# Speech-to-text

> Turn call recordings, voicemail and conference audio into text transcripts, and choose a transcription plan.

- URL: https://kb.voipcloud.online/au/services/speech-to-text/
- Section: Services
- Type: reference
- Applies to: Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, United States
- Portal page: /order_services/speech_to_text
- Last reviewed: 2026-11-09

**Speech-to-text** turns recorded audio into a written transcript. It works for more than 90 languages and labels each speaker, even when people talk over each other. Open it from **Services** › **Speech-to-text**.

The transcript is delivered the same way as the audio:

- **Cloud storage:** next to the call recording in **Reports** › **Call recordings**. See [Call recording storage](https://kb.voipcloud.online/au/services/call-recording-storage/).
- **Email:** with the recording or voicemail that's emailed to you. The transcript is included in the email, and emails that carry the audio file also get the transcript as attached files.

If you don't see **Speech-to-text** under **Services**, your provider hasn't made it available on your account.

## Turn on speech-to-text

1. Go to **Services** › **Speech-to-text**.
2. Under **Plans**, choose a plan.
3. Turn on **Enable the speech-to-text service**.
4. In the **Order summary**, tick **Agree to service terms and conditions** and click **Submit order**.

**Enable the speech-to-text service** can't be turned on until you've chosen a plan. The menu item then shows **Service enabled**.

## Plans

The plans, their prices and the minutes they include are set by your provider and shown on the page. Each plan shows:

| Shown on the plan | What it means |
| --- | --- |
| Price **per month** | The monthly fee. A pay-as-you-go plan can have no monthly fee. |
| **Free included value** | Transcription time included each billing period. |
| **Excess usage is … per …** | The price for transcription beyond the included time, charged per block of time. |

Once the service is on, **Included minutes remaining for the current billing period** shows what's left of your included time.

**Note:** If you switch plans, any remaining included minutes from your current plan are cancelled. The new plan's included minutes are worked out pro rata for the rest of the billing period.

## Choose what to transcribe

The service only pays for transcription. To transcribe audio, turn on **Transcribe audio to text** in the PBX objects that make it:

- **[User](https://kb.voipcloud.online/au/pbx/accept-make-divert/user/):** the user's call recordings.
- **[Call recording](https://kb.voipcloud.online/au/pbx/audio/call-recording/):** every call that passes through it.
- **[Voicemail](https://kb.voipcloud.online/au/pbx/accept-make-divert/voicemail/):** voicemail messages.
- **[Conference](https://kb.voipcloud.online/au/pbx/different/conference/):** conference recordings.

To change all objects at once, go to **PBX** › **Settings** › **General** (see [General settings](https://kb.voipcloud.online/au/pbx/settings/general-settings/)), under **Speech-to-text**:

- **Enable the 'Transcribe audio to text' setting by default for all new objects that support this option**
- **Enable speech-to-text for all existing objects**

Click **Apply configuration** after changing the call flow. If the service isn't on, the PBX shows "This is a paid service. Please activate it first."

## Transcribe existing recordings

Recordings saved before you turned the service on aren't transcribed automatically.

- **All or a period:** on the **Speech-to-text** or **Call recording** page, click **Transcribe existing call recordings**. Leave **Transcribe all existing call recordings** on, or turn it off and choose a time period, then click **Confirm**. Recordings that already have a transcript are skipped. This can't be undone.
- **One recording:** in **Reports** › **Call recordings**, open the recording and click **Transcribe recording**. If the service isn't on yet, this opens the **Speech-to-text** page. If your balance is too low, you're asked to top up first.

Transcription is charged under your current plan.

**Important:** Transcripts can contain mistakes, including the wrong speaker. Check important details against the recording. Deleting a call recording also deletes its transcript.

## Turn off speech-to-text

Turn off **Enable the speech-to-text service** and submit the order. Audio is then no longer transcribed, and recordings still waiting to be transcribed are cancelled.

Existing transcripts are kept with their call recordings, and are deleted automatically when those recordings are deleted. Any unused included minutes are lost.

## Related

- [Call recording storage](https://kb.voipcloud.online/au/services/call-recording-storage/)
- [Call recordings report](https://kb.voipcloud.online/au/reports/call-recordings/)
- [Call recording object](https://kb.voipcloud.online/au/pbx/audio/call-recording/)
- [General settings](https://kb.voipcloud.online/au/pbx/settings/general-settings/)