How can I correct mistakes in automatically generated video captions?

Treat the automatic transcript as a draft, not as a checked record of what was said. Play the video and read along, pausing or replaying short sections whenever the words do not match the audio. Check the beginning and end of the video too; it is easy to overlook a short introduction, a final sentence, or speech under an image.

Work through one kind of error at a time. First check wording: omitted words, repeated words, and words that sound alike. Next check names, places, product names, and numbers against what you can actually hear. If a name is unclear, do not guess from context alone; mark it for confirmation or use a neutral wording if appropriate. Finally, add punctuation and capitalization to make the intended sentence clear. Punctuation is an editorial choice, so keep it faithful to the speaker rather than changing what they mean.

Make a short review list as you listen: write down every name or term that you are unsure about, along with the caption’s timestamp or nearby words. Replay each spot and compare the spelling with a dependable spelling reference available to you, such as the name supplied by the speaker or your project notes. The audio can help you identify what was said, but it may not reveal the correct spelling of a name.

For example, suppose the audio sounds like “Mara Chen,” but the captions say “mirror chain.” Replay that section, check any project-approved spelling reference, and change the caption only when you have enough information. If spelling remains uncertain, ask the speaker or project owner rather than silently choosing a version. Keep a consistent spelling if a name or term appears more than once.

After editing the words, play the full video again with captions visible. Watch for text appearing noticeably before or after the related speech, disappearing too soon to read, or breaking in a way that obscures the meaning. Adjust the caption timing and line breaks using the controls in your video editor, then replay any section you changed. Check transitions and pauses as well as continuous speech.

If you use Clipchamp, Microsoft describes its automatic captions as an editable transcript with timestamps; it says the transcript can be rewritten, previewed, and downloaded as an SRT file. [S1] Those features can support a review workflow in Clipchamp. This source does not give a universal timing standard or specifically instruct users to check names or punctuation, so use your judgment and the requirements of your intended platform or project rather than assuming a particular timing rule applies everywhere.

Use this compact pass after your edits:

1. Play the entire video with captions on; follow every line against the audio.
2. Replay uncertain phrases and check names, terms, numbers, and repeated words.
3. Review punctuation, capitalization, and line breaks without changing the speaker’s meaning.
4. Watch for captions that seem early, late, too brief to read, or out of step after an edit.
5. Preview the completed version. If you export a caption file, check that it is the version you intend to use and that it corresponds to the reviewed video.

A useful notes template is: Timestamp | Caption says | Audio seems to say | Check needed | Change made. For instance: 00:18 | mirror chain | Mara Chen? | confirm spelling | pending. The question mark and “pending” make uncertainty visible instead of turning a guess into a correction. Do not share until you have resolved the items that matter for your use, or clearly marked any remaining uncertainty for the person responsible for the captions.