Error message when transcribing audio files.

Question

Hello, I am attempting to transcribe an audio file (home>dictate>transcribe) and I get the error message "We can't generate a transcript for your recording right now. This recording has been saved, or will be saved to your OneDrive the next time you open this pane. Wait a few minutes and try again". I have been trying to transcribe it for a week now and get the same message each time. I cleared my cache and verified that the audio file has, in fact, been saved to OneDrive. Has anyone encountered this issue before? For privacy reasons, I cannot upload this file to a source on the internet to transcribe it.

Thanks everyone!

Answer 1

Hi, Meck, Resh (Campus)

That message usually means Word has saved the audio file, but the cloud transcription service is failing when it tries to process it. Since it has been happening for a week, it may not be the file itself.

Besides the solutions provided by the Q&A Assist, here are some suggestions you can try:

First, check whether you have already used the monthly upload allowance. Microsoft 365 users can transcribe up to 300 minutes of uploaded audio per month, while Copilot-licensed users have a much higher limit. If the limit is reached, Word may fail without giving a very clear message.

Also check the file size. It is recommended that the file be under 200 MB. If it is close to that size, try making a copy of the audio, shorten it into smaller parts, or export it again as a fresh MP3/WAV file with a simple filename, for example recording1.mp3. Avoid special characters in the file name.

In Word desktop, go to File > Account > Account Privacy > Manage Settings, then make sure optional connected experiences are enabled. Transcribe in Word desktop needs optional connected experiences to work properly.

If you are using Word on the web, it is recommended that you try an InPrivate/Incognito window with extensions disabled, or temporarily change the Microsoft 365 display language to English (United States).

One important privacy note: Word Transcribe is not fully local. Audio files are sent to Microsoft to provide the transcription service, although the audio and transcription results are not stored by the service after processing. If the file must not leave the computer at all, Word Transcribe may not be suitable, and a locally installed/offline transcription tool approved by your organization would be the safer route.

Thank you for your patience in reading, I hope this information has been helpful to you. 

---

If the answer is helpful, please click "Accept Answer" and kindly upvote it. If you have extra questions about this answer, please click "Comment."    

Note: Please follow the steps in our documentation to enable e-mail notifications if you want to receive the related email notification for this thread. 

Answer 2

The error message indicates that Word successfully saved the recording to OneDrive but cannot complete the transcription. From the available information, only supported and required conditions for Transcribe can be confirmed; no specific error fix is documented.

Verify all of the following, then retry:

1. Confirm supported scenario
   • Use Word for the web or the desktop Word experience that exposes Home > Dictate > Transcribe.
   • Make sure the audio file is in a supported format: .wav, .mp4, .m4a, or .mp3.
2. Check Microsoft 365 sign-in and subscription
   • Ensure sign-in with an active Microsoft 365 subscription; otherwise the Transcribe feature may not work at all.
   • If using multiple accounts, switch to the account that has edit permissions and the subscription:
     1. Select the user profile in the top-right corner.
     2. Choose the profile that has the required permissions.
3. Use a supported browser and keep the Transcribe pane open
   • Use the new Microsoft Edge or Chrome when working in Word for the web.
   • Start transcription via Home > Dictate > Transcribe, then Upload audio.
   • Keep the Transcribe pane open while transcription runs. Transcription can take up to about the length of the audio file, depending on internet speed.
4. Confirm OneDrive availability
   • Transcribe saves recordings to the Transcribed Files folder on OneDrive.
   • Verify that OneDrive is accessible and that the file appears there.

If all of the above are satisfied and the same error persists for multiple days, the behavior is not covered by the documented troubleshooting steps; contact Microsoft Support with details of the account, environment (browser, Word version), and the exact error text.

---

References:

• Transcribe your recordings
• Use a screen reader to record and transcribe audio in Word
• Dictate Help [Internal]