How to Get a Transcript of Your Zoom Meetings

A Zoom meeting transcript is a text record of everything that was said during a Zoom video call or webinar. Having a transcript can be useful for a number of reasons:

• Record keeping - A transcript provides a written account of the meeting that can be saved for future reference. This can be helpful for notetaking, following up on action items, or having a record of important discussions.
• Accessibility - A transcript makes the meeting contents accessible for those who are deaf or hard of hearing. It also helps those who absorb information better through reading than listening.
• Searchability - A text transcript enables you to search for specific keywords or sections of the conversation. This makes it easy to find relevant parts of a long discussion.
• Multi-tasking - Reading a transcript allows you to catch up on a meeting you missed or review key points, without having to listen to an entire recording.
• Translation - Transcripts can easily be run through translation tools to provide versions in other languages.
• Accuracy - A text record avoids any ambiguity or errors from trying to recall a verbal conversation from memory.
• Sharing - Transcripts can readily be shared with others who were not part of the original meeting.

So in summary, having a transcript of a Zoom meeting provides a precise text record of the conversation that can be utilized in many helpful ways.

Enable Transcript Option in Zoom

To get a transcript of a Zoom meeting, you first need to enable the option in your Zoom settings to automatically save chats and transcripts. Here are the steps:

1. Sign into your Zoom account online and go to the Settings page.
2. Under the Recording tab, check the box next to "Save chat messages from the meeting / webinar" and "Save transcript on local computer".
3. Click Save to enable both options.
4. You can also enable "Auto transcribing" if you want Zoom to use speech-to-text to automatically transcribe your meetings. Just keep in mind this feature is in beta and may have inaccuracies.

Once you enable saving chats/transcripts, Zoom will automatically generate a transcript after each meeting and save it locally on your computer. The transcript also includes the chat messages from the meeting.

Record the Zoom Meeting

In order for Zoom to generate a transcript, the meeting host needs to record the Zoom meeting. This can be done in a few easy steps:

1. Start the Zoom meeting as the host.
2. Click on the "Record" button located at the bottom of the Zoom window. This will begin recording the meeting.
3. Conduct the meeting as normal. All audio during the meeting will be recorded.
4. When the meeting is finished, click "End Meeting" and then click "End Recording" to stop the recording.
5. The meeting recording will process and once completed, a transcript will automatically be generated by Zoom and available for download.
6. If local recording is enabled, the host will also have the meeting recording saved locally on their computer which can be accessed through the Zoom client.

The key takeaway is that the meeting host must record the session in order for Zoom to generate a transcript from the audio. Just having transcripts enabled is not enough - the meeting needs to be recorded by the host for the audio to be transcribed after the fact.

Find Transcript

After your Zoom meeting has ended, the transcript of the meeting will become available. To access it, open your Zoom desktop client and go to the "Recordings" tab. This is where Zoom stores the recordings and transcripts of all your past meetings.

Locate the meeting you want the transcript for in the list of recordings. Click on the meeting to open its details. On this page, you will see options to play the recording, along with buttons to download the meeting transcript.

The transcript is available in two formats - VTT or TXT. VTT is a subtitle file that you can load alongside the meeting recording. TXT is a text document version of the transcript. Choose which format you want to download and save the transcript file to your computer.

Once downloaded, you can open the transcript file to view the entire conversation from your meeting in text format. You can also edit or share the transcript with others as needed.

Download Transcript

When you open a past Zoom meeting that had live transcription enabled, you will see a "Transcript" tab next to the "Chat" tab at the top of the page.

Click on the "Transcript" tab to view the full transcript from the meeting. At the top right of the transcript, you will see three dots that you can click on for more options.

From this menu, choose "Download Transcript". You will then be prompted to download the transcript as either a VTT file or text file.

• VTT file - This is a formatted transcript file that includes timestamps from the meeting. It preserves the order and timing of what was said. VTT stands for Video Text Tracks format.
• Text file - This converts the transcript into a simple text document without any timestamps or formatting. The text from the entire meeting is compiled into one continuous document.

The VTT file is helpful if you want to maintain a record of when certain things were said during the meeting. The text file is more convenient for searching, copying and sharing portions of the transcript.

Both file types will contain the full transcription from your Zoom meeting in an easy to access document outside of Zoom. Download in the format that makes the most sense for your needs.

Edit Transcript

Once you have downloaded the transcript, you may want to review it and make edits. The automatic transcription provided by Zoom is convenient, but it is not perfect and may contain errors. Here are some tips for editing your meeting transcript:

• Read through the full transcript while listening to the meeting recording to catch any inaccuracies. The transcript may not always match up with the audio - certain words or phrases may be wrong or missing.
• Correct any spelling, grammar, or punctuation errors. Auto-transcription can often miss proper formatting.
• Fill in any gaps where the transcript has missing or inaudible sections noted. Refer to the recording to transcribe these parts manually.
• Smooth out any awkward phrasing. While auto-transcription aims to capture word-for-word dialogue, the result may sound unnatural when read. Light editing can help improve readability.
• Remove filler words and crutch phrases for a cleaner transcript. For example, you may want to delete repeated words, unneeded interjections, and verbal pauses like "um" and "uh".
• Clarify who is speaking if the transcript does not label each speaker. Add speaker names so the flow of conversation is clear.
• Format the transcript for better visibility. For example, you can bold speaker names, add headings, or divide into paragraphs.
• Check any domain-specific terminology related to your meeting topic to ensure accuracy. Technical or niche terms may not transcribe correctly.
• Consider condensing and/or summarizing lengthy sections for brevity or to protect sensitive information if sharing the transcript with others.

Taking the time to review and edit the automated transcript will help produce a polished, readable record of your Zoom meeting.

Share Transcript

Once you have the transcript file downloaded, you can easily share it through email or cloud storage platforms like Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive, etc.

• Email - Attach the transcript file to an email. This allows you to send it directly to whoever needs it. Make sure the file is in a common format like .txt, .pdf or .docx so the recipient can open it.
• Google Drive - Upload the transcript file to your Google Drive account. You can then share the file by getting a shareable link and sending that to people. Or you can directly share with specific Google contacts by entering their emails. This allows real-time collaboration as multiple people can view and edit the file.
• Dropbox - Similarly, you can upload the transcript to Dropbox and generate a shareable link to send to others. Dropbox allows you to set permissions to view, edit, or comment on the file.
• OneDrive - Microsoft OneDrive works the same way. Upload the file and share it by sending a link or inviting specific people to view or edit it. OneDrive integrates with Microsoft Office for easy collaboration.
• Other apps - Most cloud storage providers like Box, iCloud, etc have similar sharing capabilities. You can also upload and share the transcript through productivity suites like Office 365 or G Suite.

The key is to upload the transcript file to a location where you can generate a shareable link or directly share with the right individuals. This allows easy distribution of the transcript to whoever needs access without having to send large file attachments.

Transcribe Without Zoom

If you didn't record the Zoom meeting directly within the Zoom app, or forgot to enable transcripts, you still have options for creating a text transcript after the fact. While Zoom makes it easy to automatically generate transcripts, third party apps can transcribe both Zoom recordings and other video files.

The most popular tool is probably Otter.ai. It's free for up to 600 minutes of recordings per month. Just upload your Zoom video file, and Otter will transcribe the audio. The transcription won't be 100% perfect, but it's surprisingly accurate. You can also train the software to recognize voices and vocabulary. Otter even tries to add punctuation and identifies speakers.

For those needing to frequently transcribe long recordings, Otter's paid plans remove limits and add features like exporting transcripts to Google Docs. Other top auto-transcription apps include Sonix, Simon Says, and Trint. Most offer free trials and paid tiers.

If you only need to transcribe a few minutes, free web-based options like Transcribe by Wreally Studios may suffice. There are also Chrome extensions like Transcript for YouTube and browser-based AI sites. Quality varies, so try a few to compare.

The last option is transcribing manually. Software like Express Scribe can help by slowing down audio playback. This takes a lot of time and effort but ensures accuracy. Consider outsourcing transcription through a service like Rev or Scribie if you have hours of footage.

Auto-Transcribe Tools

Transcribing a Zoom meeting manually can be time-consuming and tedious. Thankfully, there are some great automated transcription tools available to make things easier. These services use advanced speech-to-text technology to generate transcripts from audio or video recordings.

Some popular options for auto-transcribing Zoom meetings include:

• Otter.ai - This AI-powered tool can transcribe Zoom meetings with high accuracy. You simply upload the Zoom recording and Otter will convert the audio to text. It's free for up to 600 minutes per month.
• Trint - Trint offers automated transcription and editing tools to create polished transcripts from audio and video files. Their software can handle multiple speakers well. Paid plans start at $10/month.
• Descript - In addition to transcription, Descript provides features like editing audio as text and an overdub tool to record over existing audio. It costs $10/month for solo creators.
• Sonix - Sonix touts "the world's fastest transcription engine", with transcripts delivered in 12 hours or less. Pricing is per audio/video minute.
• Temi - This transcription service by Amazon claims 99% accuracy. Upload audio or video to get an instant transcript, with affordable pay-as-you-go pricing.

The accuracy of automated services has improved tremendously thanks to advances in AI. While no tool is 100% perfect, they can provide a great starting point. You can then review and edit the transcript as needed before sharing or publishing. Choosing an automated transcription service can save huge amounts of time transcribing Zoom calls and meetings.

Manually Transcribe

Transcribing a Zoom meeting yourself without any automated tools takes time and effort, but can be done with careful listening and typing. Here are some tips for manually transcribing a Zoom meeting:

Hire a Service

If you want accurate transcripts without having to do the work yourself, consider hiring a professional transcription service. There are services that will transcribe audio or video files for a fee. They use human transcribers who will attentively listen and type out the meeting.

Some popular transcription services include:

• Glyph AI - Starts at $0.05 per minute of audio. Comes with AI that can generate in structured text such as meeting minutes, reports, interview debrief, or extract actionable insights from the text.
• Scribie - Starts at $0.80 per audio minute. Can get transcripts in as little as 12 hours.

Make sure to find a service that fits your budget and turnaround needs. Provide them with the Zoom recording and they will take care of the rest.

Do It Yourself

To transcribe a Zoom meeting yourself:

• Get the Zoom audio/video file. Make sure the audio quality is clear.
• Use a foot pedal and transcription software like Express Scribe to control playback while you type. This makes it easier to pause, rewind, and fast forward as needed.
• Listen to small sections at a time, rewinding and replaying as necessary. Type out verbatim what is said.
• Note any inaudible sections. You can label them by speaker name if known.
• Pay close attention to who is speaking. Note each speaker change.
• Include timestamps throughout the transcript to indicate time markers.
• Feel free to take breaks when needed. Transcribing is mentally taxing.
• After completing the transcript, proofread carefully while listening to catch any errors.
• Format the transcript professionally with speaker names and time stamps.

Manually transcribing a meeting requires patience but can be done with some time set aside. Consider if hiring a service would be better for long or complex meetings.

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