How to transcribe WhatsApp calls on a PC
By the Call Transcriber team (TacAssist)Updated 6 min read
WhatsApp doesn't transcribe calls. But if you take your WhatsApp calls on a Windows PC, you can get a live, written transcript of both sides in a few minutes of setup. Here's how.
WhatsApp has no call transcription. Take the call in WhatsApp Desktop (or WhatsApp Web) on a Windows PC and run a desktop transcription app such as Call Transcriber: it detects the WhatsApp call, transcribes your microphone and the other person's audio on your PC, and lets you copy any part during the call. No bot, no upload, free for 30 days.
What you need
- A Windows 10 or 11 PC with a microphone (a headset is best).
- WhatsApp Desktop from the Microsoft Store, linked to your phone. WhatsApp Web in a browser works too.
- Call Transcriber, which transcribes the call on your PC. It's free for 30 days.
Step 1: Set up WhatsApp Desktop for calls
- Install WhatsApp from the Microsoft Store and scan the QR code with WhatsApp on your phone (Settings > Linked devices).
- Make a quick test call to check that your microphone and speakers or headset work. If Windows asks whether WhatsApp may use the microphone, allow it.
Step 2: Install Call Transcriber
- Download Call Transcriber and run the installer. It also downloads the offline English speech model (661 MB), so the first call works straight away.
- Sign in with your email: you get a 6-digit code, and the free trial starts.
- On the last welcome step choose Start transcribing automatically, and keep "Start with Windows" on so calls are noticed even when you forget to open the app.
Step 3: Make or answer a WhatsApp call
Start a voice or video call in WhatsApp Desktop. About three seconds after WhatsApp starts using your microphone, Call Transcriber starts a transcript named "WhatsApp":
- What you say appears on the right as Me.
- What the other person says appears on the left as Them. Type their name in the "With" box (or the strip that appears) to show their name instead.
- Words appear while people talk and settle into sentences when they pause.
When you hang up, the transcript is saved automatically to Call history.
Step 4: Copy what you need during the call
- Ctrl+Alt+T: copy the other person's last message (an address, a price, a time).
- Ctrl+Alt+5: copy the last five lines with names and times.
- Ctrl+Alt+A: copy the whole call so far.
These shortcuts work even when WhatsApp is the window in front, so you can paste straight into a WhatsApp chat, a notes app or an order form.
Tips for an accurate transcript
- Use a headset. It keeps the other person's voice out of your microphone. (On speakers, Call Transcriber removes the echo, but a headset is cleaner.)
- Close other audio. The app hears everything your PC plays, so pause videos and music during calls.
- Check your mic isn't muted. If your microphone only sends silence, the app shows a warning.
- English is the main language. For Hindi or mixed Hindi-English calls, choose the Hindi + English offline model in Settings > Transcription (slower), or add your own Deepgram key under Advanced.
WhatsApp Web instead of the desktop app?
Calls in WhatsApp Web are detected too: when the WhatsApp tab is the active tab, the call is named "WhatsApp Web"; otherwise it's detected as a browser call. You can always press Start Call yourself.
Be considerate: tell the other person
Depending on where you and the other person are, you may need their consent to record or transcribe the call. A quick "I'm using a live transcription app to take notes, is that OK?" is polite everywhere. See our consent guide.