Google Drive now offers video transcripts with easy search

Google Drive is making videos easier to use by adding transcripts on its web version. This comes after last year’s update that brought auto-generated captions. When watching a video, click the settings gear icon in the updated Material 3 player. You’ll see a new “Transcript” button. Clicking it opens a side panel with captions marked by time.

You can jump to any part of the video by clicking a caption. Plus, there’s a “Search transcript” box at the top to find specific moments fast. As the video plays, the panel highlights the words being spoken in real-time. This feature makes videos more accessible and helps you quickly find important parts stored in Drive.

What Else to Know About Google Drive Transcripts

Here are some key details:

• Your video needs captions to use this tool. If captions are available, you’ll see an active “CC” button (not grayed out) at the bottom right of the player.
• To add captions, right-click the video in Drive, choose “Manage caption tracks,” and select “Generate automatic captions.” Or, while playing the video, click the three-dot menu at the top right, go to “Manage caption tracks,” and pick “Generate automatic captions.”
• People with personal Google accounts can upload videos or ask for captions after uploading.

This transcript feature will roll out in the next few weeks. It’s available for all Google Workspace users, Workspace Individual subscribers, and anyone with a personal Google account. With these changes, Google Drive is making it simpler to watch, search, and enjoy your videos!