Transcription Tools

Transcription in Microsoft Word

Microsoft Word offers a free transcribe tool, which allows users to upload audio files and convert them to text.

Users can transcribe speech to text by either recording directly in Microsoft Word or uploading an audio file. You can then share or download the transcript and recording. 

Click here for further information on the Microsoft website

 

Please note there is a limit of 5 hours per user, per month with no option to share or purchase additional minutes. Microsoft may apply changes in the future which could affect this.

Record and transcribe a Teams meeting

Meeting Transcription in Microsoft Teams

Microsoft Teams provides a transcription feature that converts spoken language into a written text transcript during a meeting. The transcript can be displayed during the meeting and updates in near real time with the relevant name attributed to the person speaking. This supports accessibility needs, improves clarity for attendees and provides a written record that can be reviewed post meeting. 

Starting Transcription 

Meeting transcription can be started in two ways:

Starting transcription automatically before the meeting 

  1. Open the meeting invitation in Teams or Outlook 
  2. Select 'Meeting options'
  3. Under Recording and transcription set 'Record and Transcribe Automatically' to on and select the relevant spoken language from the drop down box 
  4. Save the changes 

The transcription will begin automatically when the meeting is started and attendees will be notified. 

Start transcription during the meeting 

  1. Join the meeting 
  2. Select 'More - Record and transcribe - Start transcription' 
  3. You will be prompted to select the language being spoken in the meeting, select the appropriate language and click 'Confirm'.
  4. Teams will notify all attendees that transcription has started and the transcript panel will open on the right side of the meeting window. 

Transcription in Shared Meeting Spaces with Teams Rooms Devices 

Meetings hosted in shared spaces that use Teams Rooms devices support transcription through the Teams Rooms console. The transcription can be started from the Teams Rooms console by a meeting organiser or presenter and all attendees will receive a notification that transcription has begun. 

Speaker Attribution in Teams Rooms 

When using a Teams Rooms device in a shared meeting space the system will attempt to identify who is speaking and attribute the audio to the correct participant in the transcript.  

You can (optionally) enrol your voice and face through your Teams client by going to 'Settings – Recognition' and following the on-screen prompts. 

For more information regarding voice and face recognition in Teams rooms please see the official Microsoft information 

If you have not enrolled, the system will attempt to differentiate between participants in the room and will label each contribution as Speaker 1, Speaker 2, Speaker 3 and so on.   

Features Available During the Meeting

Live Transcript Panel 

  • Shows the conversation in real time 
  • Includes speaker names and timestamps 
  • Updates automatically as people speak 
  • If the transcription pane does not appear in the Teams meeting, select 'More - Record and transcribe - Show transcript '

Captions 

Captions display spoken audio as on-screen text similar to subtitles on a television. 

To enable captions: 

  1. Select 'More'
  1. Choose 'Language and speech' - 'Show live captions'

Captions are for real-time viewing only and are not saved after the meeting. 

Pausing or Stopping Transcription 

Organisers, co-organisers and presenters can stop the transcription at any time by selecting 'More' - 'Record and transcribe' - 'Stop transcription' 

Transcriptions are automatically stopped and saved when the meeting ends 

Attendees are notified whenever transcription is started or stopped. 

After the Meeting – Accessing the Transcript

Once the meeting ends Teams will post a message in the meeting chat confirming that the meeting recap is available. The transcript is included in this recap.

Where the Transcript Is Stored and expiration period 

Storage location depends on the type of meeting: 

  • Ad hoc or private meetings: stored in the organiser’s OneDrive 
  • Teams channel meetings: stored in the SharePoint site for that channel. The default timeframe for retention is 60 days but can be extended by selecting the recording and amending the expiration date in the details tab. 

How to Access the Transcript 

You can review the transcript in the Recap tab found in the meeting chat or the Teams calendar entry. 

From the recap you can: 

  • View the full transcript with timestamps and speaker names attributed 
  • Search within the transcript for key words 
  • Download the transcript as a .docx or .vtt file or share a link to it 
  • Copy specific sections if required 

These features allow attendees to revisit the discussion, confirm decisions and check details that may have been missed. 

You can also locate a channel meeting recording and transcription by navigating to the relevant Teams channel and selecting the 'Files' tab at the top and then the 'Recordings' folder. 

Accuracy of Transcription 

Teams transcription uses automated speech recognition which can occasionally misinterpret words, names or technical terms. The transcript should not be relied upon as a completely accurate record and should be reviewed carefully if it is being used for formal or detailed reference. 

Further Information

For more information on the latest guidance regarding transcription in Microsoft Teams please refer to the official Microsoft Support page