# Voice-to-text in Telegram

How to transcribe a voice message, what the limits are and whether you can turn it off.

https://shiba-bank.com/en/guides/voice-transcription

Updated 2026-10-02 · 4 min read

Telegram can turn voice and video messages into text: tap the →A icon next to the message and a transcript appears below it. Without a subscription you get two transcriptions a week; with Telegram Premium there is no weekly limit.

## How to transcribe a voice message in Telegram

1. Open the chat with the voice message or video message.
2. Tap the →A icon next to the message.
3. The text appears under the message. You can rate the transcript, which helps Telegram improve it.

The limit depends on the subscription of the person transcribing, not the sender.

## How many transcriptions you get without Premium

- **Without a subscription** — two messages a week, voice or video. Each one has to fit within a length limit set by Telegram.
- **With Telegram Premium** — no weekly limit, for voice and video messages alike. It is one of the subscription's features; see [what Telegram Premium includes](https://shiba-bank.com/en/guides/what-is-telegram-premium).
- **In boosted groups** — once a group reaches a high enough boost level (level 6 in Telegram's table), every member can transcribe that group's voice and video messages without a limit and without Premium, and the weekly quota is not used up. How a group gets boosts: [boosts on Telegram](https://shiba-bank.com/en/guides/telegram-boosts).

> **Important:** A message that is too long may not be transcribed: the feature has a length limit.

## How to turn off voice-to-text

Transcription never switches on by itself. The text appears only when you tap the →A icon, and audio is sent for conversion only for the messages you chose to transcribe. Telegram does not describe a setting that hides the icon, so the surest way not to see transcripts is not to tap it.

If the voice messages themselves are the problem, Premium subscribers can limit who may send them voice and video messages: the privacy settings have a "Voice Messages" item.

## Privacy: where the audio goes

Telegram's privacy policy says it may rely on a third party, Google LLC, for voice-to-text conversion, and that the audio of voice and video messages you choose to convert may be shared with Google to get the text.

## Bots that turn voice messages into text

Some Telegram bots take a forwarded voice message and send back text. Keep in mind that such a bot receives the whole recording, including the sender's voice, and you do not know who stores it or how. For personal and work conversations the built-in transcription is the safer choice.

> **Tip:** The Shiba Bank bot does not transcribe voice messages: it buys Telegram Premium and Stars. A 3, 6 or 12 month subscription can be bought for yourself or a friend — see the [Premium page](https://shiba-bank.com/en/premium) and the bot.

[Buy Premium — Open the app](https://t.me/barboskich_stars_bot?startapp=site_ai_en_premium)

## Frequently asked questions

### How do I transcribe a voice message in Telegram?
Tap the →A icon next to the voice message and the transcript appears below it. Video messages work the same way.

### How many voice messages can I transcribe without Premium?
Two messages a week. With Telegram Premium there is no weekly limit.

### How do I turn off voice message transcription in Telegram?
A transcript appears only after you tap the →A icon. Telegram does not describe a switch for it, so it is enough not to tap the icon.

### Is there a Telegram bot that converts voice messages to text?
Such bots exist, but they receive your audio in full. Telegram's built-in transcription gives two messages a week without a subscription and no limit with Premium.

### Does Telegram transcribe video messages?
Yes, round video messages are transcribed the same way, with the →A icon. The limit is shared: two messages a week without a subscription, none with Premium.

### Where does Telegram send my voice messages when transcribing?
For the conversion it may use a third party, Google LLC. Only the audio of the messages you chose to transcribe is shared.