Supported file formats, sizes and links in VocaLingo
Audio from the device up to 100 MB, any file by link up to 2 GB, video is compressed before upload. Limits for each tool, formats and supported sites.
Updated November 2, 20264 min read
The limit depends on how the file gets into VocaLingo. A file from the device is uploaded by your phone or browser, so the limits are lower. A link is downloaded by the VocaLingo server, so it can be much larger.
Limits for each tool
Most audio tools accept files up to 100 MB from the device and up to 2 GB by link. Video tools compress the video first, so large files from the device are fine.
Tool | What it accepts | From the device | By link |
|---|---|---|---|
Audio Translation, Text Transcription, Text Analysis | audio or video (only the sound is used), recording | up to 100 MB | up to 2 GB |
Video Translation | video with sound, camera recording in the app | compressed to 50 MB before upload; with HeyGen up to 30 minutes | up to 2 GB |
Add Captions, Mirage mode | vertical 9:16 video, MP4 or MOV | up to 50 MB and 5 minutes | same limits apply |
Add Captions, Standard mode and translated captions | any video | no length limit, up to 2 GB after compression | up to 2 GB |
Video to Text | video or audio, camera recording in the app | up to 3 GB; the iOS and Android apps compress video to 500 MB | up to 2 GB |
Voice Changer | audio or video, recording | up to 5 minutes | no link import |
My Voices (voice sample) | recording or audio file | 10 seconds to 5 minutes, up to 20 MB; 60 seconds recommended | no link import |
Text Translation, Translate photo | image, including HEIC | up to 20 MB | no link import |
Text to Speech | text | up to 10 000 characters | no |
Download Video | link | no | up to 2 GB |
AI Chat attachments | images, audio, video, PDF, Word, PowerPoint, Excel, ZIP, text and code | up to 10 files, up to 50 MB each; larger video is compressed | a link in the message |
If Add Captions gets a video that doesn't fit Mirage, it switches to Standard by itself and shows "Video is not compatible with Mirage. Switched to Standard." Translated captions always use Standard.
Which file formats work
VocaLingo accepts the common audio and video formats. If the file picker doesn't show your file, convert it to MP3 or MP4.
Type | Formats |
|---|---|
Audio | MP3, M4A, AAC, WAV, FLAC, OGG, OPUS, WebM, 3GP, MP4 (sound track) |
Video in the iOS and Android apps | MP4, MOV, WebM, MPEG, 3GP, AVI, MKV, FLV |
Video on the web | any video file the browser recognizes as video |
Images | JPG, PNG and other images, HEIC and HEIF |
M4V isn't in the app's video list: convert such a file to MP4 first.
Which links can be imported
Paste link accepts any link that starts with https://. It's available in Audio Translation, Text Transcription, Text Analysis, Video Translation, Add Captions and Video to Text.
YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, X (Twitter), Facebook and Pinterest links are supported, including short links like youtu.be, vm.tiktok.com, fb.watch and pin.it.
A direct link to an audio or video file is downloaded as is.
Links to other sites go to a general downloader. Many sites work, but there is no fixed list.
Video quality can be chosen only for YouTube; in audio tools the format is picked automatically. While the file loads, the app shows "Downloading...", "Saving...", "Finishing...". More details: importing audio from a link.
How video is compressed before upload
Video Translation and Add Captions compress the video to about 50 MB on your device before upload. In the iOS and Android apps the resolution stays up to 4K at 60 frames per second; on the web the video is reduced to 1920 pixels. An MP4 or MOV file that is already under 50 MB with a normal bitrate is uploaded without compression.
Size and format errors
Message in the app | What to do |
|---|---|
Please choose a file no larger than 100 MB. | Upload the file to a cloud drive or a video site and add it with Paste link, links work up to 2 GB. Or trim the recording. |
Audio file format is not supported. Please choose another file. | Convert the file to MP3 or M4A. |
This video is too large even after compression. Please choose a shorter or smaller video and try again. | Trim the video or split it into parts. |
HeyGen supports videos up to 30 minutes. Please trim your video and try again. | Trim the video to 30 minutes or split it into parts. |
This video is larger than 3 GB. Please choose a shorter or smaller video and try again. | The Video to Text limit. Trim the video or lower its quality. |
Failed to download file. Please check the link. | Open the link in a browser and check that the video plays. If it does, download the file and add it from the device. |
Please paste a valid link (starting with https://). | Copy the full link from the address bar or the Share button of the app. |
Other upload problems are covered in file format not supported or file too large.
Contact support
Describe the problem and we will reply by email. Add the file name or job ID if you have one.