Subtitles And Live Transcript In Zoom (Basics)

Overview

The Zoom collaboration tool has recently released a service that automatically transcribes audio from Zoom meetings. If a meeting host enables this feature, it allows meeting participants to view subtitles, as well as access a full live transcript at any point during the meeting. This article highlights the basics of enabling the Live Transcript feature within a meeting (for Zoom Meeting Hosts), and how to use this feature as a Zoom Meeting Participant to view subtitles and transcription.

Audience

Public

Information

How to Enable Live Transcript and Subtitles as an Option

First, the Meeting Host will need to enable the Auto Transcription feature, in order for anyone in the meeting to be able to use it. If you are a Meeting Host, click the “Live Transcript” button at the bottom of your meeting window. 

Note that if this icon is not visible due to the length of the Zoom window, it can be found under the “…”(More) icon: 

Next, click “Enable Auto-Transcription”

If you are a Meeting Participant, tell a Meeting Host to turn on this feature using the steps above. Once they do, you will see the below message and button appear:

How to turn on Subtitles 

Once a Meeting Host has enabled the Auto-Transcription, click the CC (Live Transcript) button and select “Show Subtitle.” Subtitles will appear as people talk. If you are using a mobile device, this will happen automatically.

How to View the Live Transcript

When a Meeting Host enables Auto-Transcription, Participants on a computer (using the Zoom Client or their browser), or on a mobile device (with the Zoom App), can view the Live Transcript. 

If you are on a computer, click the CC (Live Transcript) button and select “View Full Transcript”. If you are a Meeting Host, click the carat next to the CC (Live Transcript) button and select “View Full Transcript”

If you are on a mobile device, click the “…” (More) option and then “View Live Transcript”. 

Other Notes: 

• A more comprehensive guide and walkthrough specifying differences between the Zoom Client, Zoom Web Browser, and Zoom Mobile App can be found here. 
• If you are hosting a Zoom meeting, we do encourage you to enable the Live Transcript Auto-Transcription feature, as it not only makes your meeting more accessible to participants with hearing impairments or that have volume output issues, but the Live Transcript features will help you and your participants keep an organized record of what was discussed in the meeting.
• A Meeting Host must be using the Zoom Client or the Zoom App to be able to enable Auto-Transcription. 
• If you are hosting a Zoom meeting with Auto-Transcript enabled, before you end the meeting, remind your participants that they can save the auto-transcript log. After you end the meeting, no one will have access to this if they have not saved, so give them a few minutes to save it if they wish. 
• The Live Transcript can be downloaded and searched if you join the meeting on a computer using the Zoom Client. On mobile devices using the Zoom App, you will not be able to save/download, or search the transcript.
• Auto-transcriptions are not 100% accurate. Accuracy may vary based on factors such as volume, clarity, background noise, talking speed, and enunciation. Because of these limitations, if you are required to use speech-to-text support for any compliance or accessibility needs in your meetings and webinars, Zoom recommends using a manual captioner or service that may be able to guarantee a specific accuracy.