How To Enable Live Transcription On Zoom
“I can’t hear you. Can you please speak louder?”
Are you tired of situations like these in Zoom meetings?
Is manual transcription too time-consuming a process to even consider?
Everyone could use a closed captioning and transcription feature for such situations.
Good news! It’s here.
In this post, we introduce Zoom’s live transcription feature and show you how to use it.
What is live transcription on Zoom?
Live transcription is a feature that uses automatic transcription to convert spoken words into text in real-time.
It is enabled by the host, like recording or screen sharing.
Participants will see the live transcript as subtitles under or to the side of the video.
You can save the full transcription when your session is complete.
What are the benefits of live transcription on Zoom?
Here are some benefits of live transcription in Zoom:
- Provides clarity and context for those attending meetings in loud areas or without access to clear audio.
- Allows those in shared workspaces to take part in meetings without bothering others around them.
- Increases accessibility for participants with hearing issues and non-native speakers.
- Makes information recall a breeze. You can search by keyword to find specific points in the transcript.
- Increases active listening by taking notes for you, allowing you to be fully invested in the meeting.
How do I activate live transcription on Zoom?
To turn on live transcription, follow these steps:
Log into your Zoom account using an internet browser.
Click on Settings.
In Settings, click Meeting.
Select In Meeting (Advanced).
Scroll down to Automated captions, Full transcript, and Save Captions.
Turn all three features on and save.
You will now see live transcription displayed on your Zoom toolbar during meetings.
How do I activate live transcription in meetings?
Only meeting hosts can enable live transcription.
Participants will get access after the host has enabled it. It’s up to participants to use it or not after getting access.
Let’s walk through activating live transcription in meetings:
Start a meeting as host.
Click on Live Transcript at the bottom of the screen. .
A menu with four options will appear.
Select Enable Auto-Transcription. It will turn blue, indicating transcription is on.
A notification will pop up confirming that live transcription is active.
An ^ arrow will appear in the upper righthand corner of the Live Transcript button. Participants can click on it to set display options.
Hide Subtitles will remove all subtitles.
View Full Transcript shows full live subtitles in a side panel.
Subtitle Settings brings you to a detailed menu for further personalization.
Tips for using live transcription on Zoom
We’ve learned about what live transcription is and how to enable it. But how do we make the most of it?
1. Speak slowly and clearly
It helps with transcript accuracy and allows others to read with ease.
2. Use an external microphone
Audio quality affects the quality of the transcript. An external microphone provides better audio than your computer’s built-in microphone.
3. Take pauses before switching speakers
Zoom takes a few seconds to identify a new speaker. Pausing before speaking allows active speaker tracking to send a clear signal to live transcription.
Does Zoom support auto-translate?
If you’re chatting in English with a non-native speaker, you might be looking for ways to increase comfort, accessibility, and clarity.
Unfortunately, live transcription is only available in English. But in the annual Zoomtopia event 2021, Zoom announced real-time translation for 12 languages.
How do I access Zoom transcriptions?
Save your transcription by clicking Save Transcript before ending the meeting.
The host can allow participants to save files as well.
Your file will be saved locally.
From here, you can send your transcript to anyone who made need it or use it however you wish.
That’s it! You’ve enabled live transcription on Zoom.
