Home › Learn › How Long Does Transcription Take? AI vs Manual
Transcription time depends on whether you use AI or manual transcription. AI transcription is dramatically faster — a 1-hour recording takes minutes, not hours.
Transcription time comparison
AI transcription: 1-hour recording transcribed in 2-5 minutes
Manual transcription: 1-hour recording takes 4-6 hours to transcribe
Hybrid (AI + human review): 1-hour recording takes 30-60 minutes
Real-time transcription: words appear within 300ms of being spoken
Factors that affect AI transcription time: file size, audio quality, server load
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Talk2Memo transcribes audio in real time — words appear within 300ms of being spoken. For uploaded files, a 1-hour recording is typically transcribed in 2-5 minutes.
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