Microsoft Teams, Tips, Transcripts, Typing, Laptop

6 Tips for Better Microsoft Teams Transcripts  

Microsoft Teams transcription is a powerful feature. Whether you’re reviewing a conversation, sharing notes with your team, or using productivity tools like SmartNote, having an accurate transcript can save hours of admin. 

But if Teams isn’t configured correctly, your transcripts might be incomplete, low-quality, or missing entirely. The good news? A few simple settings and updates can dramatically improve your transcription results. 

Here are six practical tips with step-by-step instructions to help you get clearer, more reliable Microsoft Teams transcripts every time. 

1. Turn On Transcription in Microsoft Teams Admin Center 

Why it matters: If transcription is disabled at the organisational level, it won’t work, no matter what you do during the meeting. 

How to enable transcription (Admins only): 

  1. Go to the Microsoft Teams Admin Center. 
  1. In the left-hand menu, click Meetings > Meeting policies. 
  1. Select an existing policy or create a new one. 
  1. Scroll down to Recording & transcription. 
  1. Set Allow transcription to On. 
  1. Also turn on Allow cloud recording, this supports full transcription functionality. 
  1. Apply the policy to the correct users. 

📝 If you’re not an IT admin, speak to your organisation’s IT team to ensure these settings are enabled. 

2. Start Transcription at the Right Time 

Why it matters: Recording your meeting doesn’t automatically trigger transcription. It must be started manually or set to start automatically. 

How to start transcription during a meeting: 

  1. Click the More actions (···) menu on the Teams toolbar. 
  1. Select Start transcription. 
  1. You’ll see the live transcript appear in a side panel. 

Optional: Auto-start transcription for recurring meetings 
If you run the same meetings regularly, ask your admin to enable auto-recording and transcription via meeting policies. 

✅ Transcripts only begin recording after transcription is started, they won’t capture anything said before that point. 

3. Train Teams to Recognise Your Voice and Face 

Why it matters: Microsoft’s latest AI features allow Teams to isolate your voice in noisy environments and assign your name to your spoken contributions. This improves both live captions and meeting transcripts. 

Voice Isolation (User-level setup): 

  1. Open the Microsoft Teams desktop app. 
  1. Click your profile picture > Settings. 
  1. Go to Devices. 
  1. Under Noise suppression, choose Voice isolation (Preview). 
  1. If prompted, follow the setup steps to train Teams to recognise your voice. 

🎧 Voice isolation filters out everything except your voice, boosting transcription accuracy, especially in open offices or busy homes. 

Facial Recognition (Admin-level setup): 

If your organisation uses Microsoft Teams Rooms with smart cameras: 

  • Admins can assign user identities to facial profiles via Microsoft Entra ID (Azure AD). 
  • Teams then tags each speaker in the transcript by name, even in shared meeting spaces. 

More info: Microsoft Support – Voice Isolation 

More info: Overview of voice and face enrollment – Microsoft Teams | Microsoft Learn 

4. Use High-Quality Microphones and Reduce Crosstalk 

Why it matters: Teams uses AI to identify words, but unclear audio confuses it. 

Best practices: 

  • Use a certified Teams headset or high-quality mic. 
  • Avoid using built-in laptop microphones. 
  • Mute yourself when not speaking. 
  • Don’t speak over others. Teams can only transcribe one voice at a time. 

🎙 Good input = good output. The cleaner the audio, the better the transcript. 

5. Use Supported Languages Only 

Why it matters: Microsoft Teams doesn’t support every language for transcription. Using an unsupported language may result in no transcript or a garbled one. 

What to do: 

  • Conduct meetings in a supported language, English provides the most reliable results. 

🗣 Sticking to supported languages ensures accurate transcription every time. 

6. Store and Access Transcripts Properly 

Why it matters: Even if a transcript is generated, it won’t help if no one can find or access it. 

How to access your transcript after a meeting: 

  1. Open the meeting chat in Microsoft Teams. 
  1. The transcript will be available as a downloadable or viewable file. 
  1. Depending on your organisation’s setup, transcripts may also be saved in: 
  1. OneDrive (for scheduled meetings) 
  1. SharePoint (for channel meetings) 
  1. Microsoft Stream (in older setups) 

Ensure your Teams or Stream permissions allow transcript access and sharing. 

Bonus Tip: Use SmartNote to Turn Transcripts into Action 

Once your Teams transcript is accurate and available, you can put it to work. That’s where SmartNote comes in. 

SmartNote takes your Microsoft Teams transcript and automatically creates: 

  • Action items 
  • Summarised key points 
  • Decisions and follow-ups 
  • A branded, structured, shareable document 

No more manual notetaking. No more forgotten outcomes or missed opportunities and absolutely no need to download or copy-paste your Teams transcript! 

SmartNote accesses and processes it within just a few clicks. The result? Branded, clear, actionable meeting records, delivered automatically. 

🔗 Learn more: SmartNote by iThink365 

Conclusion 

Whether you’re reviewing conversations, ensuring compliance, or simply saving time, a reliable transcript is the foundation of a productive meeting. These six tips will help you improve your Microsoft Teams transcription instantly and if you’re using tools like SmartNote, they’ll help you get even more from every meeting. 

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