azure-speech-to-text-rest-py

The saved excerpt is a snapshot from when this skill was listed. The external source remains the complete and most current version.

---
name: azure-speech-to-text-rest-py
description: |-
  Azure Speech to Text REST API for short audio (Python). Use for simple speech recognition of audio files up to 60 seconds without the Speech SDK.
  Triggers: "speech to text REST", "short audio transcription", "speech recognition REST API", "STT REST", "recognize speech REST".
  DO NOT USE FOR: Long audio (>60 seconds), real-time streaming, batch transcription, custom speech models, speech translation. Use Speech SDK or Batch Transcription API instead.
license: MIT
metadata:
  author: Microsoft
  version: "1.0.0"
---

# Azure Speech to Text REST API for Short Audio

Simple REST API for speech-to-text transcription of short audio files (up to 60 seconds). No SDK required - just HTTP requests.

## Prerequisites

1. **Azure subscription** - [Create one free](https://azure.microsoft.com/free/)
2. **Speech resource** - Create in [Azure Portal](https://portal.azure.com/#create/Microsoft.CognitiveServicesSpeechServices)
3. **Get credentials** - After deployment, go to resource > Keys and Endpoint

## Environment Variables

```bash
# Required
AZURE_SPEECH_KEY=<your-speech-resource-key>
AZURE_SPEECH_REGION=<region>  # e.g., eastus, westus2, westeurope

# Alternative: Use endpoint directly
AZURE_SPEECH_ENDPOINT=https://<region>.stt.speech.microsoft.com
```

## Installation

```bash
pip install requests
```

## Authentication & Lifecycle

> **🔑 Two rules apply to every code sample below:**
>
> 1. **Two auth modes are supported.** Use a subscription key (`Ocp-Apim-Subscription-Key` header) for quick access, or a Microsoft Entra token (including one acquired with `DefaultAzureCredential`) via the `Authorization` request header (see "Option 2" below). Never hardcode credentials in source.
> 2. **Use context managers for files and HTTP resources** so file handles and network connections are released deterministically:
>    - Sync: `with open(...) as f:` and (when reusing connections) `with requests.Session() as session:`
>    - Async: `async with aiohttp.ClientSession() as session:`
>
> Snippets may abbreviate this setup, but production code should always follow both rules.

## Quick Start

```python
import os
import requests

def transcribe_audio(audio_file_path: str, language: str = "en-US") -> dict:
    """Transcribe short audio file (max 60 seconds) using REST API."""
    region = os.environ["AZURE_SPEECH_REGION"]
    api_key = os.environ["AZURE_SPEECH_KEY"]
    
    url = f"https://{region}.stt.speech.microsoft.com/speech/recognition/conversation/cognitiveservices/v1"
    
    headers = {
        "Ocp-Apim-Subscription-Key": api_key,
        "Content-Type": "audio/wav; codecs=audio/pcm; samplerate=16000",
        "Accept": "application/json"
    }
    
    params = {
        "language": language,
        "format": "detailed"  # or "simple"
    }
    
    with open(audio_file_path, "rb") as audio_file:
        response = requests.post(url, headers=headers, params=params, data=audio_file)
    
    response.raise_for_status()
    return response.json()

# Usage
result = transcribe_audio("audio.wav", "en-US")
print(result["DisplayText"])
```

## Audio Requirements

| Format | Codec | Sample Rate | Notes |
|--------|-------|-------------|-------|
| WAV | PCM | 16 kHz, mono | **Recommended** |
| OGG | OPUS | 16 kHz, mono | Smaller file size |

**Limitations:**
- Maximum 60 seconds of audio
- For pronunciation assessment: maximum 30 seconds
- No partial/interim results (final only)

## Content-Type Headers

```python
# WAV PCM 16kHz
wav_headers = {
    "Content-Type": "audio/wav; codecs=audio/pcm; samplerate=16000"
}

# OGG OPUS
ogg_headers = {
    "Content-Type": "audio/ogg; codecs=opus"
}
```

## Response Formats

### Simple Format (default)

```python
params = {"language": "en-US", "format": "simple"}
```

```json
{
  "RecognitionStatus": "Success",
  "DisplayText": "Remind me to buy 5 pencils.",
  "Offset": "1236645672289",
  "Duration": "1236645672289"
}
```

### Detailed Format

`