Convert FLAC to text
Upload a FLAC recording and get an editable transcript without first converting the file to a lossy format.
Turn FLAC into text
- Upload the FLAC file directly. There is no need to convert it.
- Choose the spoken language and start the transcription.
- Listen back and correct names, numbers and unclear passages.
- Export the transcript, and keep your FLAC as the archive.
About FLAC files
- What it is
- Free Lossless Audio Codec. It compresses audio without discarding any of it, so the decoded sound matches the source.
- Compared with WAV
- FLAC holds the same audio in a smaller file and supports tags such as title and date.
- Typical source
- Archival interview collections, oral history projects, music libraries and high-quality recorder exports.
- Maximum file size
- Up to 5 GB per file.
- Free plan length
- Free files longer than 30 minutes are cut: only the first 30 minutes are transcribed.
FLAC suits people who care about keeping a recording intact. Oral history projects, research teams and archivists use it because it shrinks audio without altering it, unlike MP3, which trades detail for size. Open a FLAC and you hear what the original recorder heard.
For transcription this means you can skip the usual advice to convert first. Convert a FLAC to MP3 and you add a lossy step you cannot undo; upload it directly and the transcript is built from the full recording. The saving in size over a WAV is considerable, which also makes uploads quicker on a slow connection.
Archive and working copy
A sensible habit is to treat the FLAC as the permanent record and the transcript as a working document. Scribewren removes its copy of the original within 24 hours and keeps a playback copy for a limited time, so the archive that matters, yours, stays under your control. Name files with the date and a short label so the transcript can be matched to its source years later.
Questions
Should I convert FLAC to MP3 before uploading?
No. Upload the FLAC as it is. Converting to a lossy format first only discards detail you may want later.
Does lossless audio give a better transcript?
It preserves everything the recorder captured, which helps on difficult audio. It cannot recover words that were never recorded clearly, so accuracy still varies.
Are FLAC tags used?
No. Tags such as artist and date are ignored. Only the audio is transcribed.
What about a very long FLAC session?
Unlimited accepts files up to 10 hours and 5 GB. For longer sessions, split the recording at a natural break.
Does Scribewren keep my archive?
No. Originals are deleted within 24 hours of processing. Keep your own master copy.
Try it on your own recording
Free includes a few transcriptions a day. No card needed. Compare plans.
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