Turn a Skype Voice Message into a Transcript
Microsoft retired consumer Skype on May 5, 2025, moving everyone to Microsoft Teams. There is no way to connect to a Skype or Teams account and pull a voice message or call recording automatically: the audio has to come from a file you already have saved. ScreenApp turns that saved file into a text transcript once you upload it.
Reading the text back is faster than replaying a voice message to catch one detail, and it gives you a written record of what was said.
What you get:
- speaker identification, useful for group calls and messages with more than one speaker
- Timestamps on every segment, for pointing to a specific moment
- Export as PDF, DOCX, TXT, SRT and VTT
- transcript and caption translation, so a voice message in another language reads in yours
- AI chat with the transcript, so you can ask a question about it instead of replaying the whole message
- Free plan: 2 transcriptions of recordings up to 45 minutes each
How to Transcribe a Skype Voice Message
- Get the audio onto your device: If you saved a Skype voice message or call recording before the service retired, locate that file. If you are now on Teams, save the recording from there instead. Either way, get the file onto your device before uploading it.
- No saved file? Record it playing back: If you only have the message inside an app with no export option, play it on speaker and record it with a screen recorder capturing the browser tab or desktop audio, or your phone’s microphone.
- Upload the file: ScreenApp accepts MP3, M4A, MP4A, M4B, AAC, WAV, OGG, OPUS, FLAC, AIFF, WMA, WEBMA, MKA, AC3, EAC3, WV, AMR, DSF, DFF for uploads, so most saved Skype audio works without converting anything first. The transcript, with speaker labels and timestamps, is ready a few minutes later. Export it as PDF, DOCX, TXT, SRT and VTT, or ask the AI a question about the content.
Accuracy depends on the recording, not just the transcription engine. A voice message saved directly from Skype or Teams transcribes more cleanly than one re-recorded off a speaker in a noisy room. See how we measure accuracy.
Skype Voice Transcription vs Other Tools
| Feature | ScreenApp | Otter.ai | Notta.ai | Sonix |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free tier | 2 transcriptions, up to 45 min each | 300 min/month | 120 min/month | 30 min trial |
| File upload transcription | Yes | 3 lifetime imports (free) | Not stated | Yes |
| Speaker identification | Yes | Yes (Basic plan) | Included | Included |
| Export formats | PDF, DOCX, TXT, SRT and VTT | mp3 and txt on the free plan, plus pdf, docx and srt from Pro, with bulk export from Business | TXT, DOCX, PDF, or XLSX | DOCX, PDF, TXT, SRT, VTT |
| Paid plan | $19/month annual | $8.33/month annual | $8.17/month annual | $25/month |
Sources, checked 2026-09-12: ScreenApp pricing, otter.ai/pricing, notta.ai/en/pricing, sonix.ai/pricing, notta.ai/en/lecture-summarizer
- vs Otter.ai: Otter’s free plan caps uploads at 3 lifetime file imports, after which Pro costs $8.33 a month billed annually. ScreenApp’s free plan covers 2 transcriptions of recordings up to 45 minutes each.
- vs Notta.ai: Notta’s free plan runs 120 minutes a month with Included speaker identification, and Pro is $8.17 a month annually. ScreenApp adds AI chat and translation on the transcript at no extra cost.
- vs Sonix: Sonix gives new accounts a 30-minute trial before the Core plan at $25 a month. ScreenApp’s free plan covers a full recording with speaker labels and export, not just a short trial.
Who Uses Skype Voice Transcription
Remote teams with an archive of old Skype recordings turn saved voice updates and call recordings into written records they can search, now that the app itself is gone.
Journalists and researchers with interview recordings made over Skype before it retired get searchable, quotable transcripts with speaker labels instead of replaying audio files.
Legal and compliance teams archive voice communications received through Skype or its Teams successor as documented, searchable text for record-keeping and audits.
Anyone migrating from Skype to Teams who wants their old voice messages and call recordings as text before the files become harder to find.
Content creators turn Skype-era interview recordings into outlines, blog drafts, or show notes.