speaker names. Read the policy before using one for sensitive audio.
Where Transcribe fits
Everything on the recording path runs on the device: capture, transcription and, on Apple Intelligence iPhones, summaries. There is no account to create and no server that holds your audio. The one network need is the one-time download of each language's speech model.
Free is unlimited: recordings with no time limit and full transcription on every iPhone running iOS 26 or later. Pro adds export, encrypted backup of your library, marking moments, extra transcription languages and, on supported devices, AI summaries and Ask AI.
Honest limits: no speaker labels, no phone-call recording (iOS does not allow it), and AI features need a supported device. Your recordings are on your phone, so back them up; Pro includes an encrypted backup. See the privacy policy for details.
What it costs
Transcribe is free to download. Unlimited recordings, with no time limit, and full on-device transcription are free. Pro adds export, encrypted backup, marking moments, more transcription languages and, on Apple Intelligence devices, AI summaries, action items and Ask AI. Plans and prices are shown in the app and on the App Store page, and vary by region. Prices from the US App Store, checked 2026-11-04; they vary by region.
Quick answers
Is anything uploaded?
No. Transcribe does not upload recordings or transcripts to a server.
Does it work in airplane mode?
Yes, after the language has been downloaded once.
Do I need an account?
No.
Can I back up my recordings?
Pro includes an encrypted backup of your library with scheduled reminders.
More questions about Transcribe
- How do I transcribe a lecture on my iPhone, even without Wi-Fi?
- What is the best way to turn voice memos into text on an iPhone?
- How can I transcribe a meeting privately, without uploading the audio?
- What is the best way to record and transcribe an interview on iPhone?
- Is there an iPhone app that summarizes meetings and lists the to-dos?
- How do I transcribe the audio of a video on my iPhone?
Full details: Transcribe app page · all answers