How to trim an audio file and make it smaller
Updated on October 25, 2026
The free plan transcribes up to 5 minutes per file, up to 25 MB. For an hour-long lecture, a long meeting or a heavy video, the honest way out is to trim the part you need and, if needed, make the file smaller. Your phone and computer can already do it. Then upload it on the home page.
What counts toward the limit
- Length: up to 5 minutes comes out in full. Longer files get the first minute as a preview, and the screen warns you first.
- Size: up to 25 MB. Your device checks before uploading.
A WhatsApp voice message almost never hits 25 MB: an hour is about 8 MB. HD video and WAV audio are what usually go over.
On iPhone
Voice Memos: open the recording, tap the three dots and Edit Recording. Tap the trim icon, drag the yellow handles to the part you want and tap Trim or Delete. Save.
Video: in Photos, open the video, tap Edit and drag the ends of the timeline. Tap Done and choose Save Video as New Clip to keep the original.
On Android
Voice recorder: most have Edit or Trim inside the recording. Pick the part and save it as a new file.
Video: in Gallery or Google Photos, open the video, tap Edit and drag the ends. Save a copy.
On a computer
- Windows: Clipchamp, which ships with Windows, trims audio and video.
- Mac: QuickTime Player has Edit and Trim for audio and video.
- Any system: Audacity, free and open source, trims audio and exports MP3.
To make the file smaller
- Export as M4A or MP3 instead of WAV. For speech, 64 kbps is plenty.
- For video, prefer 720p or the “smaller size” option when sharing. Only the sound is used, so HD only adds weight.
- Send just the sound: if your editor can export only the audio, the file drops to under 1 MB per minute.
Long lectures and meetings
Split them into parts of up to 5 minutes and send them one at a time, starting with what matters most. Each part uses 1 of 4 transcripts every 15 minutes, with no daily cap. Join the texts afterwards, in order.
Avoid cutting mid-sentence: the AI loses the start of a cut word. Leave a second of slack at each end.