Why does an MP3 file trigger an 'Invalid file format' error in Whisper transcribe?

Below is a brief troubleshooting guide for your issue.

1. Verify the Audio File

The code you shared is consistent with the documentation:

PYTHONCopied
audio_file = open('./Test_Whisper1.mp3', 'rb')
openai.Audio.transcribe('whisper-1', audio_file)

Since MP3 is a supported format, the error indicates that the API isn’t recognizing your file as a valid MP3. Double-check that:

• The file path is correct and the file exists.
• The file isn’t corrupted or empty.
• The file content is actually in MP3 format; sometimes files with an “.mp3” extension might have a different or unexpected encoding.

2. Try a Different Format

If possible, convert your file to another supported format (for example, WAV):

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audio_file = open('./Test_Whisper1.wav', 'rb')
openai.Audio.transcribe('whisper-1', audio_file)

This helps determine whether the issue is specific to your MP3 file.

3. Update Your OpenAI Library

Make sure you are using the latest version of the OpenAI Python package. You can update it via pip:

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pip install --upgrade openai

4. Check for Local Issues

Sometimes local file handling (for example, permission issues, file encoding, or even subtle file-fetch problems in your environment) might affect the request. Make sure your development environment is reading the binary file as expected.

Conclusion

Your code is correct per the official guide, so the error likely stems from the file itself (corruption, mislabeling, or encoding issues) or an environment-related detail. Similar issues reported by others were usually resolved by verifying or converting the file and ensuring everything is up-to-date.

If you continue experiencing issues after these steps, consider reaching out to OpenAI support with details about your file and environment.