Zoom Transcription: How to Transcribe Zoom Meetings Step by Step

Missing important details during your meetings? Transcribing Zoom recordings ensures every detail is captured for future reference. This tool converts your meeting audio into text, making it easy to review, share, and keep track of everything discussed.

Image Source: Zoom

This guide will help you navigate Zoom transcription. We’ll show you how to transcribe your Zoom meetings effectively and introduce you to tools that offer real-time transcription, high accuracy and speed, multilingual support, and customizable formatting options. Plus, we’ll compare Zoom’s native transcription features with top third-party tools and share tips to improve your transcription experience.

What is Zoom Transcription?

Zoom transcription refers to the process of converting audio from Zoom meetings into text.

This feature is available for users with a Pro, Business, Education, or Enterprise account and requires enabling Zoom cloud recordings as a prerequisite for accessing the audio transcription feature.

By enabling this feature, you can automatically generate transcripts for recorded meetings, which can be edited and shared as needed.

Image Source: Zoom

How to Enable Zoom’s Native Transcription

To enable Zoom’s native transcription, follow these steps:

1. Sign in to the Zoom web portal with your admin account.
2. Navigate to Account Settings:
3. Click on Account Management.
4. Select Account Settings.
5. Enable Cloud Recording:
6. Go to the Recording tab.
7. Ensure the Cloud Recording toggle is enabled to allow cloud recordings.
8. This will enable the creation and storage of audio transcripts on the Zoom cloud server.
9. Activate Audio Transcription:
10. In the Advanced Cloud Recording Settings section, check the Create audio transcript box.
11. Click Save to confirm the changes.

If you do not see these settings, ensure you meet the prerequisites or contact Zoom support to enable these features.

Image Source: Zoom

Using Zoom Native Transcription

Zoom’s native transcription allows you to download text transcripts of all audio captions and chats from a Zoom meeting. Here’s how you can utilize this feature:

1. Record your Zoom meeting using the cloud recording feature.
2. Retrieve the transcript:
3. After the meeting, Zoom will send an email with links to the recording and the transcript.
4. Navigate to Recordings in the Zoom web portal.
5. Click on the recorded meeting to view and download the audio transcripts in VTT format.

How to Edit Zoom Transcripts

Editing your Zoom transcripts can enhance their accuracy and readability. Here’s how you can do it:

1. Sign in to the Zoom web portal.
2. Access the Recordings:
3. Go to the Recordings tab.
4. Select the recorded meeting.

3. Edit the transcript:
4. Click the Play icon to view the transcript alongside the video.
5. Hover over the text you want to edit and click the pencil icon to make changes.

Image Source: Zoom

System Requirements for Zoom Transcription

To ensure smooth functioning of Zoom transcription, your system must meet the following requirements:

1. Operating System:

• Windows: 7 or later.
• macOS: 10.10 or later.
• Linux: Ubuntu 12.04 or later.

2. Processor: Dual-core 2 GHz or higher (i3/i5/i7 or AMD equivalent).
3. RAM: 4 GB or higher.
4. Bandwidth: Minimum 1.5 Mbps for both upload and download.
5. Browser: The latest versions of Chrome, Firefox, or Safari for accessing Zoom web portal features.

Ensuring your system meets these requirements will help you make the most out of Zoom’s transcription feature, providing you with accurate and timely transcripts of your meetings.

How to Check Storage on Mac

For those using a Mac, it’s important to ensure your system has sufficient memory to handle Zoom’s transcription features smoothly. If you’re not sure how to check memory on Mac, follow these steps:

1. Click on the Apple menu in the top left corner of your screen.
2. Select “About This Mac.”
3. In the window that appears, you can see an overview of your system’s specifications, including the memory (RAM).

Checking your memory can help ensure your Mac is optimized for running Zoom efficiently, avoiding any potential issues during important meetings.

How to View or Edit Audio Transcripts on Zoom

1. Sign in to the Zoom web portal.

2. Access the Recordings:

   Go to the Recordings tab.

   Select the recorded meeting.

3. View and edit the transcript:

   Click the Play icon.

   Hover over the text you want to edit and click the pencil icon.

Export Options

Zoom’s native transcription allows exporting transcripts in VTT format. Third-party tools like jamie offer more export options, including PDF, DOCX, and TXT, providing greater flexibility for different use cases.

Comparing Zoom Native Transcription with Third-Party Tools

While Zoom’s native transcription feature is convenient, third-party tools can offer enhanced functionality and accuracy. Let’s compare Zoom transcription with jamie, a popular third-party transcription tool.

jamie Features

1. High Accuracy: jamie boasts an incredible transcription accuracy, significantly higher than Zoom’s native transcription.
2. Advanced Analysis: Features like speaker identification, sentiment analysis, and key action items extraction.
3. Collaboration Tools: Allows team members to share and edit the transcripts.
4. Integration Capabilities: Seamlessly integrates with any video conferencing platform.
5. Export Options: Provides various export formats, which Zoom does not.

How to Use jamie with Zoom

1. Sign up for a jamie account using your email.
2. Download the jamie native app:

• Conntect your calendar and favorite apps to jamie. (here you dont have to include this steps since people otherwise think that they have to connect zoom to jamie. but the great benefit is that
• Click Start Meeting, and then join your Zoom call.

3. Transcribe Meetings:

• jamie will automatically transcribe your Zoom meetings. No bot will join your meeting.
• Access, edit, and share transcripts from the jamie dashboard.

Benefits of Zoom Transcription

1. Increased Productivity: Automated transcription allows meeting participants to focus fully on the discussion rather than taking notes.
2. Enhanced Accessibility: Provides a written record of meetings, which can be useful for participants with hearing impairments or those who missed the meeting.
3. Improved Record-Keeping: Easily searchable text transcripts help in maintaining accurate records of meeting discussions and decisions.

Comparing Transcripts from jamie and Zoom

jamie and Zoom both offer transcription services, but they differ in features and accuracy. jamie is a third-party tool known for its high transcription accuracy and additional features like meeting highlights and custom templates. In contrast, Zoom’s native transcription is convenient but may require more manual editing for accuracy.

jamie Transcription vs. Zoom Native Transcription

jamie Transcription:

• High accuracy with advanced AI.
• Provides meeting highlights and easy sharing options.
• Integrates with all conferencing tools for enhanced functionality.

Zoom Native Transcription:

• Convenient and easy to use within the Zoom ecosystem.
• Requires Pro, Business, Education, or Enterprise account.
• May need manual editing for accuracy.

Drawbacks of Transcribing Meetings Directly From Zoom

• Accuracy: Zoom’s native transcription may not always be highly accurate, especially in noisy environments or with diverse accents.
• Manual Editing: Transcripts often require manual editing for punctuation, capitalization, and correct identification of speakers.
• Limited Features: Zoom’s native transcription lacks advanced features like action item extraction, sentiment analysis, and collaboration tools available in third-party solutions.

Transcribe Zoom Meetings for Free

If you’re looking to transcribe Zoom meetings for free, you can use Zoom’s native transcription feature if you have a Pro, Business, Education, or Enterprise account. For unlimited transcriptions without additional costs, consider using third-party tools like jamie, which offers a free plan with transcription capabilities.

Key Takeaways

Image Source: Zoom

Zoom transcription is a powerful feature for businesses and professionals looking to streamline their meeting documentation process. Whether using Zoom’s native transcription or third-party tools like jamie, the key is to choose the solution that best fits your needs for accuracy, functionality, and ease of use. By leveraging these tools, you can ensure that your meetings are productive and that all critical information is captured and accessible.

FAQs

Q: How do I enable audio transcription on Zoom?

A: Sign in to the Zoom web portal, go to Account Settings, enable Cloud Recording, and then check the Create audio transcript box in Advanced Cloud Recording Settings.

Q: Can I edit Zoom transcripts?

A: Yes, you can edit Zoom transcripts by accessing the recordings in the Zoom web portal and using the built-in editing tools. Alternatively, you can edit transcripts on your jamie dashboard.

Q: What are the benefits of using third-party transcription tools with Zoom?

A: Third-party tools like jamie offer higher accuracy, advanced analysis features, better collaboration options, and more export formats compared to Zoom’s native transcription.

Q: Is Zoom transcription available for free accounts?

A: No, Zoom transcription is only available for Pro, Business, Education, or Enterprise accounts.

Q: How accurate are Zoom transcripts?

A: Zoom’s native transcription accuracy can vary, often requiring manual editing, whereas third-party tools like jamie offer a significantly higher accuracy.

Q: How to generate live captions in Zoom meetings?

A: To generate live captions in Zoom meetings:

1. Sign in to your Zoom account via the web portal.

2. Navigate to Settings:

  Click on Account Management.

  Select Account Settings.

3. Enable Live Transcription:

  Go to the Meeting tab.

  Scroll down to Closed Captioning and enable it.

  Check the Enable live transcription service to show subtitles in real-time.

Q: How long does it take for Zoom to transcribe a recording?

A: The time taken for Zoom to transcribe a recording varies based on factors such as the length of the meeting and the current demand on Zoom’s servers. Typically, it may take twice the meeting length to generate a transcript.

Q: Does Zoom provide free transcription services?

A: Zoom provides transcription services for recorded meetings stored on the cloud for Pro, Business, Education, or Enterprise accounts. Free Zoom accounts do not have access to the transcription feature.

Q: Where does Zoom store the transcripts?

A: Zoom stores transcripts in the cloud, accessible via the Zoom web portal. You will receive an email with a link to the transcript or you can navigate to the Recordings section in your Zoom account.

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