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

# Pre-recorded audio

> Transcribe audio files synchronously — voice notes, meeting clips, and voicemail returned in a single blocking request.

The pre-recorded transcription endpoint is designed for audio files you already have on hand: voice notes, meeting clips, voicemail recordings, and similar short-form content up to 5 minutes long. You send one file per request and receive the finished transcript in the response body — no polling, no callbacks, just a straightforward synchronous call.

<Note>
  **Constraints**

  * **Supported formats:** `wav`, `ogg`, `webm`
  * **Max file size:** 50 MB
  * **Max duration:** 300 seconds (default — can be raised on request)
</Note>

## Make a request

Attach your audio file as a multipart `audio` field and specify which model to use. Make sure your API key is set in the environment first (see [Authentication](/authentication)).

<CodeGroup>
  ```bash cURL theme={null}
  curl -X POST https://api.typelessapi.com/v1/transcribe \
    -H "Authorization: Token $TYPELESS_API_KEY" \
    -F "audio=@meeting.wav" \
    -F "model=typeless-1.0-pro"
  ```

  ```python Python theme={null}
  import os
  import requests

  with open("meeting.wav", "rb") as f:
      resp = requests.post(
          "https://api.typelessapi.com/v1/transcribe",
          headers={"Authorization": f"Token {os.environ['TYPELESS_API_KEY']}"},
          files={"audio": f},
          data={"model": "typeless-1.0-pro"},
      )
  print(resp.json())
  ```

  ```javascript JavaScript theme={null}
  import fs from "node:fs";

  const form = new FormData();
  form.append("audio", new Blob([fs.readFileSync("meeting.wav")]), "meeting.wav");
  form.append("model", "typeless-1.0-pro");

  const resp = await fetch("https://api.typelessapi.com/v1/transcribe", {
    method: "POST",
    headers: { Authorization: `Token ${process.env.TYPELESS_API_KEY}` },
    body: form,
  });
  console.log(await resp.json());
  ```
</CodeGroup>

## Response

A successful request returns a JSON object containing the transcript, detected language, and billing usage:

```json theme={null}
{
  "status": "success",
  "result": {
    "transcript": "Let's move the launch to next Thursday and loop in the design team early.",
    "detected_language": "en",
    "duration_seconds": 42.5
  },
  "usage": {
    "billed_audio_seconds": 42.5,
    "output_token_count": 128
  },
  "request_id": "01JXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX"
}
```

## Choosing a language

The `language` parameter is optional. Pass an ISO 639-1 code — for example `en` for English or `zh` for Mandarin Chinese — to give the model a hint that improves accuracy, especially for shorter clips or accented speech. If you omit it — or pass an unsupported/unrecognized code — the API detects the language automatically and reports the result in `detected_language` on every response.

## Choosing a model

The `model` field is required. Three tiers are available:

| Model               | Tier                                                                                                                          |
| ------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `typeless-1.0-lite` | Economy — lowest cost; recommended for non-real-time (batch) use cases                                                        |
| `typeless-1.0-pro`  | Balanced quality, speed, and cost                                                                                             |
| `typeless-1.0-max`  | Recommended default — highest accuracy and fastest turnaround; ideal for noisy audio, strong accents, or technical vocabulary |

See [Models & Pricing](/models-pricing) for a full breakdown of per-second rates.

## Timeouts

The request is synchronous: your HTTP connection stays open until transcription is complete. Internally, the ASR stage has a 90-second timeout and the refinement stage has a 60-second timeout. If either limit is exceeded, the API returns `SERVICE_UNAVAILABLE` (503) and **you are not charged** for that request.

<Note>
  Billing is per second of audio with a **15-second minimum per request**. See [Models & Pricing](/models-pricing) for rates.
</Note>