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How to use VideoText — tools, workflows, and client guidelines

A practical guide to each tool: inputs, outputs, limits, plus how freelancers prep transcripts against marketplace rules before QA.

This guide is the full "How it works" reference for VideoText. Step-by-step: how each tool works, what inputs we expect, and what you get. All tools accept file uploads (MP4, MOV, AVI, WebM). For billing and limits, see Pricing; for privacy, see our FAQ and Privacy Policy. Ask Tex (bottom-right) for quick answers about any tool or plan.

Workflows

Use "Next step" on each tool to continue with the same file (no re-upload).

Voice notes / interviews

Record→Copy or download .txt

Client-ready transcripts

Transcript→Guideline presets

Clip editors

Trim→Subtitles/Transcript→Fix→Burn→Compress

Voice → Text

Record your voice directly in the browser and get an accurate transcript. No file, no upload, no account required to try.

Open Voice → Text

How to use

  1. Open the Voice to Text tool — no account or app needed.
  2. Click the microphone button and allow browser microphone access when prompted.
  3. Speak naturally. The waveform confirms your mic is working. Background noise is filtered automatically.
  4. Click the red stop button when done (or the recorder stops automatically at 60 minutes).
  5. Your audio uploads in the background and the transcript appears.
  6. Copy the transcript to clipboard or download as a .txt file.
  7. On Pro, after the transcript is ready, use Share with a link to send a read-only page (original or translated) — same as Video → Transcript.
  8. Click "Record another" to start a new session.

What we expect

  • Input: Your microphone — no file upload needed. Works on Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge.
  • Max duration: Up to 1 hour per recording on all plans.
  • Audio quality: Noise suppression, echo cancellation, and auto gain are applied automatically. Quieter environments produce more accurate transcripts.

Features

  • Zero friction — works on free plan, no account needed to try.
  • Real-time waveform so you can see your mic is active.
  • Noise suppression and echo cancellation built in.
  • 104 languages for subtitle translation auto-detected — speak in any language.
  • Copy or download transcript with one click.
  • Pro: optional translation, then shareable read-only links for original or translated text.

YouTube → Transcript

Download a YouTube video as MP4, upload it, and get a full transcript. Works with long-form videos, podcasts, and lectures.

Open YouTube → Transcript

How to use

  1. Download the video as MP4 — YouTube Studio for your own uploads, or the platform download option where it is available.
  2. Upload the file on the YouTube → Transcript tool.
  3. Optionally set the spoken language — auto-detect works but manual improves accuracy for non-English content.
  4. Click Generate Transcript. Transcription starts after the upload finishes.
  5. When done, open the transcript, the speaker labels on Pro, and the export formats.
  6. Pro tip: select "Also translate to" before starting to get a side-by-side translation in 104 languages.
  7. Copy text or download (TXT, SRT, VTT on all plans; JSON/DOCX/PDF/CSV/Notion on Pro). On Pro, use Share with a link to send a read-only transcript page (original or translated) — viewers do not need to log in.

What we expect

  • Input: An MP4 downloaded from YouTube. Use YouTube Studio for your own uploads, or the platform download option where available.
  • Duration limits: Free: 30 min per file. Pro speech, subtitle, and voice files: up to 4 hours. Burn and compress: up to 2 hours.

Features

  • Works with any YouTube video you can download as MP4.
  • Full transcript with timestamps (all plans).
  • Speaker diarization: automatically identify who said what — Pro only.
  • Translate to 104 languages: get a full translation alongside the original — Pro only.
  • Export as TXT, SRT, VTT (all plans); JSON, CSV, Markdown, Notion, DOCX, PDF on Pro.
  • Shareable read-only links (Pro): send a transcript URL — viewers do not need to log in.
  • One downloaded video can become a transcript you quote in a blog post, a social snippet, or a newsletter.

Video → Transcript

Extract spoken text from any video. Get a full transcript, then explore subtitles, speakers, and more.

Open Video → Transcript

How to use

  1. Upload a video file (MP4, MOV, AVI, WebM). Max size and duration depend on your plan.
  2. Optionally trim the video to transcribe only a portion. A shorter file uses less of the monthly speech allowance.
  3. Set the spoken language if you know it — auto-detect works but manual improves accuracy for non-English content.
  4. Click Start. Segments appear as they complete.
  5. When done, open the transcript, the speaker labels on Pro, and the export formats.
  6. Pro tip: check "Also translate to" before starting to get a side-by-side translation of the transcript in 104 languages.
  7. Copy text or download (TXT, SRT, VTT on all plans; JSON/DOCX/PDF/CSV/Notion on Pro). On Pro, use Share with a link to send a read-only transcript page (original or translated) — viewers do not need to log in.

What we expect

  • Input: Video file (MP4, MOV, AVI, WebM).
  • Duration limits: Free: 30 min per file. Pro speech, subtitle, and voice files: up to 4 hours. Burn and compress: up to 2 hours. Longer files are rejected at upload.
  • File size: Free: 2 GB; Pro: 10 GB.

Features

  • Full transcript with timestamps and editable segments (all plans).
  • Speaker diarization: automatically identify who said what — Pro only.
  • Translate to 104 languages: get a full translation alongside the original — Pro only.
  • Export as TXT, SRT, VTT (all plans); JSON, CSV, Markdown, Notion, DOCX, PDF on Pro.
  • Shareable read-only links (Pro): send a transcript URL — viewers do not need to log in.

Guideline Format

Prep transcript text against editable Rev-, GoTranscript-, TranscribeMe-, and Scribie-style rule presets. Attach a client PDF/DOCX/TXT for your records; parsing those files into rules ships separately.

Open Guideline Format

How to use

  1. Finish a transcript in Video → Transcript, then click "Make this client-ready →" in Exports — your text loads here automatically — or open this tool and paste or upload .txt.
  2. Choose a preset from the dropdown (Rev, GoTranscript, TranscribeMe, Scribie), or pick Custom and drop a client PDF, DOCX, or TXT.
  3. Edit any rule summary in-place. Use Reset on a rule or Reset all when you want defaults back.
  4. When your transcript text and guideline (preset plus rules or uploaded file) are ready, tap Format Transcript → to confirm receipt.

What we expect

  • Best for: Freelancers handing off to agencies, QA checklists against platform rules, and teams with branded style sheets.
  • Inputs: Plain transcript text; optional .txt paste or upload; presets or custom guide file.
  • Workflow: Pairs with Video → Transcript exports; no retyping long jobs into a blank doc.

Features

  • One-click handoff from Video → Transcript with session pre-fill.
  • Four platform presets tuned to verbatim, tags, speaker label, and number conventions.
  • Per-rule edits with Edited badges so reviewers see what changed from default.
  • Custom client guide slot for PDF/DOCX/TXT (server parsing rolls out in a later release).

Video → Subtitles

Generate SRT or VTT subtitle files from video. Single or multi-language; ideal for YouTube and web.

Open Video → Subtitles

How to use

  1. Upload a video file.
  2. Choose output format: SRT or VTT.
  3. Select primary language. On Basic+ you can add more languages (we return a ZIP with one file per language).
  4. Click Start. When finished, download the subtitle file(s).
  5. Use "View in another language" to see plain-text translation in-app (for reading/copy); this does not create a new SRT/VTT file. For translated subtitle files, use Translate Subtitles or multi-language output.
  6. Use "Convert format" to turn the result into another format (SRT ↔ VTT ↔ TXT) without re-uploading the video.

What we expect

  • Input: Video file. Same duration and size limits as Video → Transcript.
  • Languages: Free: 1 language; Pro: 104 languages for subtitle translation. Multi-language outputs are generated in one job and returned as a ZIP.

Features

  • SRT and VTT output; optional multi-language ZIP on Pro.
  • In-app translation viewer for reading/copy (plain text).
  • Format conversion (SRT/VTT/TXT) from the result panel.
  • Validation warnings (e.g. long lines, gaps) shown when relevant.

Translate Subtitles

Translate existing SRT or VTT files to another language. Upload a file and get a new subtitle file with same timestamps.

Open Translate Subtitles

How to use

  1. Upload an SRT or VTT file.
  2. Select the source language (or leave as auto-detect) and the target language.
  3. Click Start. We translate the cue text and return a new SRT/VTT with the same timing.
  4. Download the translated file.

What we expect

  • Input: SRT or VTT file. Format must be valid (numbered cues, timestamps).
  • Output: Translated SRT or VTT with original timestamps; language and style may vary by plan.

Features

  • 104 target languages (e.g. Arabic, Hindi, Spanish, French).
  • Timestamps preserved; only the text is translated.
  • Works on files from any source (our tools or elsewhere).

Fix Subtitles

Auto-correct timing, grammar, line breaks, and remove fillers in SRT/VTT files.

Open Fix Subtitles

How to use

  1. Upload an SRT or VTT file.
  2. We analyze it and show issues (overlaps, long lines, gaps). Optionally enable: Fix timing, Grammar fix, Line break fix, Remove fillers.
  3. Click Start. You get a corrected file (e.g. _fixed.srt) and a summary of changes.
  4. On paid plans you can edit segments in the editor before or after fixing.

What we expect

  • Input: Valid SRT or VTT. We report overlapping cues, very long lines, and large gaps; you choose which fixes to apply.
  • Output: Fixed SRT/VTT plus an optional list of issues/warnings (informational).

Features

  • Fix overlapping timestamps and gaps for YouTube and other platforms.
  • Grammar and punctuation corrections, line break normalization.
  • Remove filler words (um, uh, like, etc.) from cue text.
  • Pro: in-app subtitle editor to tweak segments.

Burn Subtitles

Hardcode subtitles into the video. One video + one SRT/VTT file; output is a single video with captions baked in.

Open Burn Subtitles

How to use

  1. Upload the video and the subtitle file (SRT or VTT) in the dual upload area.
  2. Optionally adjust styling if the tool offers it.
  3. Click Start. Processing encodes the subtitles into the video.
  4. Download the new video file (_subtitled.mp4).

What we expect

  • Input: One video file and one SRT or VTT file. Same duration/size limits as other video tools for the video.
  • Output: Single MP4 with burned-in subtitles; original file is not modified.

Features

  • Permanent captions visible on any player (no separate subtitle track needed).
  • Useful for social media, archival, and players that do not support external subtitles.

Compress Video

Reduce video file size with presets for web, mobile, or archive.

Open Compress Video

How to use

  1. Upload a video file.
  2. Choose compression profile: Web (smaller, good for sharing), Mobile, or Archive (higher quality, larger).
  3. Click Start. When done, download the compressed file.

What we expect

  • Input: Video file. Same duration and size limits as Video → Transcript.
  • Output: Compressed MP4; size and quality depend on the profile and source.

Features

  • Presets tuned for web streaming, mobile, or archive.
  • No re-encoding of subtitles; video-only compression.

Batch Processing

Process multiple videos in one go. Pro only.

Open Batch Processing

How to use

  1. Upload multiple video files (or use the batch upload area).
  2. Set primary language and add additional languages if needed.
  3. Start the batch. Each video is processed and the results are packed into one ZIP (SRT, derived VTT, and transcripts; errors logged in error_log.txt if any).
  4. Download the batch ZIP when all jobs complete.

What we expect

  • Availability: Pro only. Free plan does not have batch access.
  • Limits: Pro: no daily import cap; speech files up to 4 hours. Process at your own pace.
  • Output: One ZIP per batch with transcripts, subtitles per video; multi-language adds more files per video.

Features

  • One upload, one ZIP: all transcripts and subtitles in a single download.
  • Several videos can be in progress together.
  • Outputs: transcripts, SRT/VTT, and speaker labels.
  • Error log included in ZIP when some videos fail.
  • Perfect for teams and content creators who produce volume.

Plan limits at a glance

Free files are 30 minutes. When the daily quota is on, each tool has its own daily cap, and translation is 1 successful translation per UTC day. When it is off, a translation counts toward 3 imports a month, and document translation in the browser is limited to 3 per day. Pro is $14.99/month or $120/year (regional prices can differ), with 30 hours of speech a month. Speech, subtitle, and voice files can be up to 4 hours. Burn and compress can be up to 2 hours. Subtitle translation covers 104 languages. A transcription job can add extra output languages only when the account language cap allows it.

PlanUploadsMax durationMax file sizeLanguagesBatchAI Features
FreeDaily tool caps, or 3 imports a month30 min2 GBSee translation note—Fix Subtitles with an account
ProPopular30 hours of speech a month4 h speech, subtitles, voice; 2 h burn and compress10 GBSubtitle translation: 104 languagesUp to 20 filesSpeaker labels and subtitle translation

Pro tips for best results

⚡

Speed up processing

  • ✓Trim videos before uploading (saves time & quota)
  • ✓Use lower resolution if file size is huge
  • ✓Process short clips instead of full videos
🎯

Improve accuracy

  • ✓Clear audio = better accuracy (obvious, but critical)
  • ✓Manual language selection > auto-detect
  • ✓Recheck timestamps for edge cases
💰

Maximize value

  • ✓One transcript = 5+ content pieces (blog, socials, etc.)
  • ✓Use speaker labels to create quotable clips
  • ✓Translate transcripts to reach global audiences
🔒

Privacy & security

  • ✓Content never used for AI training
  • ✓GDPR & SOC2 compliant

Popular use cases

Format your transcript to a client style guide → →

Rev-, GoTranscript-, TranscribeMe-, and Scribie-style presets plus editable rule cards.

Compare vs Descript, Otter, Trint →

Speed, subtitle exports, privacy, and where guideline presets fit.

Blog & guides →

Zoom transcription, SRT vs VTT, batch subtitles, verbatim QA.

FAQ →

Privacy, billing, accuracy, uploads, transcription vs subtitles.