How do you turn on transcription in Zoom?

Zoom turns on transcription with one setting, Create audio transcript. When it is on, Zoom transcribes the audio of each meeting you record to the cloud. Change it before the meeting starts, because Zoom does not allow a change while a meeting or webinar is running ¹.

Check your plan first. The setting needs a Pro, Business, Education or Enterprise account with cloud recording enabled ². A transcript comes only from a cloud recording, not from a recording saved to your computer ³. So a meeting recorded to your device gets no Zoom transcript, even when the setting is on.

Admins turn it on for the whole account

If you are an account owner or admin, Zoom's article gives these steps in the Zoom web portal:

1. Sign in to the Zoom web portal as an admin with the privilege to edit account settings.
2. In the top-right corner, click your profile picture or initials, then click Admin Center.
3. In the side menu, click Settings, then click Recording & Transcript.
4. Under General, make sure Cloud recording is enabled.
5. Under Advanced cloud recording settings, select Create audio transcript.
6. Click Save.

You can also lock the setting, by clicking the lock icon and then Lock, so that no one in the account can change it ⁴. Use the lock only if you want the transcript on for every meeting. Zoom's article also describes the same setting for a single group of users, which you reach from Users, then Groups, then Edit product settings.

Personal account owners can switch it on themselves

On a personal account you usually do not need an admin. Zoom says you do not need admin permissions to change the setting unless an admin has locked it for the whole account or for a group ⁵. The steps are the same in spirit: click your profile picture or initials, then click Settings, then click Recording in the side menu. Make sure Cloud recording is enabled, select Create audio transcript, and click Save. If the cloud recording option is greyed out, it may be locked higher up, and you may have to ask your admin.

Unselecting the box turns transcription off

To stop transcription, clear the same box and save. Zoom says selecting Create audio transcript turns automatic transcription on, and unselecting it turns it off ⁶. The setting applies to future cloud recordings. Zoom's article does not describe changing a recording you have already made, so check the cloud recordings list rather than assume the change applies to older meetings.

Check the language before you rely on the transcript

Zoom's enable article says that audio transcription only supports English ⁷. Zoom's article on using audio transcription lists a longer set of languages, from English to Danish ⁸. The two pages disagree, so do not assume a language works because it is on the list. Record a short test meeting in the language you use, then check the transcript against the audio. Names, numbers and technical terms are where the errors usually appear, and a word error rate on your own audio is the number that matters.

Steps to follow, in order

1. Confirm that your account is a Pro, Business, Education or Enterprise account.
2. Confirm that Cloud recording is enabled, in the Admin Center for admins or in Settings, then Recording for personal accounts.
3. Select Create audio transcript, then click Save.
4. Record a short test meeting to the cloud, and check the email Zoom sends when the transcript is ready.

If the setting is missing, Zoom's article says to contact Zoom Support, because the feature may need to be enabled on Zoom's side. Zoom's article says the setting cannot be changed during a meeting, so do this before the meeting you want to record.

Related questions and guides

To find the transcript after a meeting, read how to find and download a Zoom transcript. If you need text without a recording, read whether Zoom can transcribe without recording. For the other platforms, see whether Google Meet transcribes for free. Our guide to Zoom, Teams and Google Meet transcription compares all three, and the transcription overview covers the wider options.