Guide

Google Meet transcription

If you’re here, it’s because you need receipts — not “pretty good” notes. This guide covers what Google Meet can do natively, where transcripts land, and what to do when your org blocks bots.

See Meet-compatible tools Take Tool Finder Quiz See what breaks (Names test)
TL;DR
  • Meet transcription features depend on your Google Workspace plan and admin settings — if you can’t see them, it’s often policy, not user error.
  • Native transcripts are useful, but the failure mode is still the same: names, numbers, overlap, and noisy rooms.
  • If bots aren’t allowed, look for upload-only workflows and a clean export path.

1) Check the requirements first

Google Meet features vary by Workspace edition and by org policy. Before you troubleshoot your laptop, confirm these:

  • You’re signed into the correct Workspace account (not a personal Gmail account if your org requires Workspace features).
  • Your admin has enabled the relevant Meet features for your OU / group.
  • You’re the host (or have host controls) if the feature requires it. Some orgs restrict transcription to hosts only.
Compliance note: meeting recording/transcription often requires consent. Make sure your org’s policy and local laws are followed.

2) Start transcription during a meeting

In-meeting, look for transcription controls in Meet’s activity/settings menus. If you only see captions, you may have captions but not full transcripts (policy/edition-dependent).

  1. Join the meeting from the web app (Chrome is usually the safest path).
  2. Open the meeting controls menu.
  3. Turn on captions/transcription (if available), then confirm participants are notified if required.
Reality check: transcription quality is highly sensitive to microphone, speaker distance, and room noise. If you want “memory insurance,” you still need a failure-first check.

3) Where Google Meet transcripts get saved

When transcripts are available, they typically land in the organizer/host’s Google Drive and/or are shared via email to meeting participants (depending on settings).

  • Check Google Drive for a newly created Google Doc tied to the meeting.
  • Search your inbox for transcript notifications, if your org has them enabled.
  • If you recorded the meeting, check the recording entry for transcript attachments/links.

4) Common problems (and the real cause)

No transcription option at all
Almost always a Workspace plan/admin setting issue. Confirm the account + org policy.
Bad accuracy on names/numbers
Mic quality + overlap + accents. The failure mode is predictable — test it.
Participants complain about bots
Use upload-only workflows or explicitly consent. Policy beats convenience.
Transcript exists but is hard to share
Prioritize export/copy + search so the output can be reused in docs, CRM, and tickets.

5) If bots aren’t allowed (the “no bot ever” path)

Many orgs ban meeting bots outright. That doesn’t mean you’re stuck with the notebook — it means your stack must support a clean “upload only” workflow:

  • Record locally (or export from Meet if your policy allows).
  • Upload audio/video to your tool (no bot joins the call).
  • Export transcript + summary into your workflow (Docs/Notion/CRM/Tickets).
Open “Meet + upload-only” tools • Why overlap breaks tools
Want receipts for Google Meet?
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