> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://ailyze.gitbook.io/ailyze-docs/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://ailyze.gitbook.io/ailyze-docs/troubleshooting/transcription-issues.md).

# Transcription Issues

This page helps you fix problems with audio and video transcription and get cleaner results.

## "Accuracy is poor"

The transcriber does best with the right language setting and clean audio, so a wrong language or background noise lowers accuracy.

1. Pick the **most specific language** and accent — the dropdown groups options by **Best / Better / Good**, and Evidano warns you when a closer match exists.
2. Add **Custom Vocabulary** and **Custom Spelling** for names, jargon, and acronyms, and spell numbers out ("seven", not "7").
3. Use the cleanest recording you have, since background noise hurts accuracy.
4. For a recording with two or more languages, choose the **Multilingual** option.

## "Speakers aren't labeled or are wrong"

Speaker labels are off unless you turn them on and tell Evidano how many people are talking.

1. Turn on **Speaker Labels** in **Optional Settings**.
2. Set the **Number of Speakers** if you know it.
3. Use **Speaker Identification** to give each speaker a name or role.
4. After the transcript is ready, rename speakers in the editor (**Replace current** or **Replace All**).

## "It's taking a long time"

Transcription runs in stages and longer recordings take longer, so a wait is normal.

1. Watch the status move from **Validating** to **In Progress** to **Initial transcript ready** to **Transcript ready with AI review**.
2. Wait for the **email** you get when it's done — you don't have to keep the page open.

## "Editing is locked"

Manual editing, Analyze, and Translate stay locked until the AI review is finished.

1. Wait until the status reads **"ready with AI review."**
2. The edit and action buttons unlock at that point.

## "AI made edits I didn't want"

The AI applies its corrections automatically and shows a before-and-after diff, so unwanted changes are easy to reverse.

1. Open the diff to see what changed.
2. Click **Undo** on any change you disagree with.

## "I can't find PDF, SRT, or TXT export"

Transcripts export as **DOCX** or **XLSX** only, so there is no subtitle or PDF export from the transcriber right now.

1. Export as **DOCX** or **XLSX**.
2. If you need subtitles or another format, convert the DOCX after downloading.

For the formats each workflow supports, see [Supported file types](/ailyze-docs/reference/supported-file-types.md).

## "I was charged or hit the free limit"

Your first hour of audio is free, and beyond that the app charges from your wallet after you confirm.

1. Expect **"USD 1 per 1 hour of audio"** beyond the free hour, shown before any charge.
2. Note that failed files show **"You will not be charged."**
3. If your wallet is short, use the free-quota trim option to transcribe part of the audio for free.

For the full breakdown, see [Plans, Limits & Credits](/ailyze-docs/reference/plans-limits-and-credits.md).

## "A file was skipped"

Files with no audio are skipped automatically so the rest can go ahead.

1. Check for the message that a file does **not contain audio and will be skipped**.
2. Re-upload a version that actually contains audio if you still need it.

## "My interview transcript is weak"

An AI Avatar Interviewer recording can transcribe poorly, and you can send it back through the transcriber for a cleaner result.

1. Open the interviewer dashboard.
2. Use **"Improve Transcription Quality"** to re-process the audio.

For more, see [AI Avatar Interviewer Issues](/ailyze-docs/troubleshooting/ai-interviewer-issues.md).

## Next steps

* [Transcribe audio and video](/ailyze-docs/prepare-research-data/transcribe-audio-and-video.md)
* [Analyze interview transcripts](/ailyze-docs/common-research-workflows/analyze-interview-transcripts.md)


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