Is there a one-click Riverside to Descript transfer?
Not one you can count on today. Descript's Edit in Descript feature imports recordings from partner tools without downloading and re-uploading, and its help page lists Captivate, Restream, SquadCast, Ecamm and HubSpot. Riverside is not on that list. [2]
A Descript blog post updated 29 July 2026 says Edit in Descript 'soon will let you' jump from recording in Riverside to editing in Descript. Descript's own 'Switch from Riverside' help page, meanwhile, describes a download-and-import workflow and names no direct Riverside integration. Until the partner list changes, assume you will move files yourself. [1][3]
Descript's fallback advice for any partner import that fails is the same: download the files to your computer and use the standard import workflow. [2]
Which Riverside files to download
Riverside records a separate audio and video track for each participant, and its Recording files view offers four download types per track. Descript's switching guide recommends aligned participant tracks when available, so timing is kept and you can edit each speaker on their own. [8][1]
| Riverside download | What it is | Use in Descript |
|---|---|---|
| Aligned video | Video with padding added so all participant tracks stay in sync | First choice for a video edit; drop into one sequence |
| Raw video | The untouched recording, no padding | Only if you plan to sync by hand or with Autosync |
| Raw audio | Original audio recording | Audio-only shows or as a cleaner audio source |
| Compressed audio | Much smaller audio version | Rough cuts or review on a slow connection |
| Finished audio or video file | A mixed export from Riverside's editor | Clips and extra cuts where per-speaker editing is not needed |
| Transcript (SRT or TXT) | Riverside's automatic transcript, labeled per separate track | Reference only; Descript transcribes on import |
Plan limits and file limits to check first
Riverside's pricing page treats separate-track downloads as an allowance: a one-off two hours of multi-track recordings on Free, then an hourly allowance of separate-track downloads on Pro, Grow and Webinar, with unlimited separate-track downloads on Business. Check what is left on your plan before a long recording. [10]
On the Descript side, each file must fit the plan's per-file cap: 1 GB on Free, 10 GB on Hobbyist, 20 GB on Creator and 50 GB on Business. WAV, MP3, AIFF, M4A, FLAC, OPUS and AAC audio and MP4, MOV, WEBM and MKV video are supported; ProRes imports only on Creator, Business and Enterprise; files with three or more audio channels are downmixed to stereo. [5]
If a long 4K participant track is over your Descript cap, the options are a higher plan, a lower-resolution download, or an audio-only edit followed by a separate video finish.
Building the multitrack sequence in Descript
Create a new Descript project and import all participant tracks. Then select them in the Project panel with Cmd-click (Mac) or Ctrl-click (Windows) and click Create sequence in the preview window. A sequence keeps the tracks playing together and moving together when you edit. [1][4]
If you downloaded raw rather than aligned tracks, use the Multi-Track Autosync button in the sequence editor, which aligns two or more audio-enabled tracks automatically, and fine-tune in the Sequence Editor. [4]
A new sequence sits in the Sequences folder and does not appear in the script until you drag it in or click Insert into script. Until then you cannot edit it or see its transcript, which is the step people most often miss. [4]
Transcripts and speaker labels
Riverside labels each separately recorded participant in its own transcript and offers SRT and TXT downloads. Descript does not take that transcript automatically; it transcribes media you bring in. [9][6]
Descript's speaker tools let you add a speaker with Add speaker or by typing @, rename a speaker, replace one speaker with another, or remove one so its sections fall to the speaker above. Renaming only affects the current project. [6]
If you have a corrected transcript you want to keep, Descript's Use your own transcript feature replaces the existing transcript with pasted text and reads 'Speaker Name:' prefixes as labels. It works for English only, the text must closely match the audio, and the help page does not say whether it applies to sequences. Test on a short project before relying on it. [7]
Worked example: a two-person video interview
A host and a guest record a 50-minute interview in Riverside. The host downloads two aligned video tracks, checks both against the Descript plan's per-file cap, uploads them to one Descript project, creates a sequence, inserts it into the script, and names the two speakers. Editing then happens in the script: deleting text cuts both tracks at once because they are one sequence. [1][4][5][6]
For social clips, the host also downloads a finished mixed MP4 from Riverside; Descript's switching guide suggests this kind of finished file for extra cuts or clips where per-speaker control is not needed. [1]
Riverside to Descript handoff checklist
- Confirm your Riverside plan still has separate-track download hours. [10]
- Download aligned tracks for every participant; keep raw tracks as backup. [8][1]
- Download Riverside's TXT or SRT transcript for reference. [9]
- Check each file against your Descript plan's per-file size limit. [5]
- Import, select all participant tracks, choose Create sequence, then Insert into script. [4]
- Use Multi-Track Autosync only if you used raw tracks. [4]
- Name speakers; use Replace in project to merge any duplicates. [6]
- Export, then check audio, captions and cut points in the exported file or a private test upload, as Descript's switching guide advises. [1]
Questions before you decide
Can I send a Riverside recording straight to Descript?
Not through a documented route on 30 October 2026. Descript's Edit in Descript page lists Captivate, Restream, SquadCast, Ecamm and HubSpot, not Riverside. A Descript blog post said Riverside support was coming soon.
Should I download aligned or raw tracks from Riverside for Descript?
Descript recommends aligned participant tracks when available. Riverside adds padding to aligned tracks so every participant's file stays in sync when combined in an editor.
How do I combine separate Riverside tracks in Descript?
Select the imported files in the Project panel and click Create sequence, then drag the sequence into the script or click Insert into script. Multi-Track Autosync can align raw tracks automatically.
Does Descript use Riverside's transcript?
Descript transcribes media you import. Its Use your own transcript feature can replace that transcript with pasted English text that closely matches the audio, using 'Speaker Name:' prefixes for labels.
Sources & verification
Product details and prices can change. Check the linked provider before buying.
- Descript Help: Switch from Riverside to Descript Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- Descript Help: Import files using Edit in Descript Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- Descript blog: Record, edit, create integrations with Riverside, SquadCast, Restream and Captivate Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- Descript Help: Create a sequence Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- Descript Help: Supported file types Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- Descript Help: Speaker labels Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- Descript Help: Use your own transcript Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- Riverside blog: How to record audio and video separately Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- Riverside: Transcription Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- Riverside: Pricing Accessed 30 Oct 2026
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