# How to transcribe voice messages in a group chat

To get voice messages transcribed in a group, add the free bot @TranscribeVoiceBot to the group and make it an admin — it then replies to every voice message and round video with its text. Without admin rights, reply to any recording with /text and the bot transcribes just that one.

- Time: **~2 min**
- Cost: **Free: 30 minutes a day**
- Bot: **[@TranscribeVoiceBot](https://handybots.tools/en/bots/transcribevoicebot/) **

[Open in Telegram: @TranscribeVoiceBot](https://t.me/TranscribeVoiceBot?start=s_web_en_voicegroup)

Main guide: [How to transcribe voice messages to text](https://handybots.tools/en/guides/voice-message-to-text/)

## Step by step

1. **Start the bot in a private chat** —  Tap **Open in Telegram**, then **Start** in the chat with @TranscribeVoiceBot.
2. **Add it to your group** —  Tap **➕ Add to a group** under the welcome message and choose the group. Telegram offers to add the bot as an administrator — accept, so the bot can see voice messages.
3. **Talk as usual** —  Each new voice message and round video note gets a reply with its text. In groups with topics, the reply goes to the same topic.
4. **Without admin rights: use /text** —  Reply to a voice message, video note, audio or video with /text. If the group has other bots, write /text@TranscribeVoiceBot.

Automatic mode vs. the /text command

|  | Automatic (bot is an admin) | Reply with /text |
|---|---|---|
| What it transcribes | Voice messages and round video notes | Voice messages, video notes, audio and video |
| Whose free minutes are used | The person who sent the recording | The person who sent /text |
| Daily cap for the group | 120 minutes of automatic transcription a day | No group cap |
| Needs admin rights | Yes | No |

## What the bot skips in a group

In automatic mode the bot stays quiet when a recording is longer than 20 minutes or bigger than 20 MB, when the sender has used up their free minutes, or when the message is posted on behalf of a channel or an anonymous admin. /text must also be sent from a personal account.

## About the bot

[**Voice to Text**](https://handybots.tools/en/bots/transcribevoicebot/) @TranscribeVoiceBot
Yes. 30 minutes of recordings a day are free.

## Frequently asked questions

**Is it free?**

Yes. Everyone gets 30 free minutes a day; each recording is rounded up to a whole minute.

**Why doesn't the bot react to voice messages?**

Without admin rights Telegram doesn't show the bot other members' messages. Make it an admin, or reply to a recording with /text.

**Does the bot keep the recordings or the text?**

No. Recordings are transcribed on our own server by the open-source Whisper speech model, and neither the recording nor the text is kept after the reply.

**Can I change the bot's language in the group?**

The language is changed in the private chat with the bot (/language); in groups the bot has only /text and /help.

[Open in Telegram: @TranscribeVoiceBot](https://t.me/TranscribeVoiceBot?start=s_web_en_voicegroup)

## Related guides

- [How to transcribe voice messages to text](https://handybots.tools/en/guides/voice-message-to-text/)
- [**All guides**](https://handybots.tools/en/guides/)

Source: https://handybots.tools/en/guides/transcribe-voice-messages-in-group-chat/