How to record and transcribe interviews on iPhone

The worst part of interviewing is not the interview — it's the hours of re-listening to find that one quote. A speaker-labeled transcript removes that step entirely.

Short answer: Record the interview on your iPhone (with consent), transcribe it with an app like AI Transcribe, and you get a transcript with speaker labels and timestamps — [00:14:32] Speaker 2: … — so quotes are searchable and attributable. A one-hour interview transcribes in minutes.

Consent first: recording laws differ by country and state — some require all parties to consent. Ask on the record at the start; it also makes attribution cleaner.

Step 1 — Record well

• Place the phone between you and the subject, closer to them than to you.
• Quiet room > café. Background noise is the single biggest accuracy killer.
• For remote interviews over Zoom/Meet/Teams, record on the platform and import the file afterwards — audio or video, up to 3 hours.

Live recording in AI Transcribe runs up to 2 hours; for marathon sessions, record in parts or import the files later.

Step 2 — Transcribe with speaker labels

Transcription includes speaker diarization by default: each speaker turn is labeled and timestamped, which is exactly what you need for a two-person interview. Interviews in other languages work too — 32 languages with automatic detection.

Step 3 — Work the transcript, not the audio

• Search the text for the topic you remember, jump to the timestamp to verify tone.
• Summarize or Highlight key ideas for a fast editorial overview.
• Answer questions — ask specific questions against the transcript ("what did she say about the budget?").
• Export as text or PDF into your CMS or notes; the original audio can be exported alongside as your record.

Frequently asked questions

How accurate are the speaker labels? Very reliable for two or three clearly distinct voices with little crosstalk. Heavy interruptions and similar-sounding voices reduce label accuracy — the words remain, but you may need to fix an attribution. Note: speaker labeling is unavailable for a few languages (including Japanese, Korean, Hindi, Chinese and Vietnamese); the transcript itself still works.

Can I transcribe old interviews sitting in Voice Memos? Yes — import works on any existing recording regardless of age. See how to transcribe voice memos.

What does it cost? AI Transcribe is free to download and try; the Pro subscription (weekly or annual) unlocks up to 3 hours of transcription per day. For comparison with Otter and TurboScribe pricing, see our honest comparison.

Should I use Otter instead? If your interviews happen inside scheduled video calls with a team workspace, Otter's meeting bot is convenient. For in-person, phone-first interviews, note that Otter's free plan allows only 3 file imports per account (lifetime, as of July 2026).