OneNote - audio file types

Anonymous
2025-06-12T08:58:02+00:00

I have OneNote on an Android phone and the web/desktop version of OneNote as part of Office 365.

Audio recordings on the phone become .gp3; audio recordings on the desktop become .wav.

Neither format is allowed by OneNote's own transcription product, so one cannot create a recording within OneNote and then transcribe. By contrast, an audio file recorded as .mp4 on a different recording product can be transcribed, no problem.

That means exiting the Microsoft environment, and trusting audio recording data on mobile devices. Multiple extra steps in transcription, or security/GDPR issues.

Why can't OneNote transcribe its own native audio formats, or can it be made to?

Microsoft 365 and Office | OneNote | For business | Other

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  1. Anonymous
    2025-06-12T13:25:23+00:00

    Dear Jonathan, 

    Good day! Thank you for reaching out to the Microsoft Community—I’m happy to assist you. 

    I completely understand how frustrating this limitation can be—it adds extra steps that no one really wants to deal with. Right now, OneNote doesn’t have a built-in way to transcribe its own recordings, but there’s still a workaround. You could try converting .gp3 or .wav files into .mp4 or .mp3 using an audio converter, then upload them to OneNote for transcription. It’s not the most seamless process, but it might save you some time! 

    Thank you for sharing this insight—it could help many people streamline their workflow and improve accessibility. Expanding OneNote’s transcription capabilities to include its own native audio formats would eliminate extra conversion steps and enhance user experience across devices. 

    Your feedback is valuable, and I encourage you to share your insights and suggestions through the Microsoft Feedback Portal: Ideas · Community (microsoft.com). Your input is crucial in guiding our future development efforts.

    Thank you for your valuable time.

    Best Regards,
    Mia - MSFT | Microsoft Community Support Specialist.

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  2. Anonymous
    2025-06-25T09:37:24+00:00

    Hi Jonathan, 

    It has been a while and I am writing to see how things are going with this issue. Have you had a chance to check the replies provided? Any update would be appreciated. 

    Best Regards, 
    Allison  - MSFT | Microsoft Community Support Specialist.

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