A transcript is the starting point for good AI meeting notes: once you have the words, any AI assistant can turn them into a summary, decisions and action items in seconds. You do not need a paid note taker to get one. Here are six free (or already-paid-for) ways to transcribe a meeting, and a prompt that turns the transcript into a clean summary.
Quick answer
- Check the meeting app you already use: Teams, Zoom and Google Meet all offer transcripts on many business plans.
- No transcript there? Record with your phone’s built-in recorder, which can transcribe on most new phones.
- Paste the transcript into a free AI assistant with the summary prompt below.
1. Microsoft Teams transcription
In most Microsoft 365 business plans: More (…) → Record and transcribe → Start transcription. After the meeting, open the Recap tab to view or download the transcript. More in AI note taker for Microsoft Teams.
2. Zoom transcripts
On paid Zoom plans, cloud recordings can include an audio transcript (turn on Create audio transcript in your recording settings), and Zoom’s AI meeting summary is included with eligible paid plans. See AI note taker for Zoom.
3. Google Meet transcripts
On supported Google Workspace editions, click Activities → Transcripts → Start transcription. The transcript is saved as a Google Doc in the organizer’s Drive. Eligible plans can also use Gemini’s “Take notes for me”. See AI note taker for Google Meet.
4. Your phone’s recorder
For in-person meetings or any call on speaker: iPhone Voice Memos can show transcripts on recent iOS versions, the Google Pixel Recorder app transcribes on the device, and Samsung’s Voice Recorder can transcribe on supported Galaxy models. Copy the text when you are done. More in AI note takers for in-person meetings.
5. Word for the web (Microsoft 365)
If you have a Microsoft 365 subscription, open a document in Word for the web, go to Home → Dictate (arrow) → Transcribe, and either record live or upload an audio file. Word creates a transcript with speakers and time stamps that you can add to the document. Monthly upload limits apply.
6. Free plans of note-taker apps
Otter, Fireflies, Fathom, tl;dv and similar apps all offer free plans. They are the easiest way to get transcripts across Zoom, Meet and Teams, but free plans limit minutes or meetings per month. Compare them in best AI meeting note takers.
Turn the transcript into a summary
Paste the transcript into ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini or Copilot (use a business account for work meetings) with this prompt:
“Here is a meeting transcript. Write: 1) a 5-line summary, 2) decisions made, 3) action items as a table with task, owner and due date, 4) open questions. Use only information in the transcript and mark anything unclear as [check].”
Long meeting? Ask for the summary first, then ask follow-up questions such as “What did we agree about the budget?”
Get a cleaner transcript
- Use headsets or a good microphone. Audio quality matters more than the tool.
- One person speaks at a time. Crosstalk is the biggest cause of errors.
- Spell out names and numbers when they matter: “That’s 4,500 dinars, four-five-zero-zero.”
- Check the language setting. Most tools need you to pick the meeting language; mixed Arabic–English meetings may need a manual review.
- Tell everyone the meeting is being transcribed, and follow your company’s privacy rules.
FAQ
Can I transcribe a meeting for free?
Yes. Teams, Zoom and Google Meet include transcripts on many business plans, most new phones transcribe recordings, and note-taker apps have free plans. Then paste the transcript into a free AI assistant for a summary.
What is the best free AI for meeting transcription?
Use the transcript built into the meeting app you already pay for. If there is none, your phone’s recorder or a note-taker app’s free plan works well for occasional meetings.
How accurate is AI meeting transcription?
Very good with clear audio and one speaker at a time, but names, numbers and technical terms are often wrong. Always check them before sharing.
Is it safe to paste a meeting transcript into ChatGPT?
For work meetings, use a business account your company approves and remove confidential details. Do not paste sensitive HR, legal or client discussions into a personal AI account.