Microsoft Teams meetings often contain important discussions, decisions, and action items that are easy to miss or forget. Using AI to transcribe Teams meetings can help you automatically convert audio into accurate text, making it easier to review, share, and search meeting content later.
This article explores how to use AI to transcribe Teams meeting and covers three easy and affordable ways:
- Microsoft Teams built-in AI transcription tools
- AI meeting transcription apps for real-time transcription
- Microsoft Word for AI voice-to-text transcription of meeting recordings
You will also learn four practical tips to improve transcription accuracy and get more reliable meeting notes. Let’s get started!
1. Use Microsoft built-in AI tool to transcribe Teams meetings
Microsoft Teams provides a built-in AI transcription feature that automatically converts speech into text during or after a meeting. This feature is available through Microsoft Teams Essentials, which is one of the most affordable plans starting at around $4 per month. Follow these steps to use it effectively.
Step 1. Enable transcription in Microsoft Teams
Start your Teams meeting and make sure transcription is enabled in the meeting settings. Here is how to do it:
- Go to More (⋯) > Record and transcribe > Start transcription.
- Select the language spoken in the meeting and click Confirm.
The transcription will start, and the transcript will appear on the right side of the screen. A short delay is normal.
The transcription feature is available through Microsoft Teams Essentials, which is one of the most affordable plans starting at around $4 per month. The meeting organizer may also need to allow recording and transcription before the meeting begins.
Step 2. Download the meeting transcript from Microsoft Teams
After the meeting ends, go to the chat history and find the meeting you attended.
Click: View recap > Transcript > Download.
Select Download as .docx and store the transcript file locally.
Step 3. Generate an AI meeting note with Microsoft Copilot
Once you have the Teams meeting transcript, use the Microsoft Copilot AI assistant to summarize it and create meeting notes. Here is how to do it:
Open Microsoft Copilot in the browser.
Tap + > Add images or files to upload the transcript document.
Write the prompt to ask the AI assistant to generate a meeting summary based on the document.
2. Use an AI voice-to-text app for real-time Teams meeting transcription
Many AI meeting transcription apps offer free plans to transcribe Teams meetings, but most come with usage limits or time restrictions. SYNCO AI App provides lifetime free and unlimited AI-powered speech-to-text transcription. To use it, users only need to pair the app with the SYNCO Smic AI Transcription microphone, which costs around $39.
Here are the steps to use it:
Open the SYNCO AI App and tap Add Device. Plug the microphone receiver into your phone’s charging port, and it will connect automatically.
Go to AI Audio > Record Summary, then tap Start Recording to begin setup.
Select the language used in the Teams meeting and tap Confirm.
Tap Start to begin real-time transcription. The app will automatically convert speech into text during the meeting.
After the meeting ends, tap Save and name the recording for easy access later.
Tap Original to view the full transcript.
Tap Summary to generate an AI meeting summary based on the transcript.
Tap Mind Map to create a visual AI-generated mind map of the meeting content.
👉Want more tools? Click to explore the best AI transcription for meetings.
3. Use Microsoft Word to transcribe Teams meeting audio
Microsoft Word (Microsoft 365 version) also provides an AI transcription feature that allows users to convert Teams meeting audio into text. You can either upload a recorded audio file or record the meeting audio directly in Word. Below are two ways to do it:
(1) Upload Teams meeting audio for automatic transcription
You can upload a recorded Teams meeting audio file to Microsoft Word and let the AI automatically convert speech into text. Follow these steps:
Sign in to Microsoft 365.
Open a new Word document.
Go to Home > Dictate > Transcribe.
Select Upload audio in the Transcribe pane.
Choose your audio file. Transcription supports .mp3, .mp4, .wav, and .m4a formats.
Wait for the transcription process to complete.
Check the transcript in the Transcribe side pane once it is finished.
(2) Record audio directly in Microsoft Word for AI Teams meeting transcription
Microsoft Word also allows you to record Teams meeting audio directly and transcribe the recording later. Follow these steps:
Sign in to Microsoft 365.
Open a new Word document.
Go to Home > Dictate > Transcribe.
Select Start recording in the Transcribe pane.
When finished, click Save and transcribe now.
Save the transcript as a Word document after processing is complete.
Tips for more accurate AI Teams meeting transcription
How to use AI to transcribe Teams meeting more accurately? Here are four practical tips to help you improve audio quality and speaking conditions for more accurate and reliable results:
1. Use a dedicated microphone for AI Teams meeting transcription
Using a dedicated AI microphone to transcribe Teams meeting can significantly improve transcription accuracy because it captures voices more clearly and evenly, especially in group discussions. Compared with built-in laptop mics, the external one can reduce distortion and ensure that all participants’ voices are properly recognized by AI transcription systems.
2. Speak clearly and avoid overly complicated jargon
Clear speech is essential for accurate AI audio-to-text transcription during Teams meetings. Try to speak at a steady pace, pronounce words clearly, and avoid talking too fast or overlapping with others.
In addition, using simple and straightforward language can help the AI transcriber better understand the conversation. If technical terms are necessary, make sure they are clearly explained during the meeting.
3. Minimize background noise during meetings
Background noise can significantly reduce AI audio transcription quality and lead to errors in the final text. To improve accuracy, conduct the Teams meeting in a quiet environment and reduce interruptions such as keyboard typing, notifications, or side conversations. Muting unnecessary devices and microphones when not speaking can also help maintain clean audio input.
4. Review and edit the AI Teams meeting transcript
Even the most advanced AI transcription tools for Teams meetings may still produce mistakes. After the meeting, always review the generated transcript carefully to correct errors, improve clarity, and ensure key information is accurately captured. Editing the transcript before sharing or storing it helps maintain professionalism and reliability.
Conclusion
AI transcription makes it much easier to capture and manage important discussions in Teams meetings. In this article, we explored three different ways to use AI to transcribe Teams meetings, each suited for different needs:
👉Microsoft Teams built-in transcription is best for users who want a simple and convenient solution without using extra tools.
👉AI voice-to-text apps (like SYNCO AI) are ideal for users who need real-time transcription with advanced features such as AI summaries and mind maps.
👉Microsoft Word transcription is suitable for users who prefer to upload or process meeting recordings after the meeting and generate editable transcripts.
In addition to choosing the right tool, following best practices such as using a dedicated microphone, speaking clearly, reducing background noise, and reviewing transcripts can further improve accuracy and ensure more reliable meeting notes.