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Transcribe long audio files beyond 25MB limit with FileFlows and OpenAI Whisper

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Transcribe long audio files beyond 25MB limit with FileFlows and OpenAI Whisper preview
Open on n8n.io

Important notice

This workflow is provided as-is. Please review and test before using in production.

1. Workflow Overview

Who's it for This template is designed for content creators, podcasters, businesses, and researchers who need to transcribe long audio recordings that exceed OpenAI Whisper's 25 MB file size limit ...

Best for

  • Content Creation automation workflows
  • Multimodal AI automation workflows
  • advanced n8n builders looking for reusable templates

Tools used

n8n-nodes-base.formtrigger, n8n-nodes-base.code, n8n-nodes-base.httprequest, n8n-nodes-base.noop, n8n-nodes-base.if, n8n-nodes-base.wait, n8n-nodes-base.splitinbatches, @n8n/n8n-nodes-langchain.openai

Source and attribution

This workflow is cataloged by N8N Workflows and links back to its original n8n.io source page by Julien DEL RIO.

Original n8n.io source

1.1 Workflow description

Title
Transcribe long audio files beyond 25MB limit with FileFlows and OpenAI Whisper
Workflow name
Transcribe long audio files beyond 25MB limit with FileFlows and OpenAI Whisper

Who's it for

This template is designed for content creators, podcasters, businesses, and researchers who need to transcribe long audio recordings that exceed OpenAI Whisper's 25 MB file size limit (~20 minutes of audio).

How it works

This workflow combines n8n, FileFlows, and OpenAI Whisper API to transcribe audio files of any length:

  1. User uploads an MP3 file through a web form and provides an email address
  2. n8n splits the file into 4 MiB chunks and uploads them to FileFlows
  3. FileFlows uses FFmpeg to segment the audio into 15-minute chunks (safely under the 25 MB API limit)
  4. Each segment is transcribed using OpenAI's Whisper API (configured for French by default)
  5. All transcriptions are merged into a single text file
  6. The complete transcription is automatically emailed to the user

Processing time: Typically 10-15 minutes for a 1-hour audio file.

Requirements

  • n8n instance (self-hosted or cloud)
  • FileFlows with Docker and FFmpeg installed
  • OpenAI API key (Whisper API access)
  • Gmail account for email delivery
  • Network access between n8n and FileFlows

Setup

Complete setup instructions, including FileFlows workflow import, credentials configuration, and storage setup, are provided in the workflow's sticky notes.

Cost

OpenAI Whisper API: $0.006 per minute. A 1-hour recording costs approximately $0.36.

1.2 Logical Blocks

This catalog entry is organized from the workflow JSON. The node-level section below shows the executable blocks available for review before importing the template.

2. Block-by-Block Analysis

Block 1 - GET Form

Type / Role
n8n-nodes-base.formTrigger - formTrigger
Config choices
Version 2.3

Block 2 - Make 4MiB Chunks

Type / Role
n8n-nodes-base.code - code
Config choices
Version 2

Block 3 - Upload Chunk

Type / Role
n8n-nodes-base.httpRequest - httpRequest
Config choices
Version 4.2

Block 4 - Result

Type / Role
n8n-nodes-base.noOp - noOp
Config choices
Version 1

Block 5 - If succeed

Type / Role
n8n-nodes-base.if - if
Config choices
Version 2.2

Block 6 - Split audio file

Type / Role
n8n-nodes-base.httpRequest - httpRequest
Config choices
Version 4.2

Block 7 - Wait

Type / Role
n8n-nodes-base.wait - wait
Config choices
Version 1.1

Block 8 - Split Audio

Type / Role
n8n-nodes-base.code - code
Config choices
Version 2

Block 9 - Loop Over Segments

Type / Role
n8n-nodes-base.splitInBatches - splitInBatches
Config choices
Version 3

Block 10 - OpenAI

Type / Role
@n8n/n8n-nodes-langchain.openAi - openAi
Config choices
Version 1.8

Block 11 - Result transcription

Type / Role
n8n-nodes-base.noOp - noOp
Config choices
Version 1

Block 12 - Loop Over Chunks

Type / Role
n8n-nodes-base.splitInBatches - splitInBatches
Config choices
Version 3

Block 13 - Merge transcription

Type / Role
n8n-nodes-base.code - code
Config choices
Version 2

Block 14 - Convert to File

Type / Role
n8n-nodes-base.convertToFile - convertToFile
Config choices
Version 1.1

Block 15 - Configuration

Type / Role
n8n-nodes-base.set - set
Config choices
Version 3.4

Block 16 - Filter temporary files

Type / Role
n8n-nodes-base.filter - filter
Config choices
Version 2.2

Block 17 - Rate Limit Delay

Type / Role
n8n-nodes-base.wait - wait
Config choices
Version 1.1

Block 18 - Send Email with Transcription

Type / Role
n8n-nodes-base.gmail - gmail
Config choices
Version 2.1

Block 19 - Send Error

Type / Role
n8n-nodes-base.gmail - gmail
Config choices
Version 2.1

Block 20 - Send Error1

Type / Role
n8n-nodes-base.gmail - gmail
Config choices
Version 2.1

Block 21 - Chunk

Type / Role
n8n-nodes-base.noOp - noOp
Config choices
Version 1

Block 22 - Segment

Type / Role
n8n-nodes-base.noOp - noOp
Config choices
Version 1

Block 23 - Overview

Type / Role
n8n-nodes-base.stickyNote - stickyNote
Config choices
Version 1

Block 24 - Stage 4 Delivery

Type / Role
n8n-nodes-base.stickyNote - stickyNote
Config choices
Version 1

Showing the first 24 of 27 workflow blocks. Download the JSON for the full node graph.

3. Summary Table

Workflow Transcribe long audio files beyond 25MB limit with FileFlows and OpenAI Whisper
Complexity advanced
Nodes 27
Categories Content Creation, Multimodal AI
Author Julien DEL RIO
Published 15 Nov 2025

4. Reproducing the Workflow from Scratch

  1. 1. Download the workflow JSON

    Use the JSON export at /data/workflows/10870/10870.json as the source template for this automation.

  2. 2. Import the template into n8n

    Open n8n, import the downloaded JSON, and review each node before activating the workflow.

  3. 3. Configure credentials and variables

    Replace placeholder credentials, API keys, webhook URLs, account IDs, and environment-specific values with your own settings.

  4. 4. Test with sample data

    Run the workflow manually or in a staging workspace, inspect node output, and confirm downstream systems receive the expected data.

  5. 5. Activate and monitor

    Enable the workflow only after testing, then monitor executions, errors, and rate limits during the first production runs.

5. General Notes & Resources

Review imported nodes carefully before activation. This catalog entry is intended to help you inspect the workflow structure, understand required services, and find related templates faster.

Node names, credentials, schedules, webhook paths, and external service limits may need adjustment for your workspace.

Frequently asked questions

What does Transcribe long audio files beyond 25MB limit with FileFlows and OpenAI Whisper do?

Who's it for This template is designed for content creators, podcasters, businesses, and researchers who need to transcribe long audio recordings that exceed OpenAI Whisper's 25 MB file size limit ...

What do I need before importing this workflow?

Review the workflow JSON, configure any required credentials in n8n, and test the automation in a safe workspace before using it in production.

Can I customize this workflow?

Yes. Use the block-by-block analysis and the downloadable JSON to inspect each node, then adjust credentials, prompts, schedules, filters, or destinations for your Content Creation, Multimodal AI use case.