AccurateScribe.ai

How to Translate Zoom Subtitles Effectively

2025-01-10
By Sofia Delgado
7 min read
AITranscriptionzoom

Zoom’s Transcription feature is a game-changer for global meetings—enabling you to translate subtitles and help attendees follow discussions regardless of language barriers. Whether you use Zoom’s native capability or combine it with an external tool like AccurateScribe.ai, it’s never been simpler to expand your audience and clarify important details. Below, we’ll walk you through essential steps, requirements, and tips for a smooth subtitle translation process.

Creating Zoom Transcripts Using Zoom

What Is Transcription in Virtual Meetings?

In Zoom, transcription is automated, turning spoken words into a text record post-meeting. The transcript usually comes in a Video Text Track (VTT) format, time-stamped for quick referencing. Once your session ends, Zoom’s cloud recording generates both audio/video files and the transcript, letting you review conversation details or add translated captions later.

Requirements for Using Zoom’s Transcribe Feature

  1. Paid License
    Free users can’t access automated transcripts. You’ll need a Business, Education, or Enterprise plan.

  2. Cloud Recording Enabled
    Go into your Zoom admin settings to turn on cloud recording. This ensures that the platform can capture and transcribe your audio.

  3. Activate Audio Transcript
    Toggle Create audio transcript in advanced cloud recording settings. If you still can’t find it, contact Zoom’s Support team to activate transcription on your account.

Creating a Transcript

  1. Start a Cloud Recording
    Only “Record to the Cloud” triggers Zoom’s transcript generator. Local recordings don’t produce transcripts.

  2. Wait for Processing
    After your meeting, Zoom emails you two links: one for the Cloud Recording and another for the Transcript. Large meetings can lead to delays in transcript availability.

  3. VTT Files
    The final transcript is in VTT format. You can open it in text editors or word processors, or edit it directly in the Zoom web portal.

Editing the Transcript

  1. Log in to your Zoom account.
  2. Go to Recordings in the navigation panel.
  3. Select the meeting you want.
  4. Play the video. The transcript text shows on the right.
  5. Click the pencil icon to edit any section, then Save changes.

Renaming “Unknown Speaker” or correcting minor typos can enhance clarity. Save your edits to finalize the transcript.

Displaying Transcripts as Closed Captions

Zoom’s transcripts don’t always appear as captions by default. To enable:

  1. Sign into Zoom Web Portal
  2. Go to Recordings and locate the relevant session.
  3. Play the recorded video.
  4. Tap CC to display live captions over the footage.

Keep in mind Zoom currently supports English for automatic caption generation. For additional language translations or advanced formatting, look to external services.

How to Find Specific Text in a Transcript

Large archives can make it tough to find exact moments in multiple recordings. Zoom’s built-in search:

  1. Sign in to Zoom.
  2. Navigate to Recordings or Recording Management (if admin).
  3. Use the Audio Transcript Search field.
  4. Type the keyword and hit Search.
  5. Matches appear highlighted. Select View Detail to open the entire transcript on the right side.
  6. Return to highlights by clicking Audio Transcript again.

Transcribe and Translate with AccurateScribe.ai

Zoom’s native tool is restricted to English, which is where AccurateScribe.ai comes in. Whether you need multi-language support or a more polished end result, the platform excels in:

  1. Expanding Language Options
    Handle over 120 languages and dialects, perfect for internationally attended events.

  2. Flexible Outputs
    Export transcripts in TXT, DOCX, PDF, or HTML. Plus, easily embed time stamps, speaker labels, and more.

  3. Scalable Accuracy
    Choose fast machine-driven text for minimal editing or engage human editors for near-perfect detail—ideal when dealing with specialized jargon.

  4. Quick Editing & Sharing
    Built-in collaboration allows teams to refine text collectively, ensuring better accuracy and faster turnaround.

Pro Tip: If you aim to produce translated captions, start by uploading your Zoom recording to AccurateScribe.ai, transcribe it in the original language, and then leverage the platform’s translation functionality to adapt the subtitles.

Putting It All Together

Zoom has made it convenient to record and transcribe your virtual meetings, ensuring crucial details aren’t lost. Yet, native features alone may not suffice for multilingual demands or advanced workflows. Incorporating AccurateScribe.ai takes Zoom’s built-in benefits a step further—extending language options, refining accuracy, and simplifying editing.

By combining Zoom’s straightforward transcription and a robust service like AccurateScribe.ai, you guarantee:

Harness these complementary solutions to translate Zoom subtitles effectively, maintain quality transcripts, and share them among colleagues, stakeholders, or clients in multiple languages. It’s a straightforward approach that can elevate your meeting outcomes, keep everyone informed, and streamline organizational knowledge.