Troubleshooting slow, failed, or inaccurate transcription
Most problems fall into one of four stages: loading the model, opening the media, processing the audio, or reviewing the output. Start with the symptom you can see.
The model will not download
- Confirm that the browser is online and refresh once.
- Try a current version of Chrome or Edge.
- Temporarily disable a content blocker for CaptionKite if it blocks the model host.
- Make sure the browser has free storage for the cached model.
- Try a normal window if private-browsing storage rules interrupt the download.
The first run is the slowest. Once the model is cached, later visits should avoid most of that setup.
The file cannot be decoded
First confirm the media plays outside CaptionKite. Then try another browser. If it still fails, convert a copy to a common format or extract the audio. A familiar extension does not guarantee a familiar codec; see supported media formats for the explanation.
Transcription is very slow or stops
- Connect the computer to power and close heavy apps or tabs.
- Keep CaptionKite visible; some browsers throttle background tabs.
- Use extracted audio instead of a high-resolution video.
- Split a long recording into smaller sections.
- Restart the browser if the device has been under memory pressure.
Speed depends on audio duration, your processor or WebGPU support, and the amount of available memory—not merely the video's file size.
The transcript is inaccurate
Check the selected language first. Then listen for low volume, echo, music, cross-talk, strong accents, or specialized names. Automatic transcription needs human review, particularly for legal, medical, financial, or safety-critical material.
- Use the cleanest audio source available.
- Correct names, numbers, acronyms, and technical terms.
- Compare difficult passages at a slower playback speed.
- Do not treat an automatic transcript as a certified record.
A pasted URL is rejected
Open the URL in a new tab. If it shows a web page, login, or streaming player instead of the media file, it is not a direct media URL. YouTube and protected Vimeo or Zoom pages cannot be imported this way. Cross-origin restrictions can also prevent a browser from fetching an otherwise public file.
Download media you are authorized to use and upload the local copy. The planned extension will support permitted playback in an open tab without bypassing access controls.
Still stuck?
Use the contact form and include your browser, device type, file format, approximate duration, and the exact status message. Do not attach confidential media or paste private access links. Those details are usually enough to reproduce a bug safely.