How To Transcribe Zoom Recording: Step-by-Step Guide

In the virtual world of remote work and online collaboration, Zoom has become a staple for conducting meetings, webinars, and discussions. As meetings are increasingly recorded for future reference, transcribing these recordings becomes essential for documentation, analysis, and accessibility.

In this comprehensive guide, we will walk you through the step-by-step process of transcribing Zoom recordings, highlighting various methods and tools available for seamless transcription.

Is It Possible To Transcribe a Zoom meeting?

Zoom offers a native or in-built transcription feature that allows you to download a text transcript of all audio captions and chats of a Zoom meeting. This feature is available on the Pro, Business, Education, or Enterprise tiers and requires account owner or admin privileges to access.

To achieve this, you simply need to activate the automatic transcription feature in your settings. Following the recording, Zoom will automatically send a completed transcript to the email linked to the host’s Zoom account. If adjustments are necessary, you can make them directly within Zoom’s web portal. You can also enable or disable your transcripts as closed captions for your video  within this portal.

It’s important to be aware that all Zoom transcriptions are provided in VTT format. This format includes timestamps, and you have the flexibility to format the text according to your preferences. However, it’s crucial to note that transcriptions are exclusively accessible under specific conditions.

Zoom also allows for automatic transcription on meetings that are recorded to the cloud. Once you have enabled cloud recording and audio transcript, you can host your Zoom meeting and then left-click the Record icon on the Meeting Controls.

What You Need For Zoom Transcriptions?

Zoom’s audio transcription services are accessible to users with Cloud recording privileges, including those with a business, education, or enterprise license. If your Zoom account meets these criteria, you have continual access to the platform’s comprehensive recording, transcription, and editing tools.

Is Zoom Good Choice for Trasncription

Zoom offers transcription features that can automatically transcribe the audio of a meeting or webinar that you record. Zoom’s in-built audio transcript tools make it easy to produce transcripts natively and automatically, which can be useful for repurposing meetings into written media such as blogs or social media posts.

Enabling live transcription in Zoom is a two-step process, which begins with enabling this function in your Zoom account prior to the meeting.

Overall, while Zoom’s transcription features can be convenient for automatically transcribing meetings, it’s worth noting that the accuracy of the transcripts may not be as high as those produced by dedicated video and audio transcription software tools. 

How To Transcribe Zoom Meeting Step by Step

Need an audio recording transcript of your Zoom meeting? Follow these simple steps to get started with Zoom’s built-in  transcription tool.

Step 1: Recording the Zoom Meeting

Before you can transcribe a Zoom meeting, you need to ensure that the meeting is recorded. When hosting a Zoom meeting, click on the “Record” button at the bottom of the screen to start recording the session. It’s important to inform all participants that the meeting is being recorded, as per legal and ethical considerations.

Step 2: Accessing the Zoom Recording

After the meeting concludes, Zoom will process the recording, and it will be saved locally on your device or in the cloud, depending on your settings. You can access cloud recordings by logging into your Zoom account and navigating to the “Recordings” section. From there, you can either download the recording to your local device or proceed with the transcription directly within the Zoom interface.

Step 3: Transcribing Using Zoom’s Built-in Feature

Zoom offers a native transcription feature for cloud recordings. If your Zoom plan includes access to this feature, you can enable it for your account or ask your Zoom administrator to do so. Once enabled, Zoom will automatically transcribe the audio from your cloud recordings, generating a text transcript containing the spoken content of the meeting. This transcript can be downloaded and shared with meeting participants or used for reference.

Step 4: Third-Party Transcription Tools

If you prefer more control over the transcription process or require additional features such as language support, speaker identification, or advanced editing capabilities, third-party transcription tools can be valuable. Services like Happy Scribe, Grain, and Krisp’s AI Meeting Assistant offer seamless integration with Zoom recordings, allowing you to upload the recording and receive an accurate transcript in your desired format.

Step 5: Manual Transcription

For utmost accuracy or when dealing with sensitive or complex content, manual transcription may be necessary. This involves listening to the Zoom recording and typing out the spoken content verbatim. You can enlist the help of professional transcriptionists or use transcription services that provide human-powered transcriptions for the highest level of accuracy.

Step 6: Review and Edit the Transcript

Once you have obtained the transcript, it’s important to review and edit it for accuracy, clarity, and formatting. Check for any errors, misinterpretations, or omissions in the transcript and make the necessary corrections. Some transcription tools also offer editing interfaces, making it easy to refine the transcript within the same platform.

Step 7: Sharing and Storing the Transcript

After finalizing the transcript, you can share it with meeting participants, colleagues, or clients as needed. It’s also advisable to store the transcript in a secure and accessible location for future reference. Consider using cloud storage solutions or document management systems for easy retrieval.

Edit Zoom audio transcriptions 

To edit Zoom audio transcriptions through its web portal, you can follow these steps:

1. Enable Automatic Transcriptions: Log into your Zoom account and navigate to the settings. Under the “Recordings” section, ensure that the “Create Audio Transcript” option is checked to enable automatic transcription for your cloud recordings.
2. Access the Transcription: Once the meeting is recorded and the transcript is processed, you will receive an email notification with a link to access the recording and its transcript. Alternatively, you can access the recording and its transcript directly from the Zoom web portal.
3. Edit the Transcript: Zoom’s web portal allows you to edit the transcript directly. You can make changes to the text, correct errors, and format the transcript as needed. Simply hover over a phrase and click the pencil icon to make edits. After making changes, remember to save your edits.
4. Save and Share: After editing the transcript, you can save the updated version and share it with other reviewers if necessary. The transcript can be exported in various formats such as Word, PDF, or .txt

Alternative To Zoom Transcription 

When it comes to accurate transcriptions without the hassle, look no further than FileTranscribe. Instead of relying on Zoom, FileTranscribe offers automated transcriptions immediately after recording, eliminating the need for any additional setup. Transcriptions are readily available on all our plans, and our AI transcriptions can be seamlessly used to edit your videos with our text-based editor.

FileTranscribe is a superior recording software that allows you to capture everything on your device, ensuring high-resolution audio and video at up to 48kHz, regardless of your location. The crystal-clear recordings result in more precise transcripts, but that’s not all that FileTranscribe has to offer.

FileTranscribe Lets You,

• Generate transcriptions in over 100 languages without any additional cost.
• Download SRT transcripts, perfect for video captioning, or TXT files ideal for content repurposing.
• Receive highly accurate transcripts immediately after recording, at the click of a button.
• Obtain transcripts that differentiate between speakers, providing clarity on who’s talking when.
• Record audio at up to 48kHz and video at up to 4K resolution without being dependent on an internet connection.
• Capture separate audio and video tracks for all participants.
• Edit your video, remove unwanted parts, create shareable clips, and customize your branding.

It’s also important to note that, unlike Zoom’s VTT files, FileTranscribe’s SRT files are compatible with most social media platforms, offering a seamless experience for adding captions to videos on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and more.

Discover more about FileTranscribe and sign up to transcribe recordings accurately, without the extra effort. You can also try our free transcription tool to experience the ease and accuracy for yourself!

FAQ’s

How can I transcribe my Zoom meetings or recordings?

You have two options for transcribing Zoom recordings. You can import the recording directly from Zoom Cloud for free or upload it from your local drive. If your meetings are stored in your Zoom Cloud account, you can easily import them into a transcription tool like Grain with just a few clicks.

Can I transcribe Zoom webinar sessions?

Yes, you can upload your Zoom webinar recordings to a transcription tool like Grain and follow the same steps to obtain webinar transcripts. Additionally, you can edit your recording to create shareable highlight clips for social media distribution.

What file formats are available for downloading transcriptions?

You can download transcriptions as SRT files, ideal for video captioning, or as TXT files for content repurposing.

How do I access the transcripts of my Zoom meetings?

After a few minutes, you will receive an email with links to access your recordings and transcripts on the cloud. You can then easily access your Zoom meeting transcription.

Can I edit the transcriptions after they are generated? 

Yes, you can download your transcription as a VTT file and open it with a text editor or word-processing application. This allows for easy editing and customization.