How to Transcribe Interviews on Mac
Interview transcription is one of the most time-consuming parts of journalism, research, and hiring. A one-hour interview typically takes 4-6 hours to transcribe manually. Professional transcription services are expensive and introduce delays. Here is how to transcribe interviews in real time on your Mac, whether the interview is in person or conducted remotely over Zoom, Teams, or phone.
Step-by-Step Guide
Choose the right audio source
For in-person interviews, use your Mac's built-in microphone or an external microphone. Position it between you and the interviewee for best results. For remote interviews over Zoom, Teams, or Google Meet, use system audio capture to pick up both sides of the conversation.
Set up your transcription tool
Open Glasscribe from the menu bar. Select "Microphone" for in-person interviews or "System Audio" for remote calls. For remote interviews, you can capture both the remote participant's audio (system audio) and your own voice simultaneously.
Configure language and translation settings
Set the transcription language to match the interview language. If you are conducting a cross-language interview, enable live translation so you can see translations in real time — useful for understanding responses in a language you are not fluent in.
Begin the interview and transcription
Start the transcription before the interview begins to ensure you capture everything. Use the floating overlay to glance at the transcript during the conversation — it helps you track what has been said and formulate follow-up questions without breaking eye contact or flow.
Add context during review
After the interview, review the transcript in session history. Add speaker labels, correct proper nouns (names, companies, technical terms), and note any non-verbal context that the transcript misses. This cleanup pass typically takes 15-30 minutes for a one-hour interview.
Export in your preferred format
Export as .txt for a clean document you can share or analyze, or as .srt for timestamped reference. The timestamped format is especially useful if you also recorded video and need to find specific quotes.
Pro Tips
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it legal to transcribe interviews?
Laws vary by jurisdiction. In many places, you need consent from all parties being recorded. Always inform your interviewee that the conversation is being transcribed and get their explicit consent before starting. This is both a legal requirement in many regions and a matter of professional ethics.
How does transcription handle overlapping speech?
When two people speak simultaneously, the speech engine will attempt to capture both but accuracy decreases. The resulting text may be garbled during overlapping moments. Encourage turn-taking during the interview for the cleanest transcript.
Can I transcribe a phone interview?
Yes. If you take the call on your Mac (via iPhone Continuity or a VoIP app), system audio capture will pick up the remote speaker. Alternatively, put the phone on speaker and use your Mac's microphone to capture the audio — though a direct system audio capture produces better quality.