Your Guide to Free & Accurate Zoom Live Transcription

Using a third-party app for Zoom live transcription can bring several advantages that the built-in Zoom feature may not provide. Many integrations can deliver higher accuracy, and better handle various accents, dialects, and technical jargon. Additionally, they can support a broader range of languages, making them ideal for international teams and diverse audiences.

In this blog, we’ll share a step-by-step guide on how to integrate Maestra for Zoom live transcription for free.We’ll also take a look at 5 best practices to maximize the effectiveness of real-time captioning on Zoom, and the benefits this integration can bring to your meetings and team.

Let’s get started.

How to Integrate Maestra for Zoom Live Transcription

First things first: You need to enable manual and automated captions in your Zoom account.

Sign in to the Zoom web portal and click “Settings” in the left-side menu.

In the “Meeting” tab, navigate to “In Meeting (Advanced)”.

Scroll down to find “Manual captions” and “Automated captions”. Toggle both on and click “Enable” in the pop-up windows.

Under “Manual Captions”, check the box for “Allow use of caption API Token to integrate with 3rd-party Closed Captioning services”.

Now you’re ready to integrate Maestra’s real-time captioner for Zoom live transcription:

In a Zoom meeting or webinar you’re hosting, click “More” in the controls toolbar and select “Captions”.

The “Show captions” button will appear in the toolbar. Click the arrow next to it and select “Set up manual captioner”.

Under “Enable manual captioner”, select “On”. Then click “Copy the API token” under “Use a third-party CC service”.

After copying the API token, open Maestra’s live transcription app and click the icon with three dots in the bottom right corner. Then click “Settings”.

Choose “Channels” from the left-side menu. Click “Zoom”.

Paste the API token in the dedicated section and click “Add Channel”.

5 Best Practices for Zoom Live Transcription

The following best practices are designed to help you get the most out of Zoom live transcription, enhancing the quality of your meeting captions.

Choose the Right Software

Selecting Zoom live transcription software with high accuracy is essential for guaranteeing the reliability of real-time captions.

Look for software like Maestra that leverages advanced AI models and automatic speech recognition.

If your team or audience speaks multiple languages, choose software that supports a wide range of languages for broader accessibility.

Opt for a transcription service that can handle regional accents and dialects, especially in diverse teams where speakers may have distinct speech patterns.

Test the Software Beforehand

This step will help you avoid potential issues during the meeting.

Test with different voices and speech speeds to assess the software’s performance.

Verify that the software accurately transcribes both casual and technical content.

Familiarize yourself with the tool’s unique features to utilize them in the most efficient way during the meeting.

Minimize Background Noise

Background noise can interfere with the clarity of live captions, so it’s important to minimize distractions.

Encourage participants to mute their microphones when not speaking to reduce unwanted sounds.

Choose a quiet environment for meetings to minimize external disturbances, helping the software deliver more accurate Zoom transcripts.

Use noise-canceling microphones or headsets for clearer audio input.

Use a Transcription Glossary

Creating a glossary can significantly improve Zoom live transcription accuracy by familiarizing the software with industry-specific terms or jargon.

Prepare a glossary of commonly used terms, acronyms, and technical phrases relevant to your meetings and industry.

Share the glossary with participants ahead of time so they are aware of any specific terms they should use consistently.

Update the glossary regularly to include new terms or phrases that emerge during discussions.

Review the Transcript

Even the most advanced AI transcription software can make errors, so reviewing the transcript is crucial for accuracy.

Scan the transcript for misinterpretations, especially for technical terms or names.

Edit any incorrect words or phrases to ensure the final document accurately reflects the discussion.

Share the final transcript with the participants to provide a reliable meeting record.

Benefits of Live Captioning Zoom Meetings with AI

There are a lot of good reasons to transcribe Zoom meetings live, and here are some key benefits:

Enhanced accessibility: Live captions make Zoom meetings more inclusive for deaf and hard of hearing individuals by providing real-time text of spoken content. It ensures that everyone, regardless of their hearing ability, can actively follow and participate in discussions without relying solely on audio. Additionally, Zoom live captioning benefits people in noisy environments or those who prefer to read along to reinforce their understanding.

Improved comprehension: Real-time AI transcription can help participants better understand spoken content, especially in situations where speakers have strong accents, speak quickly, or use complex terminology. Seeing text alongside audio can enhance retention and clarity, making it easier to follow discussions without confusion. This is especially beneficial for non-native speakers who may struggle with certain pronunciations or fast-paced conversations.

Increased productivity: By eliminating the need to ask for clarifications or repeat information, Zoom live transcription helps meetings run more smoothly and efficiently. Attendees can quickly glance at live captions if they miss a word or phrase instead of interrupting the conversation. This saves time and keeps discussions on track, ultimately leading to more productive meetings and better decision-making.

Seamless remote collaboration: In Zoom meetings, audio issues such as poor connectivity or background noise can disrupt communication. Zoom captions ensure that all participants receive the same information clearly, regardless of their audio quality. That way, remote workers can stay engaged even if they join from locations with less-than-ideal listening conditions.

Reduced miscommunication: Misunderstandings in meetings can lead to errors and frustration, especially when dealing with critical information. AI-powered Zoom live transcription minimizes miscommunication by providing an accurate, real-time text version of spoken content. If a participant momentarily loses focus or experiences audio disruptions, they can refer to the captions to stay on track.

Better documentation: Zoom live captions can be automatically converted into meeting transcripts, creating an instant record of discussions. These transcripts can be referenced later to review action items or main insights. Having a written record is not only useful for employees who were unable to attend, but also improves accountability by verifying what was agreed upon.

Content repurposing: Zoom transcripts can easily be repurposed into various forms of content, such as meeting summaries, blog posts, and training materials. Organizations can extract key points and use them to create internal reports or knowledge bases. Captions also enhance video content for platforms like YouTube, making presentations or webinars more accessible and searchable.

Frequently Asked Questions

How to transcribe a Zoom meeting for free?

You can transcribe a Zoom meeting for free with Maestra’s free live transcription app. Simply integrate the tool with Zoom to get real-time meeting captions in 125+ languages. Try it today for instant, highly accurate AI-generated transcripts.

Can you get a Zoom transcript without recording?

Yes, you can get a Zoom transcript without recording using Maestra’s free real-time transcription tool. All you have to do is select the spoken language and click “Start Captioning”. The live AI transcription software will convert speech to text instantly as the meeting progresses.

What is the transcription plugin for Zoom?

Maestra real-time transcription software offers integration for Zoom live transcription. Supporting 125+ languages, the AI-powered tool can be used to caption Zoom meetings as they happen. Plus, it is completely free.

What is the best transcription app for Zoom?

Maestra is a powerful tool for Zoom AI transcription. Offering both real-time and on-demand services, it converts Zoom meetings into text with high accuracy and speed. Use the live transcription app for free or upload your meeting recording to transcribe it in seconds.

How to translate a Zoom meeting automatically to another language?

You can automatically translate a Zoom meeting with Maestra’s real-time translation app or AI video translator. The live translation software will instantly capture meeting audio and display translated captions in real time. Meanwhile, the AI video translator can translate the meeting recording into 125+ languages after the Zoom session ends.