From final mix to searchable transcript
Export the finished episode from your editing software the same way you would for your host, then upload that file directly. FastScribe returns the full transcript with timestamps throughout, so instead of scrubbing the waveform to remember where the interview turned to a new topic, you can skim the text and note the time each segment starts, exactly what you need for chapter-style show notes.
Because the transcript is plain searchable text, pulling quotes stops being a memory exercise. Search for the phrase you half-remember your guest saying, copy the exact wording, and grab the timestamp next to it for the episode description. Many podcasters also publish the full transcript on the episode page, which gives search engines a text version of an otherwise invisible audio file.
Fixing guest names and niche terms by hand
Our transcription engine handles conversational podcast audio well, but it guesses proper nouns phonetically: an unusual guest surname, your show's title, or industry jargon may come back spelled wrong. No transcription model is perfectly accurate, so budget five minutes for a cleanup pass before you publish anything.
The efficient way to do this is find-and-replace. A misheard name is usually misheard the same way every time, so one replace fixes every occurrence. Check the intro and outro first, since that is where names, sponsor mentions, and URLs cluster, then spot-check anywhere your guest spelled something out loud.
TXT for the episode page, SRT for the video version
Export TXT when the goal is a readable transcript to publish under your show notes or to keep as a searchable archive of past episodes. If you also cut a video version of the episode, export SRT and upload it as the caption file wherever the video lives, or use VTT for a web player embedded on your own site.
Every export keeps the timestamps aligned with your final mix, so captions land on the right moments without manual syncing. Pro accounts add DOCX export, which is handy when an editor or virtual assistant helps with your show notes and expects a document rather than a raw text file.
Frequently asked questions
Can FastScribe write the show notes for me?
No. FastScribe gives you an accurate, timestamped transcript and export files, and nothing more. You write the show notes yourself. The transcript just makes finding segments, timestamps, and quotable lines much faster.
My episodes are longer than ten minutes. Can I still start free?
The free first file covers up to ten minutes and fifty megabytes, which suits a trailer or a short segment. A free account raises that to thirty minutes and one hundred megabytes, and Pro at twelve dollars a month handles files up to two gigabytes and five hours, enough for long interview episodes.
Will my guest's name be spelled correctly in the transcript?
Not always. Our transcription engine transcribes unfamiliar names phonetically, so an unusual name can come back misspelled. Since the same mistake usually repeats identically, a single find-and-replace pass fixes it across the whole episode.
Is my unreleased episode kept private before launch day?
Transcription runs on our own servers, so the audio never goes to a third-party AI service. The audio file is deleted the moment your transcript is ready; only the text is kept so you can search and export it later.
Can I transcribe every back-catalog episode at once?
Pro includes batch uploads and unlimited files under fair use, so you can work through an existing back catalog and publish transcripts for older episodes. Pro also keeps your transcript history forever, turning past episodes into a searchable archive.