Why WAV files are big
WAV stores audio uncompressed, keeping every sample exactly as it was captured. That is why field recorders, digital audio workstations, and studio gear default to it, and also why a few minutes of WAV can be many times larger than the same recording as an MP3.
Uncompressed sound is ideal input for transcription because nothing has been thrown away. Clean WAV audio with a good microphone gives our transcription engine the best possible signal to work from, which usually shows up as fewer misheard words in the final text.
Handling large WAV uploads
Because WAV files are heavy, watch the size limits. The free first file caps at fifty megabytes, a free account allows one hundred, and a long uncompressed recording can pass that quickly, so a Pro account with a two gigabyte ceiling is the better fit for full sessions.
Once uploaded, export the transcript as TXT for a clean read, SRT or VTT for captions, or DOCX on Pro. Timestamps are embedded throughout, so you can align the text back to the original session for editing or review.
Frequently asked questions
Does uncompressed WAV transcribe more accurately than MP3?
It can help at the margins because no audio detail was discarded, but a clean MP3 already transcribes very well. Microphone quality and background noise matter far more than the file format itself.
My WAV file is over the size limit, what can I do?
Long WAV recordings are large by nature. A Pro account raises the ceiling to two gigabytes per file and five hours, which covers most full studio or field sessions in one upload.
Will my studio recording be kept on your servers?
Your WAV is removed the moment your transcript is ready, and we only retain the resulting text so you can open and export it whenever you need it.