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Zoom for the Libraries

An internal quick guide for using Zoom for remote work in the context of the Libraries

Enable Live Transcript - No Recording

These are steps that have to be performed by the meeting host.

Changes to your Zoom settings must be made before you begin a meeting to be active in that meeting.

For non-recorded meetings where you just want a live transcription – and you don’t want to record it for later use, you just want subtitles or a transcription of audio:

  • Go to your Zoom profile page (https://uasystem.zoom.us and sign in)
  • Go to "Settings" > "Recordings" on your Account Page
  • Enable "Viewers can see the Transcript"
  • Start the meeting.
  • In the meeting window, go to the "More" settings (the ... ellipsis icon)
  • Select "Live Transcript" then "Enable Auto-Transcription"
  • If you want to display the live transcript, return to the "More" / ... menu
  • Select "View Full Transcript"
  • A side window will appear to the right, like the "Chat" window.
    • (this window displays who is saying what and is searchable ... these are great features!)
  • If you want to also enable Chat, select "Pop Out" at the top of the "Transcript" window (via the expander arrow)
  • This undocks the Transcript window and makes room for the Chat window.
  • You can also toggle on / off a black subtitle bar at the bottom of the Zoom meeting window in the "More / ..." menu.

Notes on Transcripts / Captions

  • All auto-transcriptions can have problems with proper nouns and homophones, among other things. The Zoom function here is pretty reliable.
  • Transcription AI will search for context to try to choose the correct word (e.g. "Jim" vs. "gym") and edit on this fly. Usually it gets this correct.
  • Screen sharing audio will also be captioned  --e.g., if you screen share a YouTube clip with dialogue, the dialogue will be transcribed. In the transcription window it will be displayed as coming from the user who is screen sharing.

Transcription and Recording for YouTube Upload and Captioning

These are steps that have to be performed by the meeting host.

Changes to your Zoom settings must be made before you begin a meeting to be active in that meeting.

This is for recorded meetings where you want a transcription to later upload as captions to YouTube / Vimeo, etc.

It will also turn on the live transcription during the meeting.

  • Go to your Zoom profile page (https://uasystem.zoom.us and sign in)
  • Go to "Settings" > "Recordings" on your Account Page
  • Enable "Cloud Recording"
    • A list of options for your recording appear. Choose whichever work for your workflow / meeting type / audience.
    • Turn on "Allow Cloud Recording Sharing" if you want to share video but not post it on a public-facing platform
      • This will give you a link at the meeting's end that you can share; recordings are deleted after 60 days
  • Enable "Viewers can see the Transcript"

 

  • Start the meeting.
  • In the meeting window, go to the "More" settings (the ... ellipsis icon)
  • Select "Record to the Cloud"
  • Select "Live Transcript" then "Enable Auto-Transcription"
  • NOTE: It only records / transcribes from the moment you turn these on.

 

  • If you want to display the live transcript, return to the "More" / ... menu
  • Select "View Full Transcript"
  • A side window will appear to the right, like the "Chat" window.
    • (this window displays who is saying what and is searchable ... these are great features!)
  • If you want to also enable Chat, select "Pop Out" at the top of the "Transcript" window (via the expander arrow)
  • This undocks the Transcript window and makes room for the Chat window.
  • You can also toggle on / off a black subtitle bar at the bottom of the Zoom meeting window in the "More / ..." menu.

From "More / ..." in the Zoom Window, select "Stop Recording" when you want to end the recording.

This stops only the recorded video and transcription during that time. The meeting and live transcript are still active.

Zoom will convert your video and transcript files in the cloud and email you when they are ready.

From that link you can save the files for upload / editing. This and the Share Link will appear on the page for the specific meeting in your Zoom Meetings view.

Notes on Transcripts / Captions

The caption file is a VTT - if you need to edit something you can edit a VTT file in Microsoft Notepad. Make a copy first just in case. Don't mess with the timing information, only the transcription text. All auto-transcriptions can have problems with proper nouns and homophones, among other things. Whether something merits changing is your determination. Captioning AI will search for context to try to choose the correct word (e.g. "Jim" vs. "gym") and edit on this fly. Usually it gets this correct.

The captioning file text is identical to the text of the final transcript but does not include speaker information.

The VTT file can be uploaded to YouTube under the "Upload Captions" - > "With Timing" option in the video settings.