The Complete Guide to Using Whisper | How to Transcribe Recorded Audio with AI [Supports Japanese]

Imagine if you could automatically and accurately transcribe recorded audio—
From interviews and speeches to meeting notes and even family memories, the possibilities are endless.
In this guide, we’ll explain how to use OpenAI’s speech recognition model “Whisper” for complete beginners.

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Feature and specification statements were checked on July 31, 2026 against null. The article distinguishes what the official source confirms from editorial organization and recommendations.

What Is Whisper?

Whisper is a high-precision speech recognition AI model developed by OpenAI.
It supports multiple languages, including Japanese, and can automatically transcribe your audio files into text.

• Supported formats: MP3, WAV, M4A, etc.
• Supported languages: Japanese, English, and over 50 other languages
• System requirements: Windows / Mac / Linux (any environment where Python can be used)

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How to Use Whisper (Command Line Edition)

Here, we’ll introduce the official method for using Whisper (via Python).

1. Installing Whisper

In your Python environment, run the following:

pip install git+https://github.com/openai/whisper.git 

If necessary, install FFmpeg as well:

brew install ffmpeg  # Mac
choco install ffmpeg # Windows (Chocolatey required)

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2. Transcribing with a Command

Simply run the following command in the terminal:

whisper "sample.m4a" --language Japanese --model medium --output_format txt --output_dir "C:\Users\owner\Desktop"

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Option Explanation (For Those Who Want More Details)

"sample.m4a" → The audio file you want to transcribe
--language Japanese     → Specify the audio language (Japanese)
--model medium → Model to use (other options include base, small, large, etc.)
--output_format txt     → Output format (choices include txt, srt, vtt, etc.)
--output_dir → Path to the output folder

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3. Check the Output Files

Text files like the following will be generated in the specified folder:

• sample.txt (plain text)
• sample.srt (subtitle file) When the option is specified

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Frequently Asked Questions

Q. Is Whisper free to use?
Yes, Whisper is a completely free, open-source tool. Anyone can install and use it freely.

Q. Can I use it on a smartphone?
While Whisper itself is a tool designed for PCs, we recommend recording on your smartphone and then transcribing the audio on a PC later.

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Summary

Whisper is a high-performance and easy-to-use speech-to-text tool.
Even if you’re not familiar with the Python environment, once you’ve set it up, all it takes is a single command line to complete the process.
We hope you’ll use it to start a new habit of preserving recorded lectures, conversations, and memories in written form.