- name
- elevenlabs-transcribe
- description
- Transcribe audio to text using ElevenLabs Scribe. Supports batch transcription, realtime streaming from URLs, microphone input, and local files.
- homepage
- https://elevenlabs.io/speech-to-text
- metadata
- {"clawdbot":{"emoji":"🎙️","requires":{"bins":["ffmpeg","python3"],"env":["ELEVENLABS_API_KEY"]},"primaryEnv":"ELEVENLABS_API_KEY"}}
ElevenLabs Speech-to-Text
Official ElevenLabs skill for speech-to-text transcription.
Convert audio to text with state-of-the-art accuracy. Supports 90+ languages, speaker diarization, and realtime streaming.
Prerequisites
- ffmpeg installed (
brew install ffmpegon macOS) - ELEVENLABS_API_KEY environment variable set
- Python 3.8+ (dependencies auto-install on first run)
Usage
{baseDir}/scripts/transcribe.sh <audio_file> [options]
{baseDir}/scripts/transcribe.sh --url <stream_url> [options]
{baseDir}/scripts/transcribe.sh --mic [options]Examples
Batch Transcription
Transcribe a local audio file:
{baseDir}/scripts/transcribe.sh recording.mp3With speaker identification:
{baseDir}/scripts/transcribe.sh meeting.mp3 --diarizeGet full JSON response with timestamps:
{baseDir}/scripts/transcribe.sh interview.wav --diarize --jsonRealtime Streaming
Stream from a URL (e.g., live radio, podcast):
{baseDir}/scripts/transcribe.sh --url https://npr-ice.streamguys1.com/live.mp3Transcribe from microphone:
{baseDir}/scripts/transcribe.sh --micStream a local file in realtime (useful for testing):
{baseDir}/scripts/transcribe.sh audio.mp3 --realtimeQuiet Mode for Agents
Suppress status messages on stderr:
{baseDir}/scripts/transcribe.sh --mic --quietOptions
| Option | Description |
|---|---|
--diarize | Identify different speakers in the audio |
--lang CODE | ISO language hint (e.g., en, pt, es, fr) |
--json | Output full JSON with timestamps and metadata |
--events | Tag audio events (laughter, music, applause) |
--realtime | Stream local file instead of batch processing |
--partials | Show interim transcripts during realtime mode |
-q, --quiet | Suppress status messages (recommended for agents) |
Output Format
Text Mode (default)
Plain text transcription:
The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog.JSON Mode (--json)
{
"text": "The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog.",
"language_code": "eng",
"language_probability": 0.98,
"words": [
{"text": "The", "start": 0.0, "end": 0.15, "type": "word", "speaker_id": "speaker_0"}
]
}Realtime Mode
Final transcripts print as they're committed. With --partials:
[partial] The quick
[partial] The quick brown fox
The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog.Supported Formats
Audio: MP3, WAV, M4A, FLAC, OGG, WebM, AAC, AIFF, Opus Video: MP4, AVI, MKV, MOV, WMV, FLV, WebM, MPEG, 3GPP
Limits: Up to 3GB file size, 10 hours duration
Error Handling
The script exits with non-zero status on errors:
- Missing API key: Set
ELEVENLABS_API_KEYenvironment variable - File not found: Check the file path exists
- Missing ffmpeg: Install with your package manager
- API errors: Check API key validity and rate limits
When to Use Each Mode
| Scenario | Command |
|---|---|
| Transcribe a recording | ./transcribe.sh file.mp3 |
| Meeting with multiple speakers | ./transcribe.sh meeting.mp3 --diarize |
| Live radio/podcast stream | ./transcribe.sh --url <url> |
| Voice input from user | ./transcribe.sh --mic --quiet |
| Need word timestamps | ./transcribe.sh file.mp3 --json |