Tips for creating a transcript file

Transcripts are a simple way of creating captions. They contain the text of what is said in the video and may contain video chapters. You can enter a transcript directly in your video or follow the steps below to create a transcript file.

Transcripts work best with videos that are less than an hour long with good sound quality and clear speech. The transcript file should be in the same language as the dialogue in the video. After you've created your file, follow the instructions to upload it to your video.

Format your transcript file

Type the text of what was said in your video and save it as a plain text file (.txt). You can convert other formats (like Microsoft Word, HTML) into a plain text file or you can use native programs on your computer like Notepad.

To get the best results, use these formatting tips:

• To force the start of a new caption, use a blank line.
• To designate background sounds, use square brackets. For example, [music] or [laughter].
• Add >> to identify speakers or change of speaker.

Here's an example of what your transcript file might look like:

>> ALICE: Hi, my name is Alice Miller and this is John Brown

>> JOHN: and we're the owners of Miller Bakery.

>> ALICE: Today we'll be teaching you how to make
our famous chocolate chip cookies!

[intro music]

Okay, so we have all the ingredients laid out here

Saving non-English files

For non-English language transcript files, we recommend saving the file with UTF-8 encoding to improve display accuracy:

PC instructions

1. Open Notepad.
2. Click File  Save as.
3. Choose UTF-8 under “Encoding.”

Apple computer instructions

1. Open TextEdit.
2. Click Format  Make Plain Text.
3. Click File  Save.
4. Select Unicode (UTF-8).