Whisper AI Transcription Online
Run a Whisper Base model locally in your browser with Hearably Pro. Review the generated transcript and export SRT; files are limited to 500 MB on Pro.
Free: 3 audio uploads/day · 30-second preview · 120% boost · 3-band EQ
Whisper is a multilingual speech-to-text model that can turn recorded speech into timestamped text. Its output quality varies with the model size, language, speakers, noise, accents, and recording quality, so generated transcripts require review.
Hearably Studio Pro runs Whisper AI transcription online locally in your browser through Transformers.js and ONNX Runtime WebAssembly. The first use downloads and caches the roughly 150 MB Whisper Base model. Hearably does not upload the audio file for transcription, although model downloads, authentication, and ordinary page analytics still use network requests. Review the generated text before relying on it.
Local processing can reduce the exposure created by uploading the media file to a transcription vendor, but it does not by itself establish GDPR, HIPAA, privilege, or other legal compliance. Organizations must assess browser storage, device controls, authentication, analytics, retention, and their own policies.
Hearably Pro can combine transcription with local volume and EQ processing, Magic Cut suggestions, and SRT export in one browser tab. Each transcript and suggested cut remains a draft until a person checks it.
Need the same fix elsewhere? See also Auto Caption Generator, SRT Subtitle Generator and AI Podcast Editor Online — all three use the same audio engine, tuned per platform.
How Whisper AI Runs in Hearably — ONNX Runtime WebAssembly
Hearably loads onnx-community/whisper-base through @huggingface/transformers in a dedicated Web Worker. The current inference backend is ONNX Runtime WebAssembly; the product does not currently select a WebGPU backend for transcription.
The browser decodes the media and OfflineAudioContext resamples the audio to 16 kHz mono. The worker processes 30-second chunks with a 5-second stride and returns timestamped segments. The roughly 150 MB model can be cached after its first download. Runtime and accuracy vary by hardware, language, file length, and recording quality.
How to get the best audio on Whisper AI Transcription Online
Compare the original and enhanced audio before transcribing
EQ and moderate gain may improve intelligibility in some recordings but can also emphasize noise or distortion. Preview the result and choose the cleaner input; Hearably has not established a universal word-error-rate improvement.
Use Magic Cut to clean up the transcript
After Whisper generates the raw transcription, enable Magic Cut to automatically identify and remove filler words — "um," "uh," "like," "you know," "basically," "sort of." This produces a cleaner, more professional transcript suitable for publication, subtitles, or meeting notes without manual editing.
Export as SRT for video subtitles
Whisper generates segment-level timestamps that map directly to SRT subtitle format. After transcription, click Export SRT to get a ready-to-use subtitle file. Import it into any video editor (Premiere, DaVinci, CapCut), upload to YouTube as captions, or use with media players like VLC for instant playback subtitles.
Process long recordings in segments
For recordings longer than 30 minutes, Whisper automatically splits audio into 30-second segments for processing. This happens transparently — you see a progress bar, and the final transcript is a single continuous document. On older hardware, very long files (2+ hours) may benefit from splitting into shorter clips for faster processing.
Leverage automatic language detection
Whisper identifies the spoken language from the first 30 seconds of audio. You don't need to specify whether the recording is in English, Spanish, Japanese, or any of 90+ supported languages. For multilingual content that switches between languages mid-sentence, Whisper handles code-switching natively.
Use the VTT format for web video players
If you're adding captions to a web video (HTML5 video element, custom player), export as WebVTT (.vtt) instead of SRT. VTT is the native caption format for web browsers and supports styling metadata. Both formats contain identical text and timing data — the difference is syntax compatibility with your target platform.
Reuse the cached model when available
The roughly 150 MB Whisper Base model is cached by the browser when possible. Clearing site data or browser cache can require another download.
Verify accuracy on critical content
Review every transcript, especially names, numbers, technical terms, and regulated or published material. Hearably has not published a controlled benchmark for this exact browser build.
Built for this exact use case
Local Media Processing
The audio file is decoded and transcribed locally rather than uploaded to Hearably. Authentication, model downloads, and ordinary analytics still use network requests.
Multilingual Model with Auto-Detection
Whisper Base supports many languages and can auto-detect the source language. Detection and transcript quality vary, so verify the selected language and output.
SRT, VTT & Plain Text Export
Export your transcription as SRT subtitles (for video editors), WebVTT captions (for web players), or plain text (for documents). Timestamps are automatically extracted at the segment level with accurate synchronization.
Enhance + Transcribe in One Workflow
Boost volume, apply EQ, and compress dynamics before transcribing — all in the same tool. Cleaner audio input means better Whisper accuracy. Then use Magic Cut to remove filler words from the transcript automatically.
Choose your method
Different situations call for different tools. Hearably gives you both.
Chrome Extension
Enhance audio live while you stream. The extension intercepts your tab's audio and processes it in real-time — volume boost, EQ, presets — without downloading anything.
- Streaming on Whisper AI Transcription Online, Netflix, Spotify
- Video calls on Zoom, Meet, Teams
- Supported browser tabs with audio
- When you want instant, always-on enhancement
Free Online Studio
Upload an audio or video file, apply volume boost + 10-band EQ, preview in real-time, then download the enhanced WAV. Your file never leaves your browser.
- Downloaded videos or music files
- Podcast episodes you want to boost before sharing
- Voice recordings, lectures, interviews
- When you need a permanently enhanced file
Pro tip: Use a YouTube-to-MP3 tool to download the audio, then enhance it in Hearably Studio with EQ + volume boost. Perfect for offline listening, DJ sets, or sharing on social media.
Three clicks to better audio
Install
Add Hearably from the Chrome Web Store or Microsoft Edge Add-ons.
Enhance
Click the Hearably icon and tap "Enhance." Boost kicks in instantly.
Enjoy
Adjust volume, EQ, and presets on supported browser tabs.
Frequently asked questions
Is Whisper transcription included in the free Studio tier?
No. AI transcription is a Hearably Pro feature. The free Studio tier includes 3 audio uploads per day, files up to 50 MB, a 30-second preview, boost to 120%, and a 3-band EQ.
How accurate is browser-based Whisper?
Hearably currently runs Whisper Base through the WebAssembly backend. Accuracy varies by language, speakers, noise, accents, and hardware, and Hearably has not published a controlled benchmark for this build. Review every transcript before use.
Do my audio files get uploaded to Hearably?
The audio file is decoded and transcribed locally rather than uploaded to Hearably. Authentication, model downloads, and ordinary page analytics still use network requests; see the privacy policy for the full boundary.
What audio and video formats are supported?
Any format your browser can decode: MP3, WAV, FLAC, OGG, AAC, M4A, MP4, WebM, and MOV. For video files, the audio track is extracted automatically. The studio converts all input to 16kHz mono PCM — Whisper's expected format — using the Web Audio API.
How long does transcription take?
Processing time varies substantially with hardware, browser load, language, and file length. The current transcription backend is WebAssembly. The roughly 150 MB model download adds time on first use; later sessions may reuse the browser cache.
Can Whisper handle multiple languages in one recording?
Yes. Whisper handles code-switching natively — if speakers switch between languages mid-sentence, the model transcribes each segment in the correct language. It also auto-detects the primary language from the first 30 seconds, so you never need to specify the language manually.
What is the maximum file size or duration?
Hearably Pro accepts files up to 500 MB and video up to 60 minutes. Browser memory, hardware, codec support, and model performance can impose lower practical limits.
Can enhancing audio improve transcription?
It may improve intelligibility for some quiet recordings, but it can also amplify noise or distortion. Compare the original and enhanced preview and use the cleaner input. Hearably has not established a universal accuracy improvement.
Can I use the transcription output as YouTube captions?
Yes. Export as SRT and upload directly to YouTube Studio as a subtitle file. YouTube accepts SRT format natively and will use your timestamps for caption synchronization. This is significantly more accurate than YouTube's built-in auto-captions, especially for accented speech, technical content, and non-English languages.
Which Whisper model does Hearably use?
Hearably currently loads onnx-community/whisper-base through Transformers.js and ONNX Runtime WebAssembly. It is not the OpenAI hosted transcription API, and its runtime, model size, and results can differ.