Microsoft has launched a new feature that allows you transcribe conversations to word. With this Transcribe in word feature, you can record your discussions directly in Word’s web version and transcribe them automatically. Transcribe has the ability to detect different speakers and transcribe them separately.
To get started, go to the dictate button on the menu bar and click on ‘transcribe.’ You now have two options for transcription – to upload an audio file or start recording your conversation or interview. Transcribe supports .mp3, .wav, .m4a, or .mp4 files. Though there is a limit of 200MB per file and a five hour limit per month for uploaded recordings.
The transcript will appear alongside the Word document, along with the recording, which enables you to leverage your transcript to create great content in the way that is best for you. Say you want to pull the perfect quote from an interview to support the main point of your story—just click the plus icon on any line of the transcript and voila, the exact quote is inserted. Want to send the entire transcript to your colleague? Simply click “add all to document” and your full transcript will be laid out in Word.
When you have completed the recording, your recording will be saved to OneDrive.
According to Dan Parish, Microsoft’s Principal Group PM Manager – Natural User Interface & Incubation, this transcription feature is made possible by the new enhancements in Office which leverage the Azure Cognitive Services AI platform.
Transcription is only available for Microsoft 365 subscribers and is supported in the new Microsoft Edge or Chrome browsers.
Voice commands are coming to Word desktop and Word for Mac apps towards the end of the year for Microsoft 365 subscribers.
