When you work virtually and attend many meetings, time isn’t just valuable—it’s your most limited asset. Therefore, relying on memory or rewatching lengthy meetings can feel like an overwhelming chore. That’s where Google Meet transcription free features come in, silently working in the background to ensure your spoken words are captured and transcribed.
Think about quickly finding that offhand comment about deadlines or the brief exchange that sparked a new idea—without needing to scroll through endless video recordings. Transcriptions do more than document; they open the door to faster collaboration, clearer communication, and greater accountability.
In this guide, you’ll discover how Google Meet transcription works, its benefits, and why using tools like Krisp could forever change how you handle virtual meetings.
What are Google Meet transcripts?
Google Meet Transcripts are text records of what was spoken during a Google Meet session, automatically created using voice recognition. These transcripts make it easier to review meeting discussions without having to watch the whole recording.
Does Google Meet Transcribe?
Yes, Google Meet does offer a built-in transcription ability, but it’s available only for users with certain Google Workspace subscriptions, such as Business Standard, Enterprise, and Education Plus. If you’re using one of these accounts, you can transcribe meetings by enabling the feature during a live session. Here’s how it works:
- Open Google Meet and join an existing meeting or start a new one. Ensure you use a Google Workspace account that supports transcription, as this feature is only available on specific plans.
- Click on the three vertical dots (also known as “More options”) in the bottom-right corner of the screen during the meeting.
- Select “Turn on captions” from the menu to activate real-time transcription. This will display live captions at the bottom of your screen, transcribing everything said during the meeting in real time.
However, there are limitations. The transcription feature only works for live meetings and needs to be manually activated.
After the meeting ends, the Google Meet transcript is sent to the meeting host and any co-hosts. Unfortunately, Google Meet does not offer a built-in feature to save transcriptions for later use.
To save the meeting captions, you’ll need to use third-party tools or browser extensions to capture and store these transcripts.
Third-party tools are essential for those needing to know how to transcribe meetings because Google Meet’s transcription feature does not support automatic transcription and recording of sessions.
Here’s what features you can benefit from using a third-party tool like Krisp compared to the built-in free Google Meet transcription :
| Features | Krisp Transcription | Google Meet Transcription |
|---|---|---|
| Transcription Accuracy | High accuracy with advanced AI, including noise cancellation. Handles noisy environments effectively with up to 95% transcription accuracy in optimal conditions. | Good, but dependent on speaker clarity and background noise. Can struggle with accents and noisy settings. |
| Multilingual Support | Supports multiple languages, including recent updates for multilingual transcription. | Limited to English for now, with less comprehensive support for other languages. |
| Audio Quality & Noise Cancellation | Superior noise cancellation, ensuring precise transcriptions even in high-noise settings. | No built-in noise cancellation for transcription. It is dependent on external factors like microphone quality. |
| Accessibility | Accessible to all, including features like action items, summaries, and live meeting notes. | Available only to paid Google Workspace users, which limits accessibility for free account holders. |
| Additional Features | Offers features like screen recording, meeting summaries, and real-time AI-powered action items. | Basic transcription only. No summaries or advanced collaboration tools. |
| Cost | A free plan is available, but premium features may require a subscription. | Not available for free accounts. Included are paid Google Workspace accounts (Business Standard and above). |
As you can see from the above table, choosing a third-party tool would be more logical for vital virtual events for many reasons. Such events can be detailed interviews, significant corporate events, or other important meetings that require precision and high quality. Thus, let’s explore how to transcribe Google Meet virtual events with Krisp.
How to Get Free Google Meet Transcriptions Using Krisp
With Google’s minimal built-in transcription capacities, Krisp is the one tool that you can fully trust. But why or how so? Here’s how it works.
Unlike other tools, Krisp offers free, unlimited meeting transcriptions accessible to all users. Moreover, it works with all your favorite communication apps like Zoom, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams, and Slack.
Using Krisp to transcribe your Google Meet meetings is straightforward and significantly improves the quality of your meetings.
Follow these simple steps:
1. Download and Install Krisp
First, download and install Krisp on your device from the official Krisp website. Once installed, open Krisp to configure the settings.
2. Set Krisp as Your Audio Input and Output
Before joining a Google Meet meeting, go to the audio settings. Change the microphone and speaker options to Krisp (visuals for Mac and Windows are below).
This will ensure that Krisp handles the audio processing for clearer sound and more accurate transcription.
3. Enable Krisp’s Real Time AI Note Taker
In the Krisp app, turn on the AI Note Taker feature and select “Transcribe” for your meeting directly from the app. Once activated, Krisp will automatically transcribe your meeting in real time.
You don’t need to do anything beyond joining the meeting. Krisp handles everything from transcription to noise cancellation simultaneously while you’re in the meeting.
4. Access and Manage Transcripts
Once the meeting ends, you can access the meeting transcript directly from your Krisp account dashboard.
From here, you can review, edit, and share the transcription as needed. The transcripts remain stored on your dashboard, making them easy to retrieve later.
Why You Should Transcribe or 5 Amazing Benefits of Meeting Transcriptions
Google Meet transcripts and third-party tools like Krisp provide more than just a record of your meetings—they simplify collaboration, increase productivity, and make it easier to review essential points without rewatching a lengthy recording.
Here’s a breakdown of why transcribing your meetings can be incredibly valuable:
Easier Search And Review
Having a Google Meet transcript means you can easily search for specific details without rewatching the entire video. For instance, if a decision was made midway through the meeting, you can quickly search the text, saving valuable time. This is especially beneficial for long meetings where remembering every discussed point can be challenging.
Time-Saving for Everyone
Transcripts allow participants to scan and reference critical information quickly instead of scrolling through hours of video. If someone misses a meeting, they can catch up efficiently by reading through the Google Meet transcript and finding relevant sections instead of relying on full replays.
Increased Accessibility
Google Meet transcription free features help make meetings more accessible for attendees with hearing impairments or those who may struggle with certain accents. The written record allows everyone, regardless of auditory challenges, to participate in the discussion fully. Tools like Krisp’s transcription services further improve this by ensuring accuracy even in noisy environments.
More Inclusive Collaboration
When working across different time zones or with remote teams, meeting recorder and transcriber tools ensure no one misses important updates. Even if key team members can’t attend the live meeting, sharing the Google Meet transcript helps them stay aligned. This is particularly useful for fostering collaboration across diverse, global teams.
Accountability And Clarity
Using transcripts improves accountability, as everything discussed is documented. If there’s ever confusion about an action item or decision, the transcript serves as a reliable reference point. No need to ask, “What did we agree on again?”—the details are right in the text. Krisp can also identify speakers and highlight key points, simplifying follow-up.
In conclusion, transcribing your meetings via free Google Meet transcription or Krisp ensures nothing gets lost in translation, making collaboration smoother and more efficient.
Other Third-Party Options for Google Meet Transcripts
Although Google Meet transcription free features are helpful, they fall short in terms of flexibility and functionality. Here are a few other standout options that can significantly enhance your transcription experience.
Sonix
This tool offers highly accurate transcription with support for multiple languages and integrates seamlessly with Google Meet recordings. It supports over 40 languages, making it a top choice for international teams. Beyond transcription, Sonix provides features like speaker labeling and automatic time stamps, allowing for easy navigation through the transcript. It also integrates with numerous platforms, making exporting and collaboration seamless.
Grain
Grain transcribes live meetings and allows users to create highlight reels of key moments. This makes it particularly useful for teams focusing on actionable insights rather than entire meeting discussions. Grain offers integrations with CRM and project management tools so that you can link important moments directly to tasks.
Maestra
Maestra is a versatile tool that supports live transcription and multilingual options and allows you to review and edit transcripts directly within its interface. Maestra also includes video captioning, making it a useful all-in-one tool for transcription and media.
Bubbles
Bubbles is a lightweight but powerful tool that offers free, automated transcription services with action item detection. One of its unique features is its ability to join meetings automatically once integrated with your calendar, making it a hassle-free option for frequent meetings.
Bubbles also supports asynchronous collaboration, allowing team members to add comments or feedback directly within the meeting transcript.
Wrapping Up
In summary, while Google Meet transcription free features provide a valuable way to capture real-time meeting discussions, there are limitations in its scope and functionality. For those looking for improved accuracy, multilingual support, or additional features like noise cancellation and meeting summaries, integrating third-party tools like Krisp and others is a game-changer. With Krisp, you can quickly transcribe, review, and manage your meeting transcripts, ensuring that nothing is missed and collaboration is seamless.
Trying these tools can save professionals time, boost accountability, and maintain clarity across all their virtual meetings.
