Introduction

Transcribe Recordings Using Microsoft Word Online

Transcribe Recordings Using Microsoft Word Online

Microsoft Word Online is a handy tool that faculty, staff, and students have access to through Microsoft 365. Use Microsoft Word Online to transcribe lectures and other course content in minutes, rather than hours!

Video Tutorial

Watch the following video to learn how to transcribe audio to text in Microsoft Word. The video covers how to record directly in Word, upload an audio file, edit the transcription, and insert it into your document.

Transcribe Tool Overview

The transcribe tool is a feature of Microsoft Word Online that allows you to convert speech to a text transcript with each speaker individually separated. You can use the transcribe tool in two ways:

  • Record directly in Word: You can record your conversation, interview, or meeting using the microphone of your device and Word will transcribe it for you.
  • Upload an audio file: You can upload an audio file (such as MP3 or WAV) that you have recorded elsewhere and Word will transcribe it for you.

The transcribe tool supports various languages and accents, and you can change the transcription language before or after the transcription. You can also edit the transcript to make corrections, change the speaker names, and add punctuation. You can save the full transcript as a Word document or insert snippets of it into existing documents.

How to Use the Transcribe Tool

To use the transcribe tool, you need to have a Microsoft 365 subscription and sign in to Word Online. Then, follow these steps:

  1. Open a new or existing document in Word Online.
  2. In the Home tab, click the arrow next to Dictate and then select Transcribe from the menu that appears.
  3. In the Transcribe pane that opens on the right, choose whether you want to record directly in Word or upload an audio file.
  4. If you choose to record in Word, click Start Recording and start speaking. When you are done, click Pause and then Save and Transcribe Now. If you choose to upload an audio file, click Upload Audio and select the file from your device. Word will start transcribing the file automatically.
  5. Wait for the transcription to finish. You will see the transcript appear in the Transcribe pane, with each speaker and timestamp separated. You can play back the audio by clicking the play button next to each section.
  6. To edit the transcript, hover over the text and click the pen icon that appears. You can make changes to the text, the speaker name, and the punctuation. You can also tick the box next to Change All Speaker to apply the changes to every instance of the same speaker.
  7. To add the transcript to your document, click Add All to Document at the bottom of the Transcribe pane. This will insert the transcript as a table below your document. You can also select a specific section of the transcript and click the plus icon that appears to insert only that section.
  8. To save the transcript as a separate document, click Save Transcript at the top of the Transcribe pane. This will open a new document with the transcript and the audio file attached. You can rename and save the document as you wish.

Tips and Tricks

Here are some tips and tricks to make the most of the transcribe tool:

  • You can transcribe up to 5 hours of audio per month with your Microsoft 365 subscription. Each audio file can be up to 200 MB in size and up to 60 minutes in length.
  • You can change the transcription language before or after the transcription by clicking the language dropdown at the top of the Transcribe pane. The transcribe tool supports over 20 languages and accents, including English, Spanish, French, German, Chinese, and Japanese.
  • You can delete the transcript and the audio file from the Transcribe pane by clicking the trash icon at the top. This will not affect the transcript or the audio file in your document, if you have already added them.
  • You can access your previous transcripts and audio files by clicking the folder icon at the top of the Transcribe pane. You can also delete them from there if you want to free up some space.

Conclusion

The transcribe tool is a powerful and convenient feature of Microsoft Word Online that can help you transcribe speech to text with ease. You can use it to record or upload audio, edit the transcript, and insert it into your document. You can also save the transcript and the audio file as a separate document for future reference. Try it out and see how it can improve your productivity and creativity.

For more information and support, you can visit the following links: