How to add timestamps to a transcript
To add timestamps to a transcript, mark the start of each sentence or paragraph with the time it is spoken in the recording, written as [HH:MM:SS], either by hand while listening or automatically with a transcription tool that times every word.
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Choose the same file again to play it from any timecode.
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Steps
- 01
Pick the format
Use [HH:MM:SS] for documents, HH:MM:SS.mmm when you need milliseconds, or HH:MM:SS:FF frames when the transcript goes with a video edit.
- 02
Decide how often
Every sentence for editing and quoting; every 30 or 60 seconds, or each new paragraph, for easier reading.
- 03
Add the recording
Drop the audio or video file on the tool at the top of this page. The first 10 minutes of up to 3 files a day are free.
- 04
Check the text
Click a timestamp to hear the line, and click the text to correct a word or add a speaker name.
- 05
Download
Save the transcript as TXT, DOCX or CSV, or as SRT or VTT subtitles.
By hand, while listening
- Open the recording in a player that shows the elapsed time, such as VLC or QuickTime.
- Play it and pause at the start of each sentence or paragraph.
- Type the time in front of the text in the same format each time, for example
[00:12:47]. - For an hour of audio, expect several hours of work; a timestamp every 30 seconds is quicker than one on every sentence.
Automatically
Speech recognition can time every word, so a transcript with timestamps takes about as long as the upload:
- Drop the file on the tool above.
- Choose the timestamp format and how often a timestamp appears. Changing either later does not transcribe again.
- Check the text, then download.
Consistent timestamps
Whichever way you add them, keep one format and one rule for when a timestamp appears. Mixed formats such as 0:47, 00:00:47 and [47s] in one document make the times hard to compare and impossible to sort.
Questions
Where do timestamps go in a transcript?
At the start of the passage they belong to, before the text, so the timestamp points at where that passage begins in the recording.
Can I add timestamps to a transcript I already typed?
Timestamps come from the recording, so you need the audio or video. The tool transcribes it again with timestamps; copy any corrections from your own text into the new transcript.
How do I add timestamps by hand?
Play the recording in a player that shows the time, pause at the start of each passage and type the time in brackets. It takes roughly four to six times the length of the recording.
Which timestamp format should I use?
[HH:MM:SS] unless someone asks for another. Video editors want HH:MM:SS:FF at their sequence frame rate, often starting at 01:00:00:00.