Frequently Asked Questions
What is AI-powered transcription?
Happy Scribe transcription software uses an artificial intelligence (AI) model to extract the speech from any file and convert it to text. Our AI is the core of our Automatic Transcription Software, and it allows us to transcribe files with 85% accuracy in more than 120 languages, dialects, and accents. Thanks to our advanced speech recognition algorithms, audio transcription is now a fast and affordable process. Transcribing audio is useful when you need to grant it's accessibility to a wider audience, making it searchable and readable.
How long does it take to transcribe a file with the automatic transcription software?
The amount of time it will take to transcribe audio to text depends on the length of your audio file, the quality of the audio, and whether or not you transcribe the audio yourself or use software that will transcribe audio to text. If your audio quality is good and you are experienced at transcribing audio to text you can expect to take 4 hours to convert 1 hour of audio. If you have poor audio or are a novice at transcribing audio to text this may take longer. In contrast, the best audio to text converter can convert audio to text in a few minutes.
What is the difference between dictation software and transcription software?
Dictation software enables speakers to transcribe a live conversation into text. In other words, dictation is the equivalent to real time transcription. While dictation is better when you don't have an audio recording, it might be a bit less accurate. Our transcription software uses speech to text algorithms to extract the language in your audio files and convert it into text.
What is the difference between automatic transcription and translation?
Transcription is the process of converting audio to text. Transcribing audio to text involves taking an audio file and converting it to a text document verbatim and in the same language that the original speaker used. The best audio to text conversion can take an audio file in Spanish and convert it into a Spanish text file. On the other hand, translation is the process of taking a piece of audio or written text and converting it into another language. For example, if you have a text document in English but want it converted to French, that is translation.
Which file formats are available for transcription?
Our voice recognition technology is adapted and can process many file formats. You can upload both audio and video formats and convert them in to text in just a few minutes. Once the transcripts are available, they will show up on your user dashboard, so you can export them into your preferred format. You can export files into Plain Text (TXT), Word Documents (.docx), PDF... etc. As the software includes timestamps, you can also export the text into a subtitle format like VTT, ot SRT.
Does audio quality influence the accuracy of the transcription tool?
The quality of the video or audio files that you submit plays quite an important role on the quality of the transcripts. If there's too much background noise it's likely that you'll encounter mistakes in your transcription, so we always recommend uploading quality audio. However, if there's still mistakes, you can always fix them using the audio player and the text editor available in your admin panel.
What makes our transcription software special?
Amongst the best transcription software there are other transcription companies, like Rev, Sonix, Otter, Trint, Descript, Temi, Microsoft... but what makes Happy Scribe different? We provide a unique set of tools to ease up the transcription, subtitling and captioning workflow. From a free transcription editor to a complete set of subtitling and captioning tools, we are the first transcription software to provide transcription and subtitles as a platform where you can edit, collaborate and share your transcripts. Our transcriber community has the best transcriptionists in the world and our automatic transcription software is just the best. Our prices are affordable and inclusive, offering discounts to those businesses seeking to transcribe or subtitle large amounts of audio and to educational institutions or students around the world. Finally, Happy Scribe has one of the best turnarounds in the industry. No matter the amount of files you need to have transcribed, you can rest assured you will receive completed transcripts within 24 hours after submission.
How can I automatically transcribe audio or video files?
By using our speech recognition software, you will be able to transcribe audio/video files automatically. Our transcription software runs in the cloud, so there's no need to install it in your Mac or PC device.
Do you offer a free version?
Yes! We do offer a free trial of 10 minutes so you can can try and test the quality of our transcription software. Once you receive your transcript you can your our online text editor to proofread and fix misspellings or other mistakes. Our platform is user-friendly and you'll see that it's very easy to use our online tools. After this free trial you will be able to enjoy one of the most affordable pricing plans in the industry.
Are there any other transcription tools available with Happy Scribe's software?
Of course! Once your transcripts are available you will be able to edit them in the transcription editor. Every transcription includes timestamps and speaker labels. One of the best features of our software is that words and misspellings where the recognition technology had difficulty will be highlighted in red. The audio playback feature allows you to rewind the recording as many times as you want, adjusting the playback speed as you want. If you uploaded video files, our media player will show them on the right side of the editor.
Should I choose automatic or human transcription?
It depends. If you want to get your files transcribed as fast as possible, automatic transcription is the way to go. You will receive your files in minutes with 85% accuracy. On the other hand, if you need 99% accuracy on your transcription, our human service should be a better fit. Your file will be transcribed by an expert transcriber and delivered back to you in 24 hours.
The best transcription software for Mac must be ideal for its users. The tool needs to have a simple interface, good options for manual transcription or automated transcription, and the ability to transcribe both audio files and video files. It’s also helpful to have a human transcription option. Express Scribe Mac. This is one of the best transcription software, mac 2020, and it is designed for the need of mac users. With this tool, users are allowed to control audio playback by the use of a transcription foot pedal or by the use of the keyboard. Give a try to this software now! How Our Options Offer the Best Transcription Software for Mac. When comparing transcript results from Rev’s automatic speech recognition (ASR) to transcription from other companies like Google, Amazon, Microsoft and more, we outdo the competition.Additionally, our human transcription service offers a 99% accuracy guarantee which is not available with many transcription services.
Get the best writing tool
With Clubhouse exploding into a major social media platform, we can’t underestimate the power of voice. Not any more. Maybe that’s a global pandemic thing, but we’re certainly longing for more verbal communication these days. And what if this longing could make us more productive at work? Well, it’s possible with dictation software.
The Best Free Transcription Software for Mac and PC 2021 This post may contain affiliate links. See my disclosure for more info. In today’s post, I’ll be sharing my recommendations for the best free transcription software based on my experience as a professional audio transcriptionist. Here’s the Prescription for Automatic Transcription. On your Mac, open System Preferences. In the System Preferences window, select Dictation and Speech. In the Dictation and Speech window, select the option to turn dictation on, and make sure to select the appropriate microphone input. On most systems, the Internal Microphone will be the default choice. If you have a separate microphone or input.
If you’ve never tried dictating text instead of typing it, we encourage you to do it right now and see whether it saves your time (spoiler: it does). And if you’re thinking “nay, dictated text is a mess,” you should see our collection of text editing tools — they will help you polish texts in no time. So why not give it a try?
What is dictation software?
Dictation software uses speech recognition technology to convert spoken words into text. Basically, it’s something that could help Isaac Asimov write 1000 books (and not 500 as he did) in the twentieth century. Thanks to high accuracy and great speed of speech-to-text conversion, dictation software works great for note-taking, writing lengthy texts, even chatting in messengers.
The first solid version of dictation software called Dragon NaturallySpeaking was released in 1997. There have been some attempts to create such programs before but most of them failed or were very inefficient. In fact, before 1997, one had to dictate very slowly, pausing after every word so that software could process it.
Today, voice-driven technology is thriving. Lots of software use voice chats, text-to-speech, and advanced voice assistants. Dictation features have been on the rise, too. For sure, lots of apps and websites you use daily have powerful dictation capabilities. Google Docs, Apple text editors, and, of course, Siri make it easy to turn words into typed text.
Why you need dictation software
The most obvious benefit of choosing dictation over typing is speed. According to Mobius, good dictation software for Mac can process around 150 words per minute, while even the most professional keyboard ninjas can type 80 words per minute max. Not impressed? Here are more ways in which dictation tools can help you:
- Save time for important stuff. Like, a good sleep. Seriously, producing text through dictation is extremely time-effective and helps you achieve more while doing less.
- Capture ideas on the go. You know what they say, best ideas come in the shower. And if you have your phone at hand, you can use Siri to capture those ideas without leaving the shower.
- Great assistance for people with disabilities. Of course, voice dictation software is not only a productivity hack, it’s also a great accessibility tool. If for any reason you can’t use your hands for typing, dictation tools are a huge help.
- Avoid poor ergonomics effects. Eye and skin problems, strain injury — these are all the results of bad ergonomics. Dictation allows you to work even when standing or walking, which has great effects on your overall health and well-being.
Best dictation software for Mac users
Ok, Google. Dictation software Macintosh. What are the best tools to try in 2021? We checked a few free and paid apps, and here’s our conclusion: If you’re a Mac user, you don’t need to buy any dictation tools at all. Modern free dictation software for Mac gives you incredible quality, and it’s already there on your computer. You will need some help with editing the text, though, so read on.
Apple Dictation
Apple Dictation is native free dictation software for Mac and iOS devices, operating under Apple’s broader Voice Control functionality. It works in all native text editors, messengers, and basically any program where it’s possible to type. Here’s how to enable Dictation on Mac:
- Go to the Apple menu > System Preferences > Keyboard
- Click on the Dictation tab
- Select “On” next to Dictation.
In the same tab, you can enable a handy shortcut for Dictation so that whenever you use this shortcut, you can start dictating right away and your words will be converted into text. The words will appear wherever your cursor is.
If you want to use Apple’s native software for more voice-controlled tasks — like telling your Mac when it should open specific apps — go to Accessibility > Voice Control. This is where you can create your custom voice commands. You can also use the feature to automate text formatting process: for instance, set the rules for when you want to insert a screenshot in your text or start a new paragraph.
What’s Apple Dictation good for? Voice-based commands, in general. The accuracy is pretty high (according to Zapier research, Apple Dictation gives you 11 inaccurate words on a 200-word test). We recommend Apple Dictation for everyone who wants a cross-platform solution for Apple devices and loves automating workflows with voice commands.
Google Docs voice typing
If you need a dictation tool specifically for Google Docs, use Google Doc Voice Typing. The good news is it’s even more accurate than Apple Dictation, the bad news is it only works in Chrome. So if you’re a devoted Safari user — not your thing.
You can enable Google Docs dictation by clicking on Tools > Voice Typing. You’ll see a microphone icon appear on the left of your doc. Click on it and start dictating.
What’s Google Docs voice typing good for? Long-form content, blog posts, rough drafts, etc. If you’re a pro Google Docs user and you do most of your writing in this app (in Chrome), it will certainly save you a lot of time.
Use Siri for dictation
Apple Dictation and Voice Control are tightly connected with Siri. In fact, Voice Control is entirely based on Siri’s speech-recognition engine. For a Mac user, however, converting words into text with Apple Dictation and Siri are two very different processes. While Siri is great for jotting down a quick note or giving an answer to your question, it can’t just instantly press any button.
However, the magic happens when you connect Voice Control and Siri. Here’s a simple example: Go to Accessibility > Voice Control > Commands. Press the Plus button and set up your shortcut:
- When I say Hey Siri, paste text
- While using Any application
- Perform Paste text.
This is a great way to automate workflows across all your apps, no matter what voice dictation software you use.
To set up Siri on Mac, go to System Preferences > Siri > Enable Ask Siri. You can customize the Siri shortcut, language, and other settings here, too.
What’s Siri dictation good for? Quick voice commands or cases in which you need an answer to a question (Siri can “google” it for you). You can also use it alongside Apple dictation functionality to set up your own voice shortcuts and automate workflows.
Best tools to edit dictated text
Some people would never google “voice dictation software Mac” because they think it’s easier to type than edit dictated text in the end. Well, that’s where they are wrong. Modern dictation software for Mac lets you edit on the fly. And even if you don’t want to perform editing commands while speaking, there are awesome tools that can polish the text for you in a click.
Format and auto-correct with Ulysses
Ulysses is one of the best markup-based writing apps for Mac users. It has your entire flow covered — from distraction-free writing to editing to organizing to sharing. If you need to quickly fix mistakes in your text, you can just throw it in and click on “Check text” in the right sidebar. Ulysses will show all the punctuation and grammar mistakes, and even fix vocabulary problems and redundancy.
To format your text, select Markup in the main menu. You’ll see lots of options like adding headings, ordered lists, annotation, code, and so on. This will help quickly bring your text into a great shape. By the way, Ulysses comes with a native dictation feature. So you can dictate and save your text right in Ulysses. Then, quickly edit it and share anywhere — Ulysses has some great export options.
The great thing is if you have a Setapp subscription, you get immediate access to Ulysses for macOS and iOS (it saves you a lot of money because Ulysses subscription alone costs $5.99/month and Setapp gives you Ulysses + over 200 apps for $9.99/month).
Plus, Setapp has 10+ other writing apps you can choose from — just in case you don’t like Ulysses. They are all part of your subscription so you can explore indefinitely. TextSoap, for instance, is an app with 100+ text cleanup features. And Strike has auto correct, spell checker, and other tools for custom text transformations.
Voice To Text Software
Don’t have time to figure out what apps you need? Setapp has a curated collection for your writing goals — just download Setapp (it offers a 7-day free trial), open the app on Mac > Collections > Write it all out > Install all. Enhance best dictation software with solid text editing tools, and you’ll see your writing accelerate.