> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://tellclip.com/docs/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Use transcripts

> Understand local transcript processing, captions, seeking, and downloads.

Tellclip processes recording audio on the Mac. It uploads the transcript separately after it uploads the clip.

## How transcript processing works

If microphone audio is available, Tellclip uses it for the transcript. Muting microphone audio prevents its speech transcript from leaving the Mac.

The first transcript can take longer because Tellclip downloads and prepares the transcript model. Keep Tellclip running during this setup.

Timeline edits also change caption timing. Tellclip maps captions to the edited clip before it uploads the transcript.

![A Tellclip player with the transcript panel open](https://mintcdn.com/tellclip/KgsKXCPNDy3hDD1R/images/web/clip-transcript-styled.png?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=KgsKXCPNDy3hDD1R\&q=85\&s=d5c30174803aa585a34469652c461c1f)

<video controls playsInline poster="/videos/use-transcript-poster.png">
  <source src="https://mintcdn.com/tellclip/KgsKXCPNDy3hDD1R/videos/use-transcript.mp4?fit=max&auto=format&n=KgsKXCPNDy3hDD1R&q=85&s=b9621e568751c529260890c84282ac51" type="video/mp4" />

  <track kind="captions" src="https://tellclip.com/docs/videos/use-transcript.vtt" srcLang="en" label="English" default />

  Your browser cannot play this video.
</video>

## Read a transcript

**1. Open the clip**

Open the clip page.

**2. Open Transcript**

If the `Transcript` tab is available, select it.

**3. Move to a moment**

Select a transcript timestamp to move the player to that moment.

Select `Captions` in the player to show the same timed text over the video.

## Download a transcript

Open the `Transcript` tab. Then select `Download transcript`.

Tellclip downloads a text file with the clip title, timestamps, and transcript blocks.

## Common errors

### The page shows Preparing transcript

Keep Tellclip running. The Mac completes local processing before the transcript upload finishes.

### The transcript is unavailable

The recording can lack usable audio, or the caption track can fail to load. Reload the page once.

## Related pages

* [Watch a clip](https://tellclip.com/docs/share/watch.md)
* [Share a clip](https://tellclip.com/docs/share/share.md)
* [Recording and upload support](https://tellclip.com/docs/support/recording-and-upload.md)


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