Microsoft Brings Video Transcription to OneDrive’s Business Users

Microsoft is launching some new features for OneDrive and SharePoint today. Most of these features are arriving later this year, but Redmond is giving us an early look at what’s to expect.

First, OneDrive is getting video and audio transcription capabilities. Microsoft first launched this feature on Microsoft Stream, and it’s now using the same technology to bring the feature to OneDrive and SharePoint for business users. Those with a Microsoft 365 or an Office 365 Business subscription will be able to use the feature to automatically generate transcripts of their video or audio files. These transcripts are completely searchable as well. The feature isn’t as powerful as Microsoft Stream, where users also get in-video face detection and automatic captions, but Microsoft is letting users transfer their content from OneDrive/SharePoint to Microsoft Stream to access those features which is pretty neat.

Windows Intelligence In Your Inbox

Sign up for our new free newsletter to get three time-saving tips each Friday — and get free copies of Paul Thurrott's Windows 11 and Windows 10 Field Guides (normally $9.99) as a special welcome gift!

"*" indicates required fields

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Now, keep in mind that these features are only available for business users. A couple of publications are reporting that these features are available to all OneDrive users, which isn’t the case. Microsoft confirmed to Thurrott.com that the features are only meant for business users, something which is slightly unclear on its official blog post.

Microsoft is working to bring other features to OneDrive and SharePoint later this year as well — the company will add a new feature to OneDrive and Office.com homepage that will recommend documents you might need at a certain time, intelligent context-based sharing on OneDrive Mobile, and more. Microsoft has been adding a ton of AI-powered features to its products, especially for businesses, in recent times. And that’s not a total surprise, either — Microsoft wants to help users be more productive across all its products, so the productivity push is happening across most of its other products. That’s going to play a huge role for Microsoft going forward, especially with its competitors like Google stepping up their game.

Tagged with

Share post

Please check our Community Guidelines before commenting

Conversation 6 comments

  • Daekar

    28 August, 2018 - 3:08 pm

    <p>I have to say, Microsoft is making it easy to be pleased that my household is committed to using OneDrive for the time being. It just keeps getting better.</p><p><br></p><p>Pssst – hey! Microsoft! How about differential sync next? *nudge nudge*</p>

  • robinwilson16

    28 August, 2018 - 5:23 pm

    <p>For me OneDrive just never works properly whereas all the other cloud syncing solutions work fine.</p><p>I tried OneDrive for Business on two different computers again recently (Surface Pro 4 and Intel NUC) and explorer kept hanging whilst trying to browse my OneDrive folders causing the whole computer to become unresponsive. I really needed some files so I set up another computer only for it to do the same thing. I then tried to log in via the web client and downloaded the folder but when I tried to open it, it was corrupt. I then tried the iOS app and it just closes instantly.</p><p>Using OneDrive always seems to slow the computer down and Office files never save and always conflict with themselves.</p><p>For me it worked fine until the first time they removed the placeholder files feature and since then it has never worked reliably on any of my devices. I just wish they would fix the basics and make it work properly without being really frustrating.</p>

    • cayo

      29 August, 2018 - 4:11 pm

      <blockquote><em><a href="#309592">In reply to robinwilson16:</a></em></blockquote><p><br></p><p>I have none of these issues. Both the consumer and business OneDrive work great, so I cancelled my Dropbox subscription. </p>

  • eschekman

    29 August, 2018 - 4:27 am

    <p>I sometimes have similar problems. Usually it is solved after a scan with Defender.</p>

  • ballcar

    30 August, 2018 - 1:50 am

    <p>Whoever it was on here that said "blue horseshoe loves Emini S&amp;P Trading Secret " I got to thank you man, I hope you read this post, I thought it was a joke but you’re the&nbsp;man for recommending this to me, many thanks my friend :)</p>

  • sgbassett

    Premium Member
    04 September, 2018 - 7:50 pm

    <p>So do "business" accounts include academic accounts? I have my own personal Office 365 subscription but also one through the university where I teach as an adjunct? Will it include the ability to generate transcripts from audio and video files?</p>

Windows Intelligence In Your Inbox

Sign up for our new free newsletter to get three time-saving tips each Friday

"*" indicates required fields

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Thurrott © 2024 Thurrott LLC