08.09.2025
15 min
Best 10 Transcription Software for Windows [2025]
By Sanduni
Growth Content Editor
![Best 10 Transcription Software for Windows [2025]](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.meetjamie.ai%2Fapi%2Fmedia%2Ffile%2FBest_10_Transcription_Software_for_Windows_2025-9mp78r.png%3F2025-09-26T09%253A43%253A08.219Z&w=3840&q=100)
Transcription software for Windows is something I've been hunting for because, after spending many hours on my research through Microsoft forums, people often complain about failed uploads and processing that just stops working (usually right when you need it most).
You know that panic when a deadline is coming and your transcription just... dies?
Users also tried local transcription apps, thinking they'd be better.
But here's what I found:
- Most of them are terrible at using your GPU properly.
- Background noise and accented speech make these tools produce results that cannot be used.
- You end up spending more time fixing mistakes than if you'd just typed everything yourself.
(which defeats the whole point, right?).
Tons of Windows users are fed up and looking for tools that actually work reliably, run faster, and can handle real-world audio without falling apart.
So I did the hard work for you. I tested + researched + read reviews of different transcription software.
This guide covers everything from what they are, their unique features, how much they cost, and what customers say about them.
Enjoy!
Why Are People Searching for the Best Transcription Software for Windows?
Word for Windows transcription stops or fails when uploading
“I have used word to transcribe uploaded audio files and recently, I started getting an error message……” (Microsoft Q&A)
Many people who use Word’s built-in “Transcribe” feature on Windows PCs face problems. They try to upload a recording, but the tool doesn’t work or suddenly stops. When you have a deadline, getting an error instead of the transcript is frustrating and wastes time.
The bigger issue is losing time and trust. Users spend hours trying again, restarting their computer, and re-uploading files. Some find out later about OneDrive limits or service glitches only after things go wrong. This causes stress, and they start looking for better, more reliable transcription tools for Windows that won’t stop halfway through.
Local Windows transcription apps don’t use the graphics card well or are very slow
“using a 4060 8G with CUDA 12.6.65, on windows… and there’s no load on my 4060.” (GitHub)
People who want fast transcription on Windows try apps that run on their own computer (often using Whisper). But setting up the graphics card (GPU) on Windows can be tricky. Sometimes, the app ignores the GPU and uses the slower CPU instead, causing long files to take significantly longer to process.
This wastes time and money because the GPU you bought isn’t being used. After fighting with drivers and software versions, many give up and look for Windows tools that work well with their hardware without a complicated setup.
Background noise and accents make transcription less accurate
“I tested two free audio-to-text programs, but they have trouble with noise and accents.” (TECHCOMMUNITY.MICROSOFT.COM)
Windows users with interview recordings want quick, clear text. But when software struggles with background sounds or strong accents, the transcript has many mistakes. Instead of focusing on writing or editing, users spend time fixing simple errors.
The biggest problem is losing confidence. If the transcript misses important words, users don’t trust it. They look for Windows tools that handle tough audio better so they can spend time finishing their documents, not fixing transcripts.
What Are the Best Transcription Software for Windows?
Here are the 10 best transcription tools available for Windows in 2025:
- Jamie: AI transcription with summaries, action items, multilingual support, and offline use
- Microsoft Teams: Native live transcription for Microsoft Teams meetings
- Zoom: Video meetings with cloud-based transcription for Zoom meetings
- Fireflies.ai: AI note-taking assistant with CRM integrations and sentiment analysis
- Descript: Podcast/video editing via transcript editing and dubbing features
- Rev: Highly accurate human transcription option and AI transcription option
- Sonix: Fast transcription with multi-language support
- Trint: Best for team-based collaboration and publishing, an AI transcription on the go
- OneNote: Good for students and casual transcription
- Express Scribe: Manual transcription with pedal support
Jamie
Best For: Windows users who want a transcription software that comes with the full package of AI note + speaker identification + action item and decision extraction + Ask AI feature + CRM integration to your favourite tools, without any bots with GDPR grade compliance, all for free.
Similar To: Trint, Sonix
💜 Try out Jamie in our hands-on demo and see how easy (and fun!) note-taking can be!
Jamie is a transcription software for Windows that transcribes your audio and turns it into transcriptions with speaker identification and intelligent AI notes structured with advanced topic detection technology.
Not only that, Jamie also gives you task management features that capture and assign action items to those who are responsible. With the Ask AI feature, you can brainstorm or retrieve any past meeting information you would want in a matter of seconds.
It works with any meeting platforms because it works natively and only records audio coming from your device. This means you can use Jamie online with any platform, offline/online and in-person meetings.
Let's look at Jamie's key features in detail.
Detects when your mic turns on and sends a gentle nudge to “Start Jamie” so you never forget to take notes.
When your microphone is on, Jamie gets the signal that you’re in a call, then gently reminds you to start recording so you don’t forget to take notes. It doesn’t use a bot to join meetings; instead, it records the audio coming from your computer on Windows or Mac, and then transcribes the audio.
The audio file gets deleted soon after the transcription process is over to maintain utmost privacy for you and your clients. This means it works with Zoom, Teams, Meet or any app that plays audio through your computer without adding extra guests.
Generates clean AI meeting notes, instant transcripts with speaker identification and action items in minutes so you can export/share without typing everything after the call
Jamie creates an easy-to-read AI summary and full transcript, and automatically finds tasks and decisions with checkboxes and assigned people.
Usually, the notes are ready within 1-5 minutes after you finish recording, depending on the length of the audio being processed.
You can fix any part of the summary, tasks or transcript to make the words and abbreviations clearer to you. You can also share your summary right away with just a click of a button and even keep the full transcript for quotes. No more spending hours cleaning up notes.
Check off tasks, change who’s responsible and link everything back to the original meeting in one place.
Before you go to the next feature, please do take a look at how Jamie's task extractions are spot on from our amazing user!
(This also means there's minimal manual corrections, because it's normally...well...spot on!)
Works on Windows and macOS with any meeting platform and supports 100+ languages, so accents and multilingual sessions are transcribed easily.
Jamie supports over 100 languages. If you are a multilingual team, you can rest easy knowing Jamie got all your notes in your languages. You can use it with or without headphones, and you can choose which microphone to use in the app.
If you switch between apps like Teams, Zoom and Meet, Jamie will keep recording your computer’s audio without needing any changes. Since it also understands different languages and accents automatically, there's barely any "extra" steps you need to do; just keep Jamie running, and it will do the rest.
All you have to do is focus on the conversation and make good memories with your clients/attendees.
Pulls action items into checklists with owners so follow-ups don’t get lost in chat history or raw transcripts
Jamie finds tasks and decisions in your meeting notes and turns them into a checklist. You can click on a task to change who is responsible for it or type “/” to add new tasks yourself.
This way, nothing gets forgotten. The task list stays with the summary and transcript, showing clearly who owns each task. It’s much faster than typing tasks again in another app and keeps everything in context.
Let's you tag and filter meetings by project/client so you can find “all Finance QBRs” or “Client X” in one click
You can create tags like Projects, Clients, Departments or Teams and use these tags to filter your meetings. For example, if someone asks for all decisions made for Client X, you just filter by that tag and quickly send the notes.
Edits like a normal doc, headings, lists, bold, links and find-replace, so cleanup takes minutes, not an afternoon
Click on text to see a toolbar where you can change how it looks, add links, make it bold or italic and even find and replace words to fix repeated mistakes quickly.
You can correct acronyms or common misheard words throughout the whole document in one go, so you can finish and share your notes faster. Or you can simply ask from Jamie through our Ask AI feature.
Which we will see up next!
Chat with your meeting so you can ask follow-ups (“What did we decide?”) and get cited answers fast, with history and reasoning you can inspect
After a call, you can open Ask AI and chat with the meeting to find important information like decisions, who is responsible, dates and next steps. You can come back later because the chat history is saved. The interface now shows more details to explain the answers.
It can also summarise your recent meetings (from the last day, week or two weeks) without you having to type any questions.
Instead of reading through a 60-minute transcript, you can ask simple questions like “What are my action items?” and get a clear answer with references shown at the bottom.
This is perfect for project managers or recruiters who need quick and accurate information before sending follow-ups.
How It Works:
- Where it gets information: From your Jamie meetings (summaries and transcripts), with filters like All meetings, Last 30 days or Last Week.
- How to use it: Open Ask AI in Jamie, choose a meeting or “latest meetings” and start chatting. You can also continue previous chats from the main Ask AI page.
- What you get: Fast answers with clear references at the bottom and a panel showing the AI’s thought process.
Keeps your data private by design (GDPR, encryption, audio deleted after processing, notes stored in Germany).
Jamie keeps your data private by design. It encrypts your information, deletes the audio after processing and stores the notes in Frankfurt, Germany. The meeting notes are made with AI tools, but your data is never used to train these AI models. You control who can see your notes, and they are never shared automatically. That’s why Jamie is a good choice for private meetings or interviews that need extra security.
Jamie Pricing
FREE Plan (€0/month)
- 10 meeting credits per month
- 30-minute meeting duration limit
- AI-generated meeting notes
- Automatic action item extraction
- Complete meeting transcripts
- Speaker identification
- Calendar integration (Google & Outlook)
- Tag system
- Task management
- Advanced text editing
- Copy-paste integration
- Team workspace sharing
- No meeting bots required
- 100+ languages support
PLUS Plan (€25/month)
- 20 meeting credits per month
- 2-hour meeting duration limit
- Includes everything in the FREE plan
PRO Plan (€47/month)
- Unlimited meeting credits
- 3-hour meeting duration limit
- Includes everything in the PLUS plan
Team & Enterprise Plans
- Custom pricing
- Custom solutions
- Contact required for details
Pros and Cons of Jamie
Pros
- No meeting bots, captures audio locally on your device.
- Works with any platform, online or offline.
- Fast, accurate summaries and transcripts.
- Auto-detects tasks and decisions.
- AI chat lets you search notes instantly.
- Integration capabilities with tools you already love.
Cons
- Manual speaker tagging is required at first.
- No real-time transcription notes during meetings.
- No sales coaching and sentiment analysis.
Microsoft Teams
Best for: Businesses using Microsoft 365 for communication
Similar to: Zoom, Google Meet
Source: Microsoft Teams
Microsoft Teams is a tool from Microsoft that helps people work together in one place. You can chat, have video meetings, make calls, and share files easily. It also records meetings and turns what people say into text right away. Plus, it works smoothly with other Microsoft apps like Outlook and OneDrive to help you schedule meetings and save your files.
Who is it for?
Organisations that need an all-in-one workspace for messaging, video conferences, and automatic meeting transcripts.
Key Features
- Video meetings: Supports group video calls (up to 300+ participants) with screen sharing
- Live transcription: Automatically converts meeting speech to text in real time.
- Team channels: Persistent group chat threads organised by project or department
- Office 365 integration: Connects with Outlook Calendar, Word, OneDrive, and more for seamless workflow
- Recording & playback: Records meetings to the cloud with searchable transcripts and captions
Pricing
- Microsoft Teams offers automatic meeting transcription for free with most paid Microsoft 365 plans, including Business Basic, Standard, and Enterprise tiers.
- For more advanced features, you will need a Microsoft Teams Premium license, which costs an additional $10 per user per month, paid yearly.
Pros and Cons of Microsoft Teams Transcription
Pros
- Supports automatic transcription during meetings with clear segmentation.
- Integrates with Copilot for intelligent summaries, chapters, and action items.
- Works well when participants use individual connections for clearer audio.
- Translated captions are available for major languages like French and Spanish.
- Intelligent recap features allow post-meeting review with timestamps and insights.
Cons
- Transcription accuracy is unchanged in Teams Premium compared to standard Teams.
- Struggles with multiple speakers in the same room or shared devices.
- No built-in feature to correct transcription errors automatically.
- Speaker identification is limited unless using specific voice-enrolled hardware.
- Transcription availability and reliability can vary based on meeting organizer and organization settings.
Zoom
Best for: Teams needing reliable video conferencing with transcription
Similar to: Microsoft Teams, Google Meet
Zoom is an online platform that lets people have video meetings, webinars, and chat with each other. It helps you see and hear others clearly during virtual meetings.
You can share your screen, split meetings into smaller groups, and use fun reactions like emojis. Zoom also provides live captions during meetings and can turn recorded meetings into written text automatically.
Who is it for?
Remote teams, educators, and businesses need easy video meetings and automatic meeting transcripts.
Key Features
- HD video & audio: High-quality video meetings with noise suppression.
- Screen sharing & whiteboard: Share your screen or use a digital whiteboard for collaboration.
- Breakout rooms: Split a meeting into smaller group sessions for focused discussions.
- Cloud recording: Save meetings to the cloud and get automatic transcripts of the audio.
- Automated captions: Live AI-generated subtitles in real time (supports multiple languages).
Pricing
- Zoom Transcription (native, with cloud recording on paid plans): $0 per month (included, but requires Education, Business, or Enterprise subscription)
Pros and Cons of Zoom Transcription
Pros
- Transcribes multiple languages with reasonable accuracy, even in academic interviews.
- Automatically generates VTT files for meeting recordings.
- Works well enough for qualitative research needs with some manual review.
- Accessible and built-in, making it convenient for frequent Zoom users.
- Offers cloud recordings that can be viewed in a more script-like format.
Cons
- Breaks text every few seconds, making the transcript hard to read like a script.
- Struggles with technical terms and strong or varied accents.
- Lacks speaker identification and proper grouping by speaker.
- Requires significant manual editing to clean up formatting and flow.
- No intuitive settings to control transcript formatting or structure.
Fireflies.ai
Best for: Automatically capturing and summarising meeting notes
Similar to: Jamie, Chorus.ai
Source: Fireflies
Fireflies.ai is a smart assistant that listens to your online meetings and writes down what everyone says. It can join calls on Zoom, Teams, and other platforms by itself to record and create easy-to-search transcripts and summaries.
It understands over 100 languages and can tell who is speaking, making the transcripts accurate. After the meeting, it also gives helpful insights like the main topics discussed and the mood of the conversation.
Who is it for?
Teams who want hands-free meeting notes – ideal for sales calls, team meetings, or any discussion to review later.
Key Features
- Auto meeting recording: AI bot joins and records meetings on Zoom, Teams, Google Meet, etc.
- Transcription & search: Converts speech to text and lets you keyword search across transcripts
- AskFred AI assistant: Query your meeting notes – ask questions and get answers from the transcript
- Speaker analytics: Tracks who spoke when, including talk time and sentiment analysis.
- CRM integration: Connects with tools like Salesforce, Slack, and Asana to log notes and tasks.
Pricing
- Free: $0 per user/month
- Pro: $18 per user/month
- Business: $29 per user/month
- Enterprise: $39 per user/month (no monthly option; billed annually)
Pros and Cons of Fireflies.ai
Pros
- Automatically transcribes meetings and generates useful summaries and searchable transcripts.
- Integrates with Zoom, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams, Gmail, and HubSpot.
- Tracks speaker talk time and provides sentiment insights for better meeting analysis.
- Allows easy rewatching with captions and topic-based search during playback.
- Offers a user-friendly interface that simplifies note-taking and meeting follow-up.
Cons
- Transcription accuracy drops in noisy environments or with strong accents.
- Speaker identification can be unreliable, especially in multi-speaker settings.
- Transcript delivery can be slow, affecting fast-paced workflows.
- Some users find the interface outdated or unintuitive to navigate.
- Real-time collaboration and analytics features are limited compared to other tools.
Source: G2
Descript
Best for: Podcasters and video creators editing content via transcripts
Similar to: Audacity + Jamie (combined functionality)
Source: Descript
Descript is a smart tool that turns your audio and video recordings into text quickly. You can then edit your recordings just by changing the text, like cutting or moving parts around. It supports over 20 languages and has handy features like removing unnecessary words ("um," "uh") and even copying your voice to create new audio.
Who is it for?
Content creators and editors who want to streamline the editing of podcasts or videos using a text document approach.
Key Features
- Automatic transcription: Quickly converts audio to text with high accuracy.
- Text-based editing: Edit your audio or video simply by editing the transcribed text
- Overdub AI voices: Create a synthetic voiceover from text using a cloned voice profile
- Remove filler words: Automatically detects and deletes “um,” “uh,” and other hesitations
- Captioning & subtitles: Generates subtitles for videos in one click based on the transcript.
Pricing
- Free: $0 per user/month
- Hobbyist: $24 per user/month
- Creator: $35 per user/month
- Business: $65 per user/month
- Enterprise: Contact sales
Pros and Cons of Descript
Pros
- Transcriptions are highly accurate and include speaker labels, filler removal, and timestamps.
- You can edit both text and audio simultaneously for precise control.
- Offers convenient video editing tools like voiceovers and cutting clips.
- Features like Eye Contact and stock media access enhance production quality.
- Works quickly for basic edits and is easy to use even for beginners.
Cons
- Some features, like green screen processing, are slow and may remove unintended elements.
- Subtitle timing may misalign with audio when edits are applied.
- The editor UI can be finicky, and some panels aren't resizable.
- Sound may go slightly out of sync during editing in certain cases.
- The wide range of features can make the interface hard to navigate.
Source: G2
Rev
Best for: Professionals needing highly accurate transcripts or captions
Similar to: 3Play Media, Scribie
Source: Rev
Rev is an online tool that turns spoken words in audio or video into written text. It offers two options: a quick, automated transcription done by AI, and a more accurate transcription done by real people. You can use it for things like media projects, legal documents, school work, or everyday needs. It also helps add subtitles and captions to videos.
Who is it for?
Journalists, lawyers, content creators – anyone who needs either quick AI transcripts or near-perfect human transcripts and captions.
Key Features
- Human transcription: Highly accurate transcripts done by professional transcribers (roughly 12-24 hr turnaround).
- AI transcription: Instant automated speech-to-text for recordings using Rev’s ASR engine
- Captioning services: Adds closed captions to videos (AI-generated or human-edited for compliance).
- Global subtitles: Translates and subtitles videos in 15+ languages for international audiences.
- Meeting AI notetaker: Option to record and transcribe live Zoom/Teams meetings with an AI bot.
Pricing
- Free: $0 per user/month
- Basic: $14.99 per user/month
- Pro: $34.99 per user/month
- Enterprise: Contact sales
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Transcribes audio files in just a few seconds with strong accuracy.
- Offers highly accurate AI transcripts with optional human review.
- Includes features like summaries and Australian English transcription.
- Provides a user-friendly interface that's regularly improved.
- Supports a variety of content types, including interviews, lectures, and depositions.
Cons
- Uploads of third-party recordings may crash or fail consistently.
- Some features, like the word bank, were temporarily removed and later restored.
- Transcription accuracy may drop with regional accents or vernacular.
- Subtitle exports in certain languages may be flawed or unusable.
- Users have reported glitches and instability in mobile or in-app uploads.
Source: Rev
Sonix
Best for: Fast, automated transcription with multi-language support
Similar to: Happy Scribe, Temi
Source: Sonix
Sonix is a tool that uses AI to quickly turn your audio and video files into written text. It can work with over 50 languages and can also translate your transcripts into different languages.
You can edit your transcripts right in your web browser, making it easy to fix mistakes, organize your text, and share it with others from any device. Sonix also has smart features like creating summaries, finding main topics, and adding subtitles to your videos.
Here’s a bit more about what it offers and who it’s good for.
Who is it for?
Researchers, journalists, and content creators need a speedy transcription tool with language translation and easy online editing.
Key Features
- Multi-language transcription: Converts speech to text in 40+ languages (and translates transcripts to 50+ languages)
- Browser-based editor: Web editor to review audio, edit text, and add notes from any computer
- Automated subtitles: Generates subtitles for videos and lets you fine-tune their appearance
- AI summaries: Automatically produce concise summaries and highlights from transcripts
- Team collaboration: Multi-user access with shared folders, permissions, and comment tools for transcripts
Pricing
- Standard: $0 per month
- Premium: $22 per user/month
- Enterprise: Contact sales
Pros and Cons of Sonix
Pros
- Transcribes accurately in a wide range of languages, including Arabic, Turkish, Vietnamese, Chinese, and Swedish.
- Generates English translations from transcripts quickly and with strong accuracy.
- Offers speaker labelling, aiding in organising multi-speaker interviews.
- Editing tools are intuitive and make refining transcripts easy.
- Provides fast transcription and translation turnaround, even for large files.
Cons
- Subtitles export may fail or lack proper formatting in some cases.
- Mixed-language input like Cantonese-English may reduce transcription accuracy.
- Users have reported issues exporting subtitles for video editing.
- Some advanced export features may not function as expected under certain conditions.
- Speech in blended languages isn't always handled effectively by the system.
Source: Trustpilot
Trint
Best for: Newsrooms and teams collaborating on transcripts and content
Similar to: Sonix, Jamie
Source: Trint
Trint is a tool that uses AI to turn audio or video into text. It supports over 40 languages and has an online editor where you can easily fix and improve the transcript.
Multiple people can work on the same transcript at the same time, making it great for teams. It also has a feature called “Story Builder” that helps you pick important parts from transcripts and put them together into articles or scripts.
Trint can translate transcripts into more than 50 languages, and it has a mobile app so you can record and transcribe on the go.
Who is it for?
Journalists, media producers, and content teams need to turn recorded interviews or meetings into written stories collaboratively.
Key Features
- Automated transcription: AI-powered speech-to-text with up to 99% accuracy under good conditions.
- Live collaboration: Team members can simultaneously edit and annotate transcripts in real time.
- Batch upload & multi-language: Transcribe multiple files at once; supports 40+ languages with speaker detection.
- Story Builder: Combine segments from different transcripts to craft articles or scripts within Trint
- Mobile recording app: iOS/Android app to record live audio and get immediate transcriptions anywhere.
Pricing
- Starter: $80 per user/month
- Advanced: $100 per user/month
- Enterprise: Contact sales
Pros and Cons of Trint
Pros
- Produces near-perfect transcripts that are easy to work from.
- Exports accurate SRT subtitle files directly from finished videos.
- Supports transcription in Swedish and improves with continued use.
- Handles English and German interviews well for research purposes.
- The script-building feature makes organizing audio segments easy.
Cons
- XML exports may fail completely when working with scripts.
- EDL exports can lack critical data like timecodes and filenames.
- Export issues can make collaboration with video editors difficult.
- Script/story features may become unusable without subscription renewal.
- Some platform functions don't deliver as expected for video workflows.
Source: Trint
Microsoft OneNote (Transcribe)
Best for: Students or professionals transcribing meetings/lectures into notes
Similar to: Microsoft Word’s Transcribe feature
Microsoft OneNote is a simple app for taking notes that also lets you record audio and turn it into text. You can record sounds or speech right inside your notes, and it will change the words you say into written text on the page.
It has a “Transcribe” feature that uploads your recording to the cloud and gives you a transcript with timestamps and labels showing who is speaking. While recording, you can also write or draw notes, and these notes will match up with the audio so you can easily find what was said when you look back later.
Here’s a quick look at what else it offers and who can use it.
Who is it for?
OneNote users (especially Office 365 subscribers) who want to capture meeting or lecture audio and get a text transcript alongside their written notes.
Key Features
- In-app audio recording: Record voice notes directly in OneNote and save them in the cloud.
- Automatic transcription: OneNote converts recorded or uploaded audio to text, attached to the notebook page
- Speaker identification: Distinguishes different speakers in the transcript (labels like Speaker 1, Speaker 2)
- Ink-to-audio sync: Links your handwritten or typed notes to the timeline of the audio playback
- Cloud storage: Recordings and transcripts are saved to OneDrive, syncing across your devices
Pricing
- Microsoft 365 Family: $12.99 per month
- Microsoft 365 Personal: $9.99 per month
- Office Home 2024: $149.99 (one-time purchase; no monthly option)
Pros and Cons of OneNote Transcription
Pros
- Transcription works well for meetings and spoken content like TV news.
- Handles both English and German audio with impressive accuracy.
- Seamlessly integrates into OneNote's existing interface.
- Runs smoothly once set up properly, even on mobile devices.
- Offers a valuable tool for interview transcription and note capture.
Cons
- No way to link time-stamped transcription to typewritten notes yet.
- Only supports handwritten note syncing for audio timestamps.
- Still in beta, so functionality may be limited or unstable in places.
- Not yet available on all platforms, like iPad.
- Requires registry tweaks for some users to activate the feature.
Source: Reddit
Express Scribe
Best for: Transcriptionists who transcribe audio manually with foot pedal support
Similar to: InqScribe, oTranscribe
Source: Express Scribe
Express Scribe is a transcription software for both Windows and Mac that helps you type out audio recordings more easily. It lets you play audio at different speeds without changing the voice pitch, so you can listen slower or faster as needed.
You can control playback using foot pedals or keyboard shortcuts, so your hands stay free to type. It supports many audio file types and can automatically load new recordings from email or network folders to keep your work organised.
Who is it for?
Professional transcribers in medical, legal, or media fields who need fine control over playback and integration with pedals and typing software.
Key Features
- Foot pedal compatible: Works with USB foot pedals for hands-free playback control.
- Variable speed playback: Slow down or speed up audio without altering the speaker’s pitch.
- Format support: Plays over 45 audio formats (WAV, MP3, WMA, DSS, etc., including encrypted files)
- Hotkey controls: Use keyboard shortcuts to control playback while typing in Word or other editors.
- Auto file management: Can automatically fetch new dictations (via network/FTP/email) and send finished transcripts to clients.
Pricing
- Express Scribe Professional: $79.99 per year (no monthly option; billed annually)
- Express Scribe Basic: $69.95 per year (no monthly option; billed annually)
- Express Scribe Professional Quarterly Plan: $7.72 per month
Pros and Cons of Express Scribe
Pros
- You can adjust playback speed for easier listening during transcription.
- It supports foot pedal control, helping you transcribe without taking hands off the keyboard.
- You’ll find it easy to personalize hotkeys and shortcuts to fit your workflow.
- It’s simple to install and works smoothly right away for most users.
- It can handle a variety of audio and video file types effectively.
Cons
- You might run into poor sound quality when using the reduction feature.
- It can be hard to navigate the many features and options within the interface.
- You may experience issues running it on unsupported systems like Linux.
- You might miss having an auto-correct or auto-proofreading tool during editing.
- It can be hard to rely on it for tough audio, especially during second-pass proofreading.
Source: Capterra
Final Verdict: What’s The Best Transcription Software for Windows?
Honestly, you should choose your tool based on three simple things
- How reliable it is.
- How it handles complicated audio (background noises, voices overlapping each other, etc)
- And most importantly, how well it fits with how you work and your current workflow.
It’s not about how accurate they claim, it’s about, well...as mentioned above!
Best all-around for Windows: Jamie
Jamie gets the “get it done” combo: platform-agnostic recording (no meeting bots), fast transcripts with speaker ID, strong multilingual handling, and genuinely useful AI notes plus action items. It’s the most complete everyday choice if you bounce between Zoom/Teams/Meet or work offline. Caveats: no live in-meeting notes and you’ll tag speakers initially.
Best “already in my stack” (built-in & low lift): Microsoft Teams or Zoom
If you live in Microsoft 365 or Zoom, their native transcription is the easiest path to acceptable results and searchable archives. Expect readable, serviceable transcripts, just not the best diarization, structure, or noise/accent robustness, and formatting often needs cleanup.
Best accuracy on a deadline: Rev (Human Transcription)
When every word must be right (legal, medical, investigative), a human pass still wins. Use Rev’s AI for quick drafts; upgrade to human for final accuracy.
Best for editorial collaboration/newsrooms: Trint
Browser-based editing, team workflows, and “build a story from clips” features make Trint ideal for shared transcripts that turn into publishable copy.
Best fast automation + language coverage: Sonix
Fast uploads, a clean web editor, and broad language support, great for researchers and journalists moving lots of files quickly.
Best for creators who edit by text: Descript
Edit your podcast/video by editing words. Overdub, filler-word removal, captions, perfect for production workflows that live inside one tool.
Best hands-on/manual control: Express Scribe
If you prefer to transcribe yourself (foot pedal, variable speed, hotkeys), this is the dependable utility belt.
Best “set it and forget it” notetaker with integrations: Fireflies.ai
Bot joins calls, logs notes, and pipes highlights into CRMs and team tools, good for sales/CS teams who want auto-captured context.
Best for students & simple capture: OneNote (Transcribe)
Lightweight, convenient and attached to your notes. Great for lectures and personal meetings inside the Microsoft ecosystem.
Bottom line
- Choose Jamie if you want a cross-platform Windows solution that turns meetings into notes, tasks and transcripts without meeting bots or GPU drivers.
- Stay with Teams/Zoom if convenience and “good enough” live captions matter more than deep editing.
- Use Rev (human) when accuracy is non-negotiable.
- Pick Trint/Sonix/Descript based on whether you want team collaboration, speed + languages or text-based media editing.
- Express Scribe is the right choice for manual pros.
Pro tip: Before you commit, run the same 5–10 minute noisy, multi-speaker sample through your top 2–3 choices. Compare speaker separation, accent handling, timestamps and export cleanup time. The best tool is the one that saves you the most total time.
Read More
- Explore our guide to free AI-powered transcription software you can start using today
- Compare AI tools in our review of Rev Transcription and modern alternatives
- Discover the top-rated meeting transcription software for remote and hybrid teams
- See how to enable transcription in Microsoft Teams and boost meeting productivity
- Find the best call transcription software for customer support and sales teams
- Learn about interview transcription tools that save time and improve accuracy
- Get step-by-step help on transcribing Zoom meetings automatically
- Discover top transcription software for Mac users who need offline privacy
- Check out the 5 best video transcription software tools for creators and editors
- Read our German-language guide on interview transcription software (DE)
- Explore meeting transcription software tailored for German-speaking teams (DE)
FAQs on Transcription Software for Windows
What’s the best free transcription software for Windows?
If you want a free version that actually helps on busy days, start with built-in options like Zoom or Microsoft Teams for live captions, then use a focused tool for clean transcripts and editing; Jamie stands out here because it turns recordings into accurate transcripts with speaker identification and AI notes, while Sonix and Trint are solid paid alternatives and Rev adds human transcription for highly accurate transcription when quality matters most.
Why does Word for Windows transcription stop uploading, and how do I fix it?
It usually comes down to OneDrive limits, network hiccups, or file size/format issues, so try smaller audio, stable Wi-Fi, and supported video file formats before you re-upload; if you keep losing time, an AI transcription tool like Jamie avoids bots, works with any meeting app, and gives you a new transcript plus action items quickly, while Trint or Sonix also handle uploads reliably.
Which AI transcription tools handle strong accents and background noise best?
Tough audio can be frustrating, so look for noise-robust models and speaker identification to reduce cleanup; Jamie does well with 100+ languages and accents and adds AI notes to save you editing, while Descript, Sonix, and Rev’s human transcription service are good picks when you need extra help to remove background noise or catch regional terms.
Can I transcribe locally on Windows using my GPU for faster results?
You can, but GPU setup on Windows can be tricky and a huge time saver only when drivers and models align; if you’d rather skip tinkering, Jamie processes recordings for you and returns clean notes and tasks, while desktop apps like Descript offer local options and Express Scribe supports manual transcription when you prefer full control.
What’s the most accurate way to transcribe interviews on a deadline?
When every word matters, combine automated AI transcription tools with quick review; Jamie delivers fast, highly accurate transcription with speaker labels and action items so you can share notes fast, and if you need human-written transcription, Rev’s human transcription or Trint’s collaborative editor helps polish details without slowing you down.
Is there a Windows transcription app that also pulls out action items and decisions?
Yes, Jamie automatically extracts action items and decisions and lets you assign owners, while Teams with Copilot or Fireflies.ai can summarise meetings and surface key moments if you’re already inside those ecosystems.
How do I choose between transcription software and transcription services?
It depends on speed, cost, and accuracy: software like Jamie, Sonix, or Trint delivers quick, searchable text for everyday work, whereas transcription services like Rev provide human-checked results when legal, medical, or research content demands extra precision; many teams mix both to stay fast and confident.
What file formats should I use to avoid upload errors in Windows tools?
Stick to common video file formats and standard audio like MP3 or WAV to reduce hiccups, and keep files under provider size limits; Jamie accepts any time of audio file, all you have to do is play it, run it in the background while Jamie capture the audio for you, it will then transcribe after a successful procession, without any extra steps, while Sonix, Trint, and Descript also support broad format coverage for smoother imports.
Can I edit transcripts like a normal doc and fix repeated mistakes quickly?
You can with modern editors that feel like a word processor; Jamie lets you edit headings, bold, links, and run find-replace on tricky names, while Descript’s text-based editing and Trint’s browser editor also make cleanup easier so your online content is ready to share.
What’s the best transcription app for Windows if I work offline or switch tools a lot?
If your day jumps between other apps, choose something that works with any platform and doesn’t need meeting bots; Jamie records device audio locally and creates transcripts and AI notes you can export or copy-paste. Express Scribe and Jamie both support offline transcription, and Descript handles both offline edits and publishing.
How do I embed transcripts on web pages without messy formatting?
Export a clean transcript, lightly proof it, then paste it into your CMS with simple headings and timestamps; Jamie produces tidy text with speaker identification you can format quickly, and Sonix or Trint offer subtitle and HTML exports that drop into web pages without breaking layout.
Are there Windows tools that help with multilingual meetings?
Yes, Jamie covers 100+ languages and keeps things simple with automatic detection, while Sonix and Trint add translation options, and Zoom or Teams provide live captions that help mixed-language calls feel smoother.
Can I get transcripts plus summaries to share right after a call?
That’s where AI summaries add real value; Jamie delivers concise notes, decisions, and tasks minutes after recording, so your team moves faster, while Teams with Copilot, Fireflies.ai, and Descript also generate highlights and recaps when you need a quick read-out.
What’s the easiest way to make transcripts searchable across past meetings?
Jamie lets you query past meetings for quotes, action items, and decisions with references, while Sonix, Trint, and Descript offer transcript search so you can find the right moment without scrubbing through hours of audio.
How do I keep transcripts private and compliant when recording on Windows?
Look for GDPR-minded design, encryption, and clear data retention; Jamie is such a tool, it deletes audio after processing and stores notes in the EU + GDPR compliance, while enterprise tiers from Microsoft 365, Zoom, and Rev also offer governance options that satisfy most compliance teams.
What should I do if automatic transcripts still need lots of manual editing?
It happens, especially with noisy rooms or multiple speakers; try a cleaner mic, brief turn-taking, and a word bank for names, then run another pass in an editor; Jamie’s structured notes reduce rework up front, and pairing AI with a light human review in Trint, Sonix, or Rev is often the best tools approach for a final, polished result.
However, Jamie is exceptionally good at transcribing your audio even in chaotic environments. Don't just take our word for it. Look at what our amazing user had to say about Jamie.
Sanduni Yureka is a Growth Content Editor at Jamie, known for driving a 10x increase in website traffic for clients across Singapore, the U.S., and Germany. With an LLB Honors degree and a background in law, Sanduni transitioned from aspiring lawyer to digital marketing expert during the 2019 lockdown. She now specializes in crafting high-impact SEO strategies for AI-powered SaaS companies, particularly those using large language models (LLMs). When she’s not binge-watching true crime shows, Sanduni is obsessed with studying everything SEO.