How to Get a Transcript from a Video

2023-05-05
Rashida Beal

There are many benefits of transcribing videos to text. Students who watch recorded lectures need an accurate method to take detailed notes. Creators who make videos on Youtube or Vimeo need transcripts to make their videos more accessibleand search engine optimized. Even business professionals benefit from having transcripts of their calls or meetings. No matter your purpose, there’s a method to turn video into text that will work for you. However, not all transcription methods are created equal. Let’s take a look at different types of video transcription and find which ones are the most effective.

Manual Transcription

The most straightforward way of converting a recording from video to text is to do it yourself. It’s also the most time-consuming. One hour of clear audio takes anywhere from four to ten hours to finish. For many people, the sheer amount of time it takes to convert video to txt makes manual transcription a no-go. But if time isn’t an issue, this is an option. This method of transcribing video to text is lengthy, but it does give you full control over the process. However, there will always be room for human error. The longer you’re working on a transcript, the easier it is to make a critical mistake. One way to avoid mistakes and also save yourself time is to hire a professional to transcribe audio for you. This is a better option for people with less patience and time, but it's also much more expensive. Let's take a look at some more affordable online video transcription methods.

Automatic Captioning by Youtube

You can use YouTube's caption feature to automatically convert video to text. You can transcribe a YouTube video in a few simple steps:

To transcribe an original video, upload your video to YouTube first. This may take anywhere from a few minutes up to an hour, depending on the video length.
Click your account picture in the top right corner, then select "Youtube Studio".
Select “Content” on the left corner of the screen. This will show the video you uploaded.
Select the pencil icon on the video you want to transcribe and scroll down to "Show More".
Next, scroll to "Language and Captions" and pick your desired video language. Click save at the top.
Click on Subtitles on the left side to add captions. Select Auto-Sync to generate captions.
Edit captions if needed, then publish.

To view the transcript of a YouTube video already posted, click on the ellipses under the video to the left, right next to the "Share" button. Click on “show transcript” at the bottom of the drop-down list. A transcription will automatically open to the right of the video. While YouTube is a convenient way to get transcript from video, its ability to generate captions are limited. It has an accuracy rate of 60-70% — not bad, but not the best, either. This is impressive for a free tool, but it still takes up to several hours to generate a transcript.

Google Docs Voice Typing

Another free way of transcribing videos to text is by using Google Doc’s Voice Typing feature.( If you prefer using Microsoft Word, it has a similar feature for video speech to text.) Using the Voice Typing feature to transcribe video online is a fast and easy process. Using speech-to-text technology, Google Docs will automatically transcribe the video as you play it. All you need to transcribe audio using this method is a Gmail or Goodle Drive account. Here’s how it works:

Make sure you’re in a quiet area with as little background noise as possible.
Pull up the video content you want transcribed on one tab. Open a new Google Doc on another tab and display both tabs split on the screen.
Click “Tools” on the top bar of Google Docs.
Under the dropdown menu, select “Voice Typing” near the bottom.
Hit play on the video. The Voice Typing feature will automatically conver the video’s audio to text.

Google Doc’s transcription is a free and easy tool that can translate video to text in real time, but it’s not without flaws. It struggles to transcribe audio that isn't spoken slowly. Any background noise or poor audio quality also hampers the transcription's quality. This feature is sometimes prone to errors and inaccuracies, so you’ll need to go back and edit the transcript afterwards.

Maestra’s Automatic Transcription

Many DIY or free methods of converting video to text are either time-consuming, inaccurate, or tedious. This is where an AI-powered transcription software can come in handy. Automatic transcription services are powered by industry-leading AI to create high-quality transcripts. Maestra’s online video transcriber works in seconds, cutting out hours of manual transcription work. The result is a transcript that’s accurate and easy to read, without the high price tag that comes with human transcription. Maestra does the hard work for you, so all you have to worry about is uploading and exporting. Here’s how it works:

Upload your video by dragging it into the upload section on Maestra. Or, browse through your video files and select which video you want converted to speech. Maestra supports all file formats, so you don’t have to worry about your video’s format.
Wait a few minutes while Maestra generates your transcript. Once it’s finished, you can click, view, and edit the transcript to your liking. Maestra’s interface makes editing your transcriptions easy!
Export your transcript in your preferred file format. Next, share the transcription with your coworkers on Maestra Teams, where they’ll have viewing and editing access.

Transcribe Your Video with Maestra Now!

Maestra makes video transcription online fast and easy. All you have to do is upload your video and let Maestra create your transcript. From there, you can edit the transcription however you like before exporting. Our transcription service saves valuable time and money by quickly converting video and audio to text. Are you looking to streamline your transcription? Get started for one minute of free transcription, or book a demo now to learn more.

About Rashida Beal

Rashida Beal is an ambitious writer who creates detailed articles through diligent research to inform audiences around the world on the latest accessibility and localization news.