Official documentation

View a Voice Memos transcription on Mac

Apple, Apple Support, Voice Memos User Guide, 2026

Read on October 16, 2026

What it is: Apple's help page on the transcripts that the Voice Memos app on a Mac creates for recordings. It says that transcripts can be watched during recording or viewed after it, and that transcription is not available in every country or region.
How much weight it carries: Official Apple documentation, read on 2026-10-16. It does not say which macOS versions or chips are required, so this guide does not state those requirements.

Facts taken from this source

Apple's steps for a finished recording say to select the transcript text you want, Control-click it, then choose Copy, and paste it into another document such as a Mail message or text file.
“Select the text you want to copy, Control-click it, then choose Copy.” (Section View or copy transcribed text after recording)
Apple says that the Voice Memos app on a Mac can recognize and transcribe the speech in audio recordings.
“Speech in your audio recordings can be recognized and transcribed to text in Voice Memos.” (Introduction of View a Voice Memos transcription on Mac)
Apple says that if you open a recording made in macOS 14 or earlier, or on a device that does not support transcription, Voice Memos transcribes it automatically when it contains recorded speech.
“If you open a recording made in macOS 14 or earlier, or a recording made on a device that doesn’t support transcription, Voice Memos transcribes the recording automatically if it includes recorded speech.” (Note under View a Voice Memos transcription on Mac)
Apple says audio transcription in Voice Memos on a Mac is not available in all countries or regions.
“Audio transcription isn’t available in all countries or regions.” (Note under View a Voice Memos transcription on Mac)