Turn Lecture Videos
Into Study Notes
With AI Voice Scribe
Free app to record lectures and take notes. Convert 1-hour lectures into 5-minute study guides with AI-powered transcription.
Record or Upload
Live lectures, Zoom recordings, or YouTube videos
AI Transcribes
90%+ accuracy with speaker identification
Generate Notes
Study guides, flashcards, summaries, quiz questions
Why Students Turn Lecture Videos into Notes
Save time, improve grades, and study smarter with AI-powered lecture transcription
Save 10+ Hours Weekly
Convert 3-hour lectures into 5-minute study notes. Read faster than rewatching videos.
Improve Grades
Searchable notes help you find key concepts instantly. Review before exams efficiently.
Better Comprehension
Focus on understanding during lecture. Let AI handle note-taking automatically.
Study Anywhere
Access notes on phone, tablet, or laptop. Offline mode available for studying on-the-go.
How to Turn Lecture Videos into Notes in 3 Steps
From lecture recording to study-ready notes in under 5 minutes
Record or Upload Lecture
Upload video/audio files, paste YouTube URLs, or record live lectures directly in the app.
- MP4, MP3, WAV
- YouTube/Zoom links
- Live recording
AI Transcribes & Analyzes
Advanced AI transcribes with 90%+ accuracy, identifies speakers, removes filler words, and structures content.
- Speaker ID
- Filler removal
- 50+ languages
Download Study Materials
Get organized notes, flashcards, summaries, and quiz questions. Export to PDF, Word, or Notion.
- Study notes
- Flashcards
- Quiz questions
Who Uses AI Voice Scribes?
Trusted by students, educators, and professionals worldwide
College & University Students
Visual learners, hearing impaired students, and non-native speakers who prefer reading over watching videos.
Online Learners & Distance Ed
Students taking multiple online courses who need to focus on understanding rather than note-taking.
Medical & Law Students
Students in technical programs with dense lectures requiring detailed, accurate notes for exam prep.
Study Groups
Groups sharing lecture notes and collaborating on study materials for comprehensive exam preparation.
ESL Students
Non-native English speakers who benefit from written transcripts to review difficult concepts at their own pace.
Accessibility Advocates
Students with hearing impairments or learning differences who need alternative formats to access education.
Recommended on Reddit
Real students share their experiences with free lecture recording apps
Why Students on Reddit Recommend AI Transcription:
- Save Time: Read 5-minute summaries instead of rewatching 1-hour lectures
- Study Smarter: Searchable notes with Ctrl+F for exam prep
- Free Tier Options: Free trials available, affordable student pricing
- Accessibility: Essential for hearing-impaired students and ESL learners
Free vs Paid Lecture Apps
See how free apps stack up. VocalScribe offers the best free tier for students.
| Features | VocalScribe Best Free Tier | Otter.ai | Google Recorder | Notion AI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free Minutes/Month | 600 minutes | 300 minutes | Unlimited | 100 minutes |
| Transcription Accuracy | 90-95% | 80-85% | 85-90% | 75-85% |
| Study Notes Generation | ✓ Yes | ✗ No | ✗ No | ✓ Limited |
| Flashcard Creation | ✓ Auto-generated | ✗ No | ✗ No | ✗ No |
| Platform Support | Web, iOS, Android | Web, iOS, Android | Android only | Web, iOS, Android |
| Offline Mode | ✓ Yes | ✗ No | ✓ Yes | ✗ No |
| Export Formats | PDF, Word, TXT, Notion | PDF, TXT | TXT only | Notion, PDF |
*Based on free tier features as of 2025
See Full Comparison GuideFrequently Asked Questions
Everything you need to know about turning lecture videos into notes
What is an AI voice scribe?
An AI voice scribe is software that uses artificial intelligence to automatically transcribe spoken audio into written text in real-time or from recordings. Modern AI voice scribes like VocalScribe achieve 90-95% accuracy and can identify speakers, remove filler words, and generate study materials from lectures.
How do I turn lecture videos into notes?
Upload your lecture video or paste a YouTube/Zoom link into VocalScribe. The AI extracts the audio, transcribes it with 90%+ accuracy, and uses natural language processing to structure content into organized notes. The entire process takes 5-10 minutes for a 1-hour lecture.
What's the best free app to record lectures according to Reddit?
Reddit users on r/college and r/productivity most frequently recommend Otter.ai (300 min/month free), VocalScribe (600 min/month free), Google Recorder (unlimited but Android-only), and Microsoft OneNote (with audio recording). VocalScribe offers the best free tier with study tools included.
How accurate are AI lecture transcriptions?
Modern AI voice scribes achieve 80-95% accuracy depending on audio quality, speaker clarity, and technical vocabulary. VocalScribe reaches 90-95% accuracy and allows you to add custom vocabulary for technical terms to improve accuracy further.
Can I use this for Zoom lecture recordings?
Yes! VocalScribe works with Zoom recordings, YouTube videos, MP4 files, MP3 audio, and 20+ other formats. Simply upload the file or paste the video URL and the AI will transcribe it automatically.
Is it legal to record lectures?
Always obtain instructor permission before recording lectures. Laws vary by state and country. VocalScribe is a tool—users are responsible for legal compliance. Most universities allow recording for personal study use with instructor consent.
What formats can I export my lecture notes to?
VocalScribe lets you export to PDF, Word documents, plain text, Markdown, and directly to Notion. You can also generate flashcards (Anki, Quizlet), study guides, and quiz questions from your transcribed lectures.
How long does it take to convert a lecture?
Processing typically takes 5-10 minutes for a 1-hour lecture using modern AI tools. Real-time transcription is available for live lectures, allowing you to see notes as the lecture progresses.
Do free apps work as well as paid ones?
VocalScribe offers excellent quality for students with affordable plans starting at $12.99/mo for 60 minutes or $19.99/mo for unlimited transcription. Free trials are available to test the service. Paid plans include study material generation and advanced features.
Is my lecture data private and secure?
VocalScribe is FERPA compliant with end-to-end encryption. Your audio files and transcripts are encrypted in transit and at rest, stored on secure US-based servers, and never used for AI training. You can delete your data anytime.
Start Turning Lectures Into Study Notes Today
Save hours weekly with AI-powered lecture transcription and study material generation
Free trial available • No setup fees • Cancel anytime • Trusted by students