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HyperWhisper transcribes live recordings, and also audio files that you already have on disk. The procedure is the same on both platforms. You select a file from the menu, a progress popup shows the work, and the result goes to your History. The supported formats and the provider limits are different on each platform. Select your platform below.

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Open the file picker

Click the HyperWhisper menu bar icon. Hover over Transcribe File, then select the mode. A standard macOS file picker opens immediately.HyperWhisper menu bar with the Transcribe File submenu openEach mode in your library shows as a submenu item. You can transcribe with Hyper, Voice to text, Meeting, or a custom mode. Your default mode does not change.

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Supported formats

HyperWhisper accepts most common audio containers and the two main video containers. For a video file, HyperWhisper extracts the audio track on your computer before the transcription.
Each cloud provider supports a different set of audio formats. If you select a format that the provider does not accept, HyperWhisper stops before the upload. It shows the formats that the provider supports. You do not wait for a long upload and then get an unclear API error.

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Automatic WAV conversion for MAI-Transcribe

The Microsoft MAI-Transcribe 1.5 engine on HyperWhisper Cloud accepts WAV, MP3, and FLAC only. macOS keeps your recordings as M4A, and it converts an imported video to M4A. The server thus refuses the upload.macOS repairs this for you. On the refusal, it converts the audio to a 16 kHz mono WAV and sends the audio one more time. It makes this second attempt one time only, and it deletes the temporary WAV file after the attempt. The conversion applies to dictation and to file transcription.If the conversion fails, or the WAV file is larger than the 300 MB server limit, HyperWhisper shows the original error. Select a different Cloud engine for that mode.

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File size limits

Local models have no file size limit. Each cloud provider has a different limit. HyperWhisper applies the limit before the upload:If the file is too large for the provider of the selected mode, HyperWhisper shows an error. The error gives the file size, the limit of the provider, and the name of the provider. To transcribe larger files, change the mode to a different provider (for example, HyperWhisper Cloud or a local model).
The 2 GB limit for HyperWhisper Cloud is the limit that the app applies before the upload. Four Cloud engines have a smaller limit on the server:A file that is larger than the server limit gets a “file too large” error from the server. The app does not stop it first. For a large file, select a different Cloud engine, for example ElevenLabs Scribe v2 or Deepgram Nova 3.

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What happens during transcription

A floating progress popup appears when you select the file. The popup shows three stages:
1

Preparing (0–15%)

HyperWhisper makes sure that the file size and the format are correct. It copies the file into your recordings folder. For a video file, it extracts the audio track. If this option is on and the file is 30 seconds or longer, it also runs VAD silence trimming.
2

Transcribing (15–85%)

HyperWhisper sends the audio to the local model or the cloud provider of your mode. The progress bar moves while the provider does the work.
3

Finishing (85–100%)

HyperWhisper applies the post-processing rules of the mode (formatting, vocabulary, custom prompt). It saves the transcript. The main window then shows History, where you can copy or edit the result.
You can click Cancel on the popup at any time. If you cancel, HyperWhisper deletes the copied file and saves no transcript.

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VAD trimming

If Voice Activity Detection is on in settings, HyperWhisper trims imported files of 30 seconds or longer. It removes the silence at the start and at the end before it sends the file to the provider. HyperWhisper transcribes the trimmed file and keeps the original audio. You can change between the two versions in the History view.

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After transcription

On both platforms, the result appears in History with the original audio. In History, you can do these tasks:
  • Copy the text or the post-processed version to your clipboard again
  • Run a different mode on the same file
  • Edit the transcript directly
  • Delete the entry and the saved audio
If a transcription fails before it is complete, HyperWhisper still creates the entry in History and shows the error. You can try again without a new import of the file.