How to record audio that transcribes well: ten simple tips

By the BF-Blessy team · Updated November 7, 2026 · 2 min read

The best transcription software in the world cannot fix a recording where nobody can hear the speaker. Most errors in automatic transcripts come from the sound, not from the software. The good news is that a phone is enough to make a clean recording if you follow a few habits.

1. Choose a quiet place

Close windows and doors, switch off fans, televisions and radios. Background noise competes with the voice and the transcript will contain mistakes. A small room with curtains and carpet sounds better than a large empty hall, which causes echo.

2. Bring the microphone close

Distance is the biggest enemy of clear sound. Hold the phone about a hand's width from the speaker's mouth, or place it on a table between two people, pointing to both. A cheap headset or lapel microphone placed near the mouth is a big improvement.

3. Do a ten-second test

Record a short sample and play it back with headphones. If you can understand every word easily, you are ready. Testing takes seconds and can save a whole interview.

4. Keep the phone still

Do not hold it in a way that touches the microphone, and do not rub or tap the table. Handling noise is loud on a recording. Put the phone on a stable surface and leave it.

5. Turn off notifications

Put the phone in flight mode or silent, so that messages and calls do not interrupt or add sounds.

6. Ask people to speak one at a time

Overlapping voices are the hardest thing for any listener, human or machine. Ask guests to wait for the end of the question. If it is a group meeting, ask people to say their name the first time they speak.

7. Speak clearly, not fast

Normal speed with clear endings of words works best. If the topic uses names or numbers, say them slowly, and spell unusual names.

8. Say the language and the topic at the start

Start with a sentence such as "Interview with a farmer in Goma, in Swahili, on 12 October." It helps you later and reminds you to select the right language in the tool.

9. Save in a common format

MP3, M4A, WAV, OGG, WEBM and MP4 are common formats that most tools can read. Do not rename a file to change its type, record or export it correctly instead.

10. Keep a backup

Copy the recording to a second place as soon as you finish. Lost recordings cannot be recovered, and a transcript is only as safe as its audio.

A short pre-recording checklist

1. Quiet room, notifications off.
2. Microphone close, phone still.
3. Ten-second test with headphones.
4. State the date, subject and language.
5. Backup after recording.