# Transcriptions API

## Overview

A *transcription* is a textual representation of a Voice Call recording as text. \
\
Transcriptions API make possible to initiate and download a transcription of an existing recording using a REST API.

## API Access  <a href="#api-access" id="api-access"></a>

The following API requests can only be made using a valid access key, and attached to an access role, with an access policy that at least specifies the permissions to the resources outlined in each section below. Learn more about [API access](https://docs.messagebird.com/api/api-access).


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# Agent Instructions: Querying This Documentation

If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question.

Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter:

```
GET https://docs.bird.com/api/voice-api/transcriptions-api.md?ask=<question>
```

The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language.
The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation.

Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.