The fastest way to transcribe a phone call is automatically: let a service like Ajora listen along during the call. You hang up and get the transcript plus a summary in your inbox. Typing it out by hand or uploading a recording afterwards works too, but takes more time.
What does it mean to transcribe a phone call?
Transcribing a phone call means turning the spoken words in a conversation into written text: a transcript. Speech recognition listens to the call and automatically writes out who says what. The result is a record you can read back, search and share.
This used to be a manual job, with the recording open and a finger on the pause button. Today a phone call can be transcribed automatically, often together with a short summary and the action items from the call.
Why transcribe a phone call?
A transcript of your phone call is valuable in many situations:
- You do not have to take notes while calling and can focus on the conversation.
- You read back exactly what was agreed, without noise or relying on memory.
- Sales and customer contact: faster follow-up and nothing slips through the cracks.
- Capturing legal intakes, recruitment interviews and advisory calls.
- Sharing a call with a colleague who was not there.
How to transcribe a phone call: three ways
1. Type it out by hand
You replay the recording and type everything yourself. Accurate, but slow: typing it out easily takes four to six times the length of the call.
2. Record and upload to a transcription tool afterwards
You record the call, upload the audio to a transcription service and get the transcript back. Faster than typing, but you have to record, export and upload yourself.
3. Automatically, live during the call
A service joins during the call and transcribes it right away. No exporting a recording, no upload, no manual work. You hang up and the transcript is ready. This is how Ajora works.
Transcribing on iPhone and Android
iOS has no built-in feature to transcribe phone calls automatically, and on Android it differs per brand. The most reliable way on both is a service that joins the call, independent of what your handset can do on its own.
With Ajora you add it during the call, or you switch on call forwarding in the Ajora app so it happens automatically as soon as you call. How to add Ajora to a call is in the step-by-step guide.
Transcribe phone calls automatically with Ajora
Ajora listens along to your phone call and turns it into text automatically. Afterwards you get a transcript plus a summary with action items and decisions in your inbox. You set it up in the Ajora app, which is on the App Store and on Google Play.
- Transcript, summary and action items for every call.
- The app is available for iPhone and Android.
- EU-hosted and GDPR compliant: your transcripts sit on servers in the EU.
- Everything searchable and easy to find in your account.
Want it fully hands-free? Switch on call forwarding in the Ajora app and every call is transcribed automatically.
Are you allowed to transcribe a phone call?
In the Netherlands you may record and transcribe a phone call as long as you take part in it yourself. It is good practice and legally safest to inform the other person beforehand that you are capturing the call. Rules differ per country, so check your local law.
For business use and sharing transcripts, extra data-protection rules apply: handle data carefully and keep no more than you need. Ajora is built with privacy as a starting point, EU-hosted and GDPR compliant. Read more on the security page.
What to look for in a transcription service
- Accuracy and speaker recognition: who says what.
- Supported languages, such as Dutch and English.
- Privacy: where is your data stored, and is it EU-hosted and GDPR compliant?
- Does it work live during the call, or only afterwards via an upload?
- Do you only get a transcript, or also a summary with action items?
- Price, and what happens if it turns out not to suit you.
Frequently asked questions about transcribing phone calls
How do I transcribe a phone call?
There are three ways: type it out by hand from a recording, upload a recording to a transcription tool afterwards, or have it transcribed automatically while you call. The fastest way is automatic: a service like Ajora joins the call and turns it into text right away.
Can I transcribe a phone call automatically?
Yes. With a service that listens along during the call, like Ajora, your phone call is transcribed automatically. You hang up and get the transcript plus a summary in your inbox, without uploading anything.
Does transcribing a phone call work on iPhone and Android?
The service joins the call itself, so transcribing does not depend on your handset. The Ajora app you set it up with is available for iPhone and Android.
What does it cost to transcribe a phone call?
Ajora costs 15.99 euros per month, or 12.80 euros per month if you pay for a year up front. That includes 600 call minutes per month. If it does not suit you, there is a money-back guarantee for the first seven days. Typing it out by hand is free but takes a lot of time.
Which languages can I transcribe a phone call in?
Ajora works with languages including Dutch and English. Not sure about a specific language? Get in touch with support.
Am I allowed to transcribe a phone call?
In the Netherlands you may, as long as you take part in the call yourself. Inform the other person beforehand that you are capturing the call; that is good practice and legally safest. Check your local law.
Want your phone calls transcribed and summarised automatically? Create an account, or read the frequently asked questions first. Questions? Email [email protected].
Sources
- Article 139c of the Dutch Criminal Code: intercepting or recording telecommunicationswetten.overheid.nl (Dutch)
- Article 13 GDPR: information to be provided when collecting dataFull GDPR text, privacy-regulation.eu
- Rules for recording a phone callACM ConsuWijzer (Dutch consumer authority)