Quick answer: Drag the file onto the Lyonesse window on your Mac, or use the import button and pick it. The app transcribes it on the Mac, and you get speaker labels, a summary and search over the text. Common audio formats work. For a video, export its audio track first, as described below.
This page covers files you already have: an interview you exported, a podcast episode, a screen recording or a video. If the recording was made in Voice Memos, see how to transcribe a Voice Memo on your Mac.
The short version
- Open Lyonesse on your Mac.
- Drag the audio file into the window, or use the import button and choose it. For a video, export the audio first.
- Wait while it transcribes. The work happens on your Mac.
- Read the transcript, rename the speakers if you want, and open the summary or ask a question about the file.
What Apple gives you on a Mac, and where it stops
Voice Memos on macOS 26 shows a transcript for memos recorded in that app. Notes can also record audio inside a note and transcribe it, for the languages Apple lists. Apple's Notes guide (support.apple.com/guide/notes/apdb5106e334) describes recording inside a note. It does not describe bringing in a file from Finder to transcribe it, so for a file you already have, you need a different tool. That is the gap this page covers.
Transcribe a file in Lyonesse for Mac
The import code accepts these audio formats: mp3, m4a, wav, aiff, aac, flac, ogg and opus. For a video, we have not verified a direct import from the Content tab, so export its audio track first. QuickTime Player can do that in a few clicks, and the result is an .m4a file the app accepts.
The list is what the import code accepts. Not every codec inside every audio file has been checked one by one. If a file is refused, export it as an audio-only .m4a file and try again. The steps for that are in the FAQ below.
- Drag the file onto the Lyonesse window, or click the import button and pick it from the Finder dialog.
- Leave the window open until the progress finishes. A long file takes longer than a short one. Try a five-minute clip first if the file is two hours long.
- Open the transcript. Each line is tied to a speaker, and you can rename the speakers from the transcript.
- Search the transcript for a name or a phrase, or ask a question such as "what did the guest say about pricing?"
You can start with the free plan. Get Lyonesse on the Mac App Store and try it on the file you need today.
Make the transcript usable
A transcript on its own is a wall of text. Lyonesse gives you a few ways to work with it:
- Speakers. Lines are grouped by who is talking, and you can give each speaker a name.
- Summary. Open the summary for the file to get the main points.
- Questions. Ask about the file in plain words and go to the line the answer came from.
- Export. Copy the text, or export it as Word, Markdown, SRT or VTT subtitles.
What stays on your Mac
Transcription and summaries run on your Mac. The audio file is not synced to iCloud. Two things to know. Lyonesse syncs the text through iCloud by default, and you can turn that off in Settings. And for some languages, Apple's speech recognition can run on Apple's servers if you choose that for the language. It is an opt-in, per language, and it is not the default.
The first time you transcribe, the app may download the speech model it uses. After that, file transcription works without a connection. The full details are in the privacy policy.
What the free plan includes
The free plan includes one item. An item is a recording or an imported file, so a transcribed file uses up your one item. To keep adding files, you need a subscription. The subscription prices are on the App Store listing, and they can change, so check there before you buy.
Tips for a cleaner transcript
- Use the original file, not a copy that has been compressed for a chat app.
- Choose the language the file is spoken in. Lyonesse offers 15 transcription languages.
- A recording with one speaker at a time, and no music under the voice, is easier to read back.
- If two people talk over each other, expect a few lines to need a fix. Those are the ones to check first.
Other ways to do it
Other Mac apps also transcribe files offline, and many of them use Whisper models. Read each app's privacy policy, and check its language list and export formats before you pay. Some apps only accept a few formats, and some only export plain text.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I transcribe a video on my Mac without uploading it?
Yes. Export the audio track in QuickTime Player, which runs on your Mac, then import the .m4a file into Lyonesse. The video itself never leaves the Mac, and the transcription runs on the device.
What do I do if Lyonesse refuses a file?
Open the file in QuickTime Player on your Mac and export it as audio only, which gives you an .m4a file. Then drag that file into Lyonesse. Not every codec inside every container has been tested, so this is the fallback.
Does transcribing a file on my Mac need internet?
The first time, the app may download the speech model it uses, so keep Wi-Fi on for that step. After that, transcribing a file runs on the Mac without a connection. Syncing your transcripts through iCloud does need one.
Can I transcribe an interview on my Mac?
Yes, if you have the audio file. For a guide to the whole interview process, including recording, see how to transcribe an interview.