Descript for beginners: your first project from recording to export

Two allowances to understand first

Descript meters two things. Media minutes are used when you upload or record media, including recording in Rooms or inside a project, with still images counted at one second each. [9] AI credits are used by features such as Underlord, Studio Sound, Remove Filler Words, Green Screen and Eye Contact, and chatting with Underlord also uses credits. [9] Studio Sound and Remove Filler Words are capped at 30 credits per file or tool application. [9]

Both reset when your subscription renews and do not roll over. [9] Descript's pricing page listed these allowances when we checked:

Step 1: create the project and add media

In the drive view, click New project in the top-right and choose the project type; from inside a project, use the menu, File, New, Project. [1] New projects save to your personal workspace by default. [1]

Add a file to the script by dragging it from the Files section of the Project panel into the script editor, or selecting it and clicking Insert into script. Only script media is transcribed, so a file added only as a layer will not appear as text. [2]

Each upload or recording spends media minutes. [9] On the Free plan's one hour, a 20-minute interview uploaded once uses a third of the month; re-uploading a corrected version uses more, so trim obvious dead time before uploading if you are close to the limit.

Step 2: correct the transcript before you edit

In Descript, deleting words from the transcript deletes them from the audio or video. [3] Correcting is different: double-click a word, click Correct or press C, type the fix, and choose Correct for one instance or Correct All for every instance. [4] For many fixes, Opt+C on Mac or Alt+C on Windows toggles Correct text mode so you can type like a normal document. [4]

Fix names and jargon first with Correct All. Your captions and subtitle files come from this text, so every uncorrected typo will be on screen later.

If you remove too much while editing, Descript's edits are non-destructive: right-click the edit boundary and choose Restore removed media. [3] Ignore crosses text out but keeps it visible, while Remove from transcript keeps the media but hides the words from script, captions and exported transcripts. [3]

Step 3: remove filler words

Open the AI Tools panel and choose Remove filler words. A sidebar lists each detected word with timestamps and preview, and you can delete, delete and replace with a gap, ignore, or remove from transcript only. [5] The Avoid harsh cuts toggle skips fillers that cannot be removed cleanly. [5]

Detection works only on English transcripts, and the tool applies to the whole composition by default. [5] It uses AI credits on current plans, up to 30 credits per file or application. [5][9] On Free's 100 one-time credits, that is as few as three full-cost runs, so run it once on the finished edit rather than repeatedly.

• Preview a few removals before applying all.
• Keep 'Avoid harsh cuts' on for conversational audio.
• Use 'replace with gap' when cutting would make speech sound rushed.

Step 4: scenes, layouts and captions

A scene is a segment of the video with its own layout, footage and layers. Type / in the script to insert a scene boundary, right-click and choose Add scene, or click Split in the timeline. [6] Each scene can have its own layers, and you can create a reusable layout so scenes share a consistent style. [6]

For captions, open the Captions panel in the right sidebar, choose whether they apply to the current scene or all scenes, and click a caption style; select the captions layer to adjust font, size, colours and word highlighting in Properties. [7] For several speakers, add a captions layer per speaker. [7]

If you also deliver a separate subtitle file, the subtitle export lets you choose SRT or VTT and set maximum characters per line and lines per card. [11]

Step 5: export

Click Export in the top-right, select the Video tab, choose Local export, adjust settings and click Export. [8] Resolution options are 480p, 720p, 1080p and 4K, with Free limited to 720p. [8] Video quality is Low, Medium or High, and audio settings include a 44.1 or 48 kHz sample rate, a 32 to 256 kbps bitrate and a Normalize volume option with Peak or targets of -14, -16, -18, -23 or -24 LUFS. [8]

Free drive exports carry a watermark in the bottom-right corner, and upgrading removes it only from future exports, so existing files must be exported again. [8] The export range can be the current composition, a selection, a scene, or one file per scene, marker or line break. [8]

First-project checklist

Use this order for a first 5 to 15 minute video. It keeps credit use low and avoids exporting twice.

• Trim obvious dead time before uploading if media minutes are tight.
• File inserted into the script, not only as a layer. [2]
• Names and jargon fixed with Correct All before any edits. [4]
• Content edits done by deleting text; restore anything cut by mistake. [3]
• Remove filler words run once on the near-final edit. [5]
• Scenes split with / where visuals should change. [6]
• Captions styled and checked against the corrected transcript. [7]
• Export at your plan's resolution; on Free, expect 720p and a watermark. [8]

Sources & verification

Product details and prices can change. Check the linked provider before buying.

1. Descript Help: Create a new project Accessed 30 Oct 2026
2. Descript Help: Add a file to the script Accessed 30 Oct 2026
3. Descript Help: Edit like a doc Accessed 30 Oct 2026
4. Descript Help: Correct your transcript Accessed 30 Oct 2026
5. Descript Help: Filler words Accessed 30 Oct 2026
6. Descript Help: Scenes Accessed 30 Oct 2026
7. Descript Help: Captions Accessed 30 Oct 2026
8. Descript Help: Export video or GIF Accessed 30 Oct 2026
9. Descript Help: Track and understand your media minutes and AI credits Accessed 30 Oct 2026
10. Descript: Pricing Accessed 30 Oct 2026
11. Descript Help: Exporting subtitles Accessed 30 Oct 2026