Discover how to easily transcribe in Microsoft Word Office 365, including other tips for complete transcription in Microsoft 365.
Microsoft has built transcripts into its Word service that allows users to easily record interviews or lectures and copy or edit them directly in Microsoft Word. This feature allows users to record conversations with other apps. It is also possible to record directly in Transcribe.
Voice recordings support MP3, WAV, MP4, and MP4 files. It is currently available to Microsoft Word web users with a Microsoft 365 subscription.
“Whether you’re a journalist who conducts interviews, a researcher who records focus group meetings, or an online entrepreneur who records informal discussions, learning how to transcribe in Microsoft Word Office is essential because you want to be able to focus on the people you are talking to without worrying about taking notes having to do without having to spend. Hours of transcribing their conversations after the fact,” said Dan Parish, lead group project management manager, natural user interface, and incubation, Microsoft said on a company blog.
To use Transcribe in Word, users must select the Dictate button on the menu bar and click Transcribe. Here users can record a live conversation or download a recorded file.
The transcript will appear next to the Word document so you can insert full quotation marks by transcribing them with just one click. It is also possible to transfer the entire recording into a Word document. It is compatible with Microsoft Edge browsers and Chrome browsers.
While there is no limit to how you can save and transcribe in Word on the web, there are some limitations. Users can upload a maximum of five hours of recording per month, and each uploaded recording is limited to 200MB.
As Tech Crunch says, this limit is pretty low compared to other apps that offer transcription services. For example, startup Otter is offering 6,000 minutes on its cheapest paid plan, where a transcript can take up to four hours.
The report added that Transcribe for Word is the best when it comes to recognizing different voices in a conversation.
Microsoft Office 365 is at the forefront of the new features. Microsoft’s latest web app is jam-packed with things you didn’t even know you needed. Recently Microsoft added a new feature that allows you to transcribe your audio recordings. In the age of virtual meetings and video conferencing, this is a welcome update for the app. Let’s help you learn how to transcribe in Microsoft Word Office. Read to the end.
What is the new Microsoft 365 Transcription Feature?
With most of our interactions online now, organizations have a lot of records there. It can be hard work, and it takes a long time to translate every shot into a written format.
For this reason, Microsoft has introduced a new “Transcribe” function in Word, which essentially takes care of your audio recordings.
The Transcribe feature allows you to upload your audio file or record audio directly from the Word web application. All you have to do is allow the website to use your microphone, and the app will do the rest.
The transcription feature is amazing as it can identify different people’s voices. The transcription is generated and separated by different voices that are recorded. You don’t even have to specify the number of speakers present. The app can identify it by itself!
Which Formats can be Transcribed in Microsoft 365 Word?
Currently, the transcription function is only available in a desktop browser in Microsoft 365 Word. The transcript is also only available in English (us-EN). We should see more languages added soon, but for now, the engine can only identify the English language. Also, the feature only works in Microsoft Edge and Google Chrome browsers.
Transcribe supports the most popular audio formats. The .Wav, .mp4, .m4a and .mp3 formats. You can download an audio file in one of these formats, and the engine can identify the language.
Using the Transcription Function in Microsoft 365 Word
As mentioned above, you can only use the transcription feature in Microsoft 365 Word. There are two options available. You can record a meeting directly from the Microsoft 365 Word web application or download an audio file in the formats listed above.
Record a Live Meeting
You can record a live meeting in your web browser using Microsoft 365. To do this, visit the Microsoft 365 Word website and sign in with your Microsoft account.
Click the drop-down arrow next to “Dictate” and select “Transcribe.”
Now click on “Start recording” to record a live meeting. The first time you use the transcription feature, you will need to allow your microphone to access the website. Just click “Allow” in the pop-up window.
You should see the timer start counting. This means that the recording has started. You can pause and resume recording at any time by clicking the pause button.
When you’re done, click Record And Transcribe Now. Your recording will be saved in OneDrive.
Depending on the length of the recording, the transcription may take some time. Do not close the transcription window while the app is transcribing. As soon as the process is completed, the transcript with different speakers is automatically separated.
Upload an Audio File
If you have an old audio recording of a meeting, you can transcribe it using Microsoft 365 Word. To do this, visit the Microsoft 365 Word website and sign in with your Microsoft account.
Click the drop-down arrow next to “Dictate” and select “Transcribe.”
Now click on “Upload audio.” This will open a file explorer window. Find the audio file and upload it.
Depending on the length of the recording, the transcription may take some time. Do not close the transcription window while the app is transcribing. As soon as the process is completed, the transcript with different speakers is automatically separated.
Where can you Find your Saved Transcripts?
All of your transcripts and uploaded audio files and recordings, have been saved in OneDrive. Use the same Microsoft account to access your OneDrive cloud storage. All of your transcription data is located in the Transcribed Files folder on OneDrive.
Can you transcribe virtual meetings with Microsoft 365?
Positive! Follow the above process to record a live virtual meeting. For best results, do not connect headphones to your computer. Let the audio play through your PC speakers so Word can easily hear it. Additionally, Microsoft recommends that you use your PC’s built-in microphone when broadcasting live.