Syncing Video with a Transcript

Learn to import and sync legal video or audio with a transcript in TranscriptPad. This tutorial walks you through linking files, ordering them correctly, and starting the sync. Once done, review video alongside the transcript with ease.

Before you get started:

Requirements

  • TranscriptPad: Version 23.7.1 or later
  • iPad: iPadOS 16 or later (iPadOS 17 recommended for faster sync)
  • Mac: macOS 13 Ventura or later

Syncing requires significant processing and RAM. For best performance, use the latest iPad Pro or Mac with Apple Silicon, and keep your system updated. Older devices may take much longer to sync or fail due to limited RAM.

Supported File Formats

  • Transcript: Court-reporter formatted .TXT only (not PDF).

  • Video: .MP4, .M4V, or .MOV

  • Audio: .M4A or .MP4

If your files are in another format, use Handbrake (free for macOS and Windows) to convert

Best Practices for File Naming

Rename deposition files so they’re easy to recognize and sort:

John Smith 2022-12-15 VOL 1
John Smith 2022-12-15 VOL 2
John Smith 2023-01-10 VOL 3

Use the deponent’s name, deposition date, and a volume suffix.

Time Expectations and Multitasking

  • Syncing takes 5–20 minutes per deposition hour, depending on your device.

  • You can continue working in TranscriptPad while syncing runs in the background.

  • Sync pauses if you close TranscriptPad, switch Case Files, or allow the iPad to lock.

  • To prevent interruptions, set Settings > Display & Brightness > Auto-Lock > Never.

  • Syncing uses the on-device speech recognition engine (U.S. English only).

Syncing to a Transcript

How To Sync a Video or Audio File to a Transcript

1.  Open the transcript.

2.  Tap Link and Sync at the top of the screen.

3.  Tap Import and Link Video or Audio Files.

4.  Select the files you want to import, then tap Open.

5.  Make sure the files are in the correct order. Use a consistent naming convention or preview the files to verify.

6.  Drag files to reorder them, if needed.

7.  Tap Start Sync.

If you get an error, please review, Why do I get a Synchronization Error message?

A sync progress indicator appears so you can track progress, even if you switch to another transcript. When the sync is complete, a message appears confirming synchronization.

8.  Tap OK. The media is now synced to the transcript.

 

For More Information, watch Syncing Video with a Transcript on YouTube.

 

You can now create and edit video clips. Review our Creating Video Clips article for the next steps.