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How to transcribe an interview
There are three ways to turn a recorded interview into text: use a transcription app (fastest), do it by hand (most control), or hire a human service (most expensive). This guide covers all three, plus how to get a clean transcript, how to handle consent, what to do if the interview runs long, and how long it actually takes.
The fastest way: transcribe an interview with an app
For most people, a transcription app is the right answer — a draft in minutes instead of hours. Here is the flow with Attesta on iPhone:
- Tap record at the start of the interview. An audible tone plays so your interviewee knows it has started.
- Put the phone on the table between you, mic end facing up. Keep it off soft surfaces that muffle sound.
- Tap stop when you are done. The audio uploads and transcribes in the cloud.
- Read the transcript — speaker-labeled, with a summary, key topics, and quotes pulled out automatically.
- Fix names and jargon if needed, then export the summary as a PDF when you're ready to share it.
Because every line is tappable, you can jump straight to the moment a quote was said instead of scrubbing through audio. And nothing you record is ever used to train an AI model.
How long can a single recording be?
A single Attesta recording runs up to 60 minutes. If your interview goes long, it does not get cut off mid-sentence or lose anything — it stops the same way tapping Stop yourself would, and you still get the full transcript and summary for everything captured so far. For a two-hour, oral-history-style interview, plan on stopping and starting a second recording once you are past the first hour.
If you need a break partway through — a phone rings, you refill coffee — pause instead of stopping. Pausing keeps everything in one recording and one transcript, and the paused time does not count against the 60-minute limit, so an interview with a couple of breaks still fits comfortably in a single recording.
Interviewing more than one person
Not every interview is one-on-one. Panel interviews, roundtables, and group discussions work the same way — Attesta's speaker labels are not limited to two voices, so a transcript with several participants still comes back split by who said what. See how speaker labels work for more on how that identification happens.
Getting the interview out of the app: transcript vs. summary
The transcript itself — the full, speaker-labeled text — is read right in the app. It's there whenever you need to check exact wording, and tapping any line jumps playback to that moment — but there is no copy or export action on the transcript text today; treat it as your reference copy, not a file to hand off. What you can export and share is the AI summary: once it's ready, export it as a PDF straight from the recording — the summary, key topics, and quotes in one file — and send it from your iPhone's share sheet: email, Messages, Slack, AirDrop, wherever you need it. For a full transcript in an article or a research write-up, quote from what you read in-app.
Find an old interview later: search your library
If you interview people regularly, the real problem eventually isn't recording — it's finding the one thing someone said three months ago. Attesta's library search checks the full text of every transcript in your account, not just the titles, so a quote you half-remember ("something about the Q3 budget") turns up even when you cannot recall which interview it was in. It's a Pro feature, and it searches your whole history, not just the recordings currently loaded on screen.
How to transcribe an interview by hand
If you want full control over every word, transcribe manually:
- Open your audio in a player that lets you slow playback and set hotkeys (or use a foot pedal).
- Play in short 5–10 second segments, type what you hear, then repeat.
- Label each speaker (for example, Interviewer: and Name:) and add timestamps at topic changes.
- Do a second pass with the audio to catch missed words and fix punctuation.
Manual transcription is accurate but slow — plan on four to six minutes of work per minute of audio. Many people record with an app, let it produce the draft, then hand-correct, which is far faster than starting from a blank page.
Tips for an accurate transcript
- Record close. Get the mic within a meter of both voices; distance is the number-one cause of errors.
- Cut the noise. Pick a quiet room, away from cafes, fans, and air conditioning.
- One voice at a time. Speaker labels and accuracy both suffer when people talk over each other.
- Say names and terms clearly early on, so the transcript gets them right.
Get consent before you record
Transcribing an interview is fine — as long as you have consent to record it. Laws vary: some places only need one party to agree, others require everyone. The simplest rule is to always tell your interviewee you are recording. Attesta makes that automatic with an audible tone at the start of every recording, so consent is never ambiguous.
How long does it take to transcribe an interview?
By hand, a clean 1-hour interview takes about 4–6 hours; a 2-hour interview, 8–12 hours. With a transcription app, the first draft of either is ready in a few minutes, and your only real work is light correction. That time saving is the whole reason apps exist.
Record an interview, get a speaker-labeled transcript plus a summary and quotes — with an audible consent tone, and never trained on your audio.
Download on theApp StoreFrequently asked questions
How do you transcribe an interview?
Record it clearly, then run the audio through a transcription app for a fast draft, or type it out manually in short segments. An app like Attesta gives you a speaker-labeled transcript plus a summary automatically.
Can ChatGPT transcribe an interview?
Not on its own — it needs a speech-to-text step first, and it does not handle speaker labels or timestamps. A dedicated transcription app does all of that in one pass.
Is it okay to transcribe an interview?
Yes, with consent to record. Recording laws vary by region; in two-party-consent areas everyone must agree. Always tell your interviewee — Attesta’s audible tone makes it clear.
How long does it take to transcribe a 2-hour interview?
By hand, roughly 8–12 hours. With an app, a few minutes for the first draft, then light correction.
Is there a time limit on interview recordings?
Yes — a single Attesta recording runs up to 60 minutes, then stops cleanly (same as tapping Stop yourself), keeping the transcript for everything captured. Pause during breaks instead of stopping; paused time does not count against the limit. For interviews that run well past an hour, start a second recording once the first stops.
Can Attesta transcribe a panel or group interview?
Yes — speaker labels are not limited to two voices, so a roundtable or panel with several participants still comes back split by who said what.
Can I export or copy my interview transcript?
Not the transcript text itself — it's read-only in the app today, with no copy or share action on it. What you can export is the AI summary: tap export for a PDF with the summary, key topics, and quotes, then send it from your iPhone's share sheet.
Can I search across all my past interview transcripts?
Yes, on Pro — Attesta's library search checks the full text of every transcript you've recorded, not just the title, so a quote or topic turns up even when you don't remember which interview it came from.