Updated July 29, 2026
Transcript Cleanup Rules for AI Prompts
Transcript cleanup for prompts should reduce noise without changing meaning. Keep timing when the output must stay a caption file; remove it when the transcript is source text for analysis.
Prompt cleanup rules
| Transcript item | Example | Prompt cleanup rule |
|---|---|---|
| Line timestamp | 00:00:01 Welcome back | Remove for summaries and extraction prompts. |
| Bracketed timestamp | [00:00:04] Speaker: text | Remove before speaker-label cleanup. |
| Cue range | 00:00:01 --> 00:00:04 | Keep only for SRT or WebVTT caption workflows. |
| Speaker label | Maya: We need chapters. | Remove when speaker identity is not part of the task. |
| Light filler | um, uh, you know | Remove only when exact wording is not important. |
Keep a raw copyFor accessibility, legal, HR, research, or publication work, keep the original transcript or caption file unchanged.
References
Questions
When should transcript timestamps stay?
Keep timestamps when you are editing captions, building chapters, citing moments, or preserving accessibility timing.
Can filler-word cleanup change meaning?
Yes. It can change quoted speech or tone. Use it lightly and review important transcripts.