Every Chromebook released with the Recorder app (or updated to a recent enough ChromeOS version) can record audio and turn it into searchable, editable text — without a third-party app or an internet connection.
What the Recorder app does
- Real-time, offline transcription — after a roughly 100MB speech model downloads once, transcription works without Wi-Fi.
- Speaker labels — the app attempts to separate different speakers in the transcript.
- Searchable transcripts — search any word and jump straight to that point in the audio.
- AI summaries — Chromebook Plus devices get three-bullet AI summaries of each recording; standard Chromebooks get recording and transcription but not summaries.
- Export — save the audio file and/or the transcript text outside the app, including to cloud storage.
How to record and transcribe audio
- Open the launcher and search for Recorder.
- The first time you record, ChromeOS downloads a small on-device speech model — leave the app open on Wi-Fi for a minute.
- Tap the red record button to start capturing audio from your built-in or connected microphone.
- Watch the live transcript appear as you (or whoever is speaking) talk.
- Tap the stop button when you’re done — the recording is saved automatically to your Chromebook’s storage.
- Open the saved recording to review the transcript, adjust playback speed, or search for a specific word.
How to export a recording or transcript
- Open the saved recording in the Recorder app.
- Click the Export option (menu icon or export button, depending on your ChromeOS version).
- Choose to export the audio file, the transcript as text, or both.
- Pick a save location — local storage, or a connected cloud drive if you’ve added Dropbox, OneDrive, or Google Drive to the Files app.
Still not working?
- No Recorder app in the launcher. Update ChromeOS — the app rolled out gradually starting with ChromeOS 130 and reached all Chromebooks after that.
- Transcript is blank or inaccurate. Make sure the speech model finished downloading (needs Wi-Fi the first time) and that your microphone isn’t muted or blocked by another app.
- Running out of space. Long recordings add up — check how to free up storage space if saves start failing.
- No AI summary showing. That feature is exclusive to Chromebook Plus devices; standard Chromebooks only get recording, transcription, search, and export.
FAQ
Does Recorder work without an internet connection?
Yes, once the offline speech model has downloaded the first time, both recording and transcription work fully offline.
Can Recorder tell different speakers apart?
Yes, it labels different speakers in the transcript, though accuracy varies with audio quality and how distinct the voices are.
Where are my recordings saved?
Recordings save to local storage on your Chromebook by default. Use the Export option to copy them to a connected cloud drive or USB storage.
Is Recorder the same app as Voice Typing?
No. Recorder captures and transcribes standalone audio files for later review, while Voice Typing dictates text directly into whatever field you’re typing in as you speak.
