Import audio files on iOS and Android

You can bring existing audio into Canto instead of recording it: share a file from any app — WhatsApp, Viber, Files, a voice recorder — and choose Canto. The file uploads to your library and goes through the same pipeline as a recording: transcription, speaker separation, summary, chat.

On iOS

1. In the app holding the audio (WhatsApp voice note, Files, Voice Memos export, an email attachment), tap share.
2. Choose Canto in the share sheet. If it's not visible, scroll the app row to the end, tap More, and enable Canto.
3. The file is handed to Canto and uploads to your account; it appears in your library and starts transcribing.

This works anywhere iOS offers a share sheet for an audio file, which covers most messaging apps and file providers.

On Android

Two equivalent paths:

• Share — select the audio in any app, tap share, choose Canto.
• Open with — tap an audio file in a file manager or download list and pick Canto to open it.

There's also an Import audio button inside the app that opens the system file picker.

What happens to an imported file?

The same thing that happens to a recording after you stop it: Uploading, Processing, Transcribing, then Ready with a transcript, speakers, and AI notes — see How does Canto process recordings?. If there's no meaningful title, it's called "Imported recording" until the AI titles it from the content. The audio's spoken language is detected automatically.

Common formats work — m4a, mp3, wav, and the voice-note formats messaging apps produce. If Canto can't read a file, you'll see "Couldn't import this audio file." — usually it's a video container or a DRM-protected file; extract or convert the audio and try again.

Do imports count against my free minutes?

Yes. Transcription minutes are transcription minutes, whether Canto recorded the audio or you imported it. The free plan includes 100 min / mo per month — a long imported file can use a meaningful slice of that. See How long can a recording be?

FAQ

Can I import several files at once?

On mobile, share files one at a time. For a batch, the web is better: drag them all in at once and each becomes its own recording — see Upload audio files on the web

It says "Sign in to import audio."

Imports upload straight to your account, so you need to be signed in first. Open Canto and sign in, then share the file again.

Can I import into a specific space?

Import lands in your library; move it afterwards — see Move recordings