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Gemini 3.5 Transcribe uses the gemini-3.5-transcribe model for uploaded audio and a separate gemini-3.5-transcribe-live model for streaming. For a file, upload the audio and send its URI and MIME type to the file model through Google’s Interactions API. Then choose verbatim or smart output, and enable only the optional features your workflow supports.
Which Gemini 3.5 Transcribe model should you use?
Google documents two model IDs for different workflows: gemini-3.5-transcribe converts audio files into text, while gemini-3.5-transcribe-live is for streaming transcription. This guide focuses on Google’s documented API workflow; the capability descriptions below are features Google documents, not independent accuracy measurements.
Google’s transcription guide says the file model can automatically detect speech across more than 85 locales and supports code-switching, where a speaker moves between languages. You can leave language_codes omitted or empty for automatic detection, or provide a known BCP-47 language code as a hint. See Google’s audio transcription guide and model reference for current details.
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How to transcribe an audio file
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Choose a supported audio file. Google lists WAV, MP3, AIFF, AAC, OGG, FLAC, MPEG, M4A, L16, Opus, ALAW, MULAW, and WebM in its transcription guide.
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Upload the file using the workflow in Google’s guide, and retain its URI and MIME type.
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Send the uploaded file’s URI and MIME type to
gemini-3.5-transcribethrough the Interactions API. Google provides examples in Python, JavaScript, and REST; use the current guide for the exact request fields and syntax. -
Set transcription options for the result you need. Omit or leave
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Review the returned transcript for names, technical terms, speaker attribution, and any wording where a cleaned transcript might differ from the recording.
Choose verbatim or smart transcription
The main choice is whether the transcript should preserve how people spoke or make the text easier to read. Google describes these as distinct modes, and they affect which other features can be used.
| Mode | What Google documents | Best fit |
|---|---|---|
| Verbatim | Preserves fillers, repetitions, pauses, and false starts. Word-level timestamps are available in this mode. | A faithful record, such as material where disfluencies or exact phrasing matter. |
| Smart | Removes disfluencies, resolves some spoken self-corrections, and applies formatting and grammatical cleanup. | Readable notes or text where polished presentation matters more than preserving every spoken detail. |
Smart mode cannot be combined with speaker diarization or word-level timestamps. If you need those features, select a compatible verbatim workflow instead.
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What optional transcription features can you enable?
Custom vocabulary
Google documents custom vocabulary support for up to 1,000 phrases, while noting that results are typically best with up to 100 terms. Use it for names, specialist terminology, or other words that may be uncommon in general speech. Custom vocabulary cannot be combined with speaker diarization or word-level timestamps.
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Diarization labels which speaker said what. Google documents support for up to eight speakers, but attribution for three or more speakers is experimental. It cannot be used with custom vocabulary, and it also conflicts with smart mode.
Word-level timestamps
Word-level timestamps associate transcript words with times in the audio and are available in verbatim mode. Google warns that enabling timestamps may degrade transcription accuracy. They cannot be combined with custom vocabulary, and smart mode is incompatible with them.
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Which feature combinations work?
| Combination | Documented compatibility |
|---|---|
| Smart mode + speaker diarization | Incompatible |
| Smart mode + word-level timestamps | Incompatible |
| Custom vocabulary + speaker diarization | Incompatible |
| Custom vocabulary + word-level timestamps | Incompatible |
| Verbatim mode + word-level timestamps | Supported |
Plan around the feature you cannot do without. If speaker labels or word timings are essential, avoid smart mode and custom vocabulary. If vocabulary hints are essential, run without diarization and word timestamps. Google’s model reference and guide document these interactions.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How long can a file or live session be?
Google’s model reference, last updated August 2026, lists file requests up to one hour, reduced to 30 minutes when diarization or word-level timestamps are enabled. The documented limit for a live session is 10 minutes. These are request/session limits in Google’s documentation, not a claim about transcription speed or accuracy. Check the current model reference before building around them, since API limits and behavior can change.
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Choose verbatim when preserving speech details matters; choose smart when readability is the priority.
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Supply a language hint only when you know the language; otherwise, leave
language_codesempty or omit it for automatic detection. -
Check feature compatibility before combining vocabulary, speaker labels, timestamps, and smart cleanup.
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For use cases depending on timestamps or diarization, account for their shorter file-request limit; for three or more speakers, account for experimental attribution.
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