> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.vowen.ai/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Transcribe from a link

> Paste a direct link to an audio or video file and Vowen downloads and transcribes it.

> [!NOTE]
>
> Coming in the next update.

If a recording is online, you don't have to download it first. Paste a link to the file in the Transcribe dialog and Vowen downloads it and transcribes it like any other file.

Transcribing from a link is a Pro feature, available on macOS and Windows.

![The Transcribe dialog on the Link tab with a Paste a link to an audio or video file field, a Paste button, and the Transcription Model, Language, Identify Speakers, Add Timestamps and Notify me when complete rows](https://mintcdn.com/vowen/K3t4B5xZ7DpaxaXd/images/screens/transcribe-dialog-link.webp?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=K3t4B5xZ7DpaxaXd\&q=85\&s=063bd63cc3c190bef8993a8d24e49475)

## Which links work

Vowen accepts **direct links to an audio or video file**: the address ends in the file name, for example `https://example.com/podcast/episode-42.mp3`.

| Type | Extensions |
| - | - |
| Audio | `mp3`, `m4a`, `aac`, `wav`, `flac`, `ogg`, `oga`, `opus`, `weba`, `wma` |
| Video | `mp4`, `m4v`, `mov`, `webm`, `mkv`, `avi`, `mpeg`, `mpg` |

Links to web pages, including video sites, and streaming playlists are not supported. The file can be up to 2 GB.

## How to transcribe a link

**1. Open the Link tab**

On the **Transcribe** page, click **Transcribe**, then choose **Link**.

**2. Paste the link**

Click **Paste**, or paste into the field. Vowen shows **Checking link...**, then a card with the file's name and size, and its length when the site reports it.

**3. Set the options**

Choose the **Transcription Model**, **Language**, **Identify Speakers** and the other options as you would for a file.

**4. Click Transcribe**

The new row shows **Downloading {filename}... {percent}%** while the file downloads, then transcribes as usual. The row shows the site the file came from.

The downloaded file is saved in the **Imports** folder inside your recordings folder, so the transcription keeps its audio for playback and regenerating.

## Transcribe a link you copied

When you bring Vowen to the front with a direct audio or video link on your clipboard, a banner asks **Transcribe the link you copied?**. Click **Transcribe** to open the dialog with the link already filled in. Each link is offered once on each computer, whether you accept or dismiss it.

## Retry a failed download

If the download fails, the row stays in the list. Use **Retry transcription** on the row to download the link again.

## Errors

| Message | What it means |
| - | - |
| Only direct links to an audio or video file are supported, like a link ending in .mp3 or .mp4. | The link points to a web page, not a file. |
| That doesn't look like a web link. Paste the full address, starting with https\:// | The text isn't a complete web address. |
| This file is too large to transcribe from a link (the limit is 2 GB). | The file is over 2 GB. Download it and use the **File** tab. |
| This needs you to be signed in to the site, so it can't be downloaded. | The site requires a login. |
| The site refused the download. Try again in a moment. | The server rejected the request. |
| The site is limiting downloads right now. Wait a few minutes and try again. | The server is rate-limiting downloads. |
| No downloadable audio was found at this link. | The link returned an empty file. |
| Couldn't reach this site. Check your internet connection and try again. | Network error, or the server failed. |
| Transcribing from links is a Pro feature. | You're on the free plan. |

## Related

* [Transcribe files](/transcription/manual-transcription)
* [Watch folders](/meeting-notes/watch-folders)


This documentation is built and hosted on [Mintlify](https://mintlify.com), a developer documentation platform.