Check whether you are correcting text or editing media
Use the appropriate correction workflow, then confirm the recording still says what you intend. Pay particular attention to names, numbers, and negations.
In this article
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The recording sounds right, but the transcript has turned a guest’s name into something else. You select the word to fix it—and suddenly wonder whether typing or deleting will change the audio too.
That distinction matters in an editor built around text. A recognition error needs a correction; an answer you want to remove needs an edit. Treating the two as the same action can turn a spelling fix into an unwanted cut.
This guide starts with that choice, then walks through checking a correction, dealing with repeated mistakes, and reviewing the final output. Keep a short passage open as you work, so you can listen before and after each change.
Choose the change you intend
If the speaker said the right word but the transcript displays the wrong one, correct the text. If you want to remove what was actually spoken, that is a media edit. These are different jobs; using the wrong action can produce an unwanted cut.
Correct one word
Select the incorrect word, choose Correct in the selection toolbar or press C, and enter the intended wording. Descript’s correction workflow changes the transcript without replacing the underlying recording. Use Correct for one occurrence; use Correct All only when the same correction truly applies throughout the project.
Review after correction
The application rechecks word alignment after a correction. Wait for that process and play the surrounding phrase. Keep the wording faithful to the recording. For example, correcting a misheard person’s name is appropriate; replacing the speaker’s opinion with a different claim is not a transcription correction.
Work through repeated mistakes
For a longer correction pass, the documented Correct text mode shortcut is Option+C on Mac or Alt+C on Windows. Toggle it off when you return to media editing. Check a small passage before applying a broad change, and keep a note of uncertain words for another listening pass.
A correction pass you can repeat
Before changing a long recording, choose one short passage containing a recognition error. Keep a copy of the original transcript or record the original wording in a separate note. Your goal for this pass is simple: the visible words should match the words the speaker actually said. Leave decisions about shortening the recording for a separate editing pass.
- Listen before typing. Play the whole sentence, then replay the uncertain phrase. Context may distinguish a product name from an ordinary word.
- Choose the intended action. A recognition error needs a text correction. A sentence you want to cut needs a media edit. Do not use a deletion as a shortcut for correcting a misspelling.
- Correct a small selection. Change the incorrect word rather than rewriting a whole paragraph. Review the nearby words after the change.
- Check the recording. Play from a few seconds before the correction to a few seconds after it. Listen for an unintended cut or repetition.
- Check the deliverable. If the words will become subtitles, inspect the resulting caption as well as the script. A correct sentence can still have an awkward line break.
Worked example: a product name
Consider this illustrative transcription error: The speaker says, “We edited the interview in Descript,” but the transcript reads “We edited the interview in the script.” Correct the recognition error to “Descript.” Do not replace the sentence with “Descript is the best editor”: that changes the claim rather than correcting the transcription.
Suppose the same recording later includes “the script needs a new introduction.” A global replacement of every “the script” would damage that sentence. Search for each occurrence and listen to its context before approving the replacement. Names, technical terms, and abbreviations deserve this extra check.
Decide what to do with difficult speech
| Problem | Review action |
|---|---|
| A name you cannot spell | Check an approved guest list or the person's own published spelling, then listen again. |
| Two people talking together | Review each voice separately where possible; do not guess a complete sentence from context alone. |
| A number or measurement | Replay slowly and verify the unit. “Fifteen” and “fifty” can change the meaning substantially. |
| An unfinished thought | Preserve what was said. Do not silently supply missing words. |
When a correction appears to break something
If the recording now jumps, undo the last action and check whether you made a media edit. If the audio is intact but the text highlight seems misplaced, wait for processing to finish and replay the passage. If the problem remains, note the affected timestamp before investigating alignment. Avoid repeatedly changing the wording to compensate for a timing problem.
Completion checklist
- The corrected text agrees with the recording.
- Repeated terms were checked in context.
- The surrounding audio still plays continuously.
- Uncertain words have a reviewer note instead of an invented answer.
- The exported subtitle or transcript contains the final correction.
Source & verification
Descript: Correct your transcript. Checked October 3, 2026. Documentation-based guidance; interface labels and plan access can change. No hands-on results are claimed.