You don't need to spend money on an app or subscription to transcribe your audio notes on your Android smartphone. There's a straightforward, free method to do this on most Google Pixel devices, and you can even apply it to other Android phones.

Google launched its Recorder app with the Pixel 4, but it has since been updated to work with Google Pixel 2 and later models. This app significantly outperforms other recording and transcribing tools, but it's exclusively available for Pixel phones. However, you can install it on other Android devices through sideloading.

With Google Recorder, you can enjoy real-time transcription of your recordings without any premium service. The true power of this feature lies in its ability to export these transcriptions to other apps, making it an excellent tool for note-taking.

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Obtaining the Recorder App

Google Recorder is designed specifically for Google Pixel 2 and newer devices. If you own one, the app might already be installed, but you can also download it from Google Play if it's not in your app list.

For those with non-Pixel Android smartphones, you can still access Google Recorder, though not through the Play Store. You'll need to download the Google Recorder APK bundle and use an app like APKMirror Installer or Split APKs Installer to install it.

Recording Your Notes

Locate and launch the Google Recorder app on your Android device. Upon first use, you'll be prompted to allow microphone access and receive notifications. If you're signed into multiple Google Accounts, you can switch between them. You can also back up your recordings to your Google Account at recorder.google.com, where you can listen to audio, read transcripts, copy/paste text, and share notes.

Once you've granted microphone permissions, press the red button to start recording. The app will begin capturing audio and notify you when it detects speech, ensuring you're recording correctly.

To stop recording, press the pause button, which then turns into a resume button if you wish to continue. You might be asked to add a location, and you can assign a title to the recording (which defaults to the date/time if not specified). Click "Save" to store it in your library.

Viewing, Copying, or Editing the Transcript (Optional)

If you need to extract some text from a recording, open it in Google Recorder and switch to the "Transcript" tab. You'll see the full transcript, from which you can select and copy text. You can also use the scissors icon to edit the audio, using the transcript as a reference.

Copying the Transcript to Google Docs (Optional)

If you prefer not to use Google Docs, you can skip to the next section for sharing transcripts with other note-taking or word processing apps. Otherwise, from within the recording, tap the vertical ellipsis, select "Copy transcript to Google Docs," and choose a Google Account if you're signed into multiple ones. Once the transcript is copied, you can click "Open Google Docs" to access the new document directly.

Sharing with Your Favorite Note-Taking App

Inside the recording, click the share button, then choose "File" from the options. Select "Transcript," which is a simple .txt file, and press "Next" to select the app you want to share with.

From the sharing options, select your preferred app, and the transcript will be shared instantly. For example, I used Leaf Note, but it works with Evernote, Keep, OneNote, and any other word-processing or note-taking app as well.

Once shared, you can adjust the transcription to suit your preferred review style. The Recorder app presents the transcription in paragraph format, but with a note-taking app, you can transform it into bullet points, use bold, italics, and more. This way, you can reorganize the information from your notes into a format that best aids your memory retention.

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Cover photo and screenshots by Jon Knight/Gadget Hacks

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