How to transcribe a video in Safari
Use the Safari extension included with Silestis for Mac to start from a supported video page you already have open.
Install the Mac app and enable the extension
The Safari extension is included with the directly distributed Silestis Mac app. The Mac app requires macOS 14 or later and Apple silicon. On-device transcription separately requires macOS 26 or later, an available Apple Speech engine, and downloadable assets for the selected language; cloud transcription remains available on older supported Macs. Open the app and follow its setup instructions; Safari extensions stay disabled until you enable them. Sign in to your Silestis account when prompted.
Start on the page you already watch
Open the video in Safari and use Silestis on that page. Choose the detected supported source and the available transcription mode. For a university portal or private webinar, remain signed in to the source site. Silestis does not bypass access restrictions, DRM or permissions.
If usable captions are available, the caption path can produce text without a new audio transcription. Otherwise, supported audio can be transcribed with an available mode. Caption quality and source compatibility vary.
Review the result before asking questions
Illustrative example: open an accessible webinar replay, create its transcript, then ask which next steps the presenter suggested. Check the answer against the transcript. Source references can include timestamps when the selected mode supplies them; speaker labels require a mode that supports speaker separation.
Keep the transcript searchable and export a supported format. You can also use the AI tools included in your plan; processing time and allowances vary.
If the page is not supported
Not every player or stream can be processed. If you have permission and the source offers a downloadable recording, try uploading that file instead. A supported public link may also work in the web app. Do not treat these alternatives as ways to circumvent the source restrictions.
Chrome is currently a waitlist, not a released extension. The iPhone and iPad app is available separately on the App Store; this guide describes the Mac setup.
Get Silestis for Mac, check plans and limits, or read about authenticated and transcript-less sources.
FAQ
Do I install the Safari extension separately?
For this Mac workflow, the extension is included in the Silestis Mac app. The app guides you through enabling it in Safari.
Does every Safari video work?
No. Support depends on the source, permissions, player and stream format. Silestis does not bypass DRM or access controls.
Can I use this with Chrome?
The Chrome extension is not released yet. Join its waitlist or use the web app for supported files and links.
Start from the supported lecture page you already use.
Open the video and click Silestis to start a transcript, summary, and notes workflow on the page. Timestamp-capable modes can also return cited answers, including when no source transcript exists.
Get the Safari Extension