# Scribe API

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The Scribe API delivers scalable, high-performance transcription across a broad range of media formats and use cases. It enables organizations to convert audio and video into accurate text, and handle large archives in bulk or real-time interactions at scale.

## Key features

-   Optimal high‑volume transcription directly from your existing cloud storage
-   Multiple input formats, including common audio and video formats
-   Ideal for call conversation transcription, podcasts, and long‑form media processing
-   Adds timestamps to show when each segment occurs
-   Punctuation and formatting for human-readable output
-   Speaker separation occurs when more than one person appears
-   Profanity filtering when enabled
-   Short command‑and‑control scenarios through [fast mode](/docs/ai-services/scribe/fast-mode/)

## Processing modes

### Fast mode

Fast mode provides synchronous, low-latency transcription for individual files.

-   Processes one audio file at a time
-   Response returns immediately after the transcription completes
-   Works best for short recordings

**Note**: Fast mode can handle one (mono) or two (stereo) audio channels.
The API returns either a single combined transcript or separate transcripts for each channel.

#### Example workflow

To convert an audio recording into searchable text on demand:

1. Use fast mode for near real-time transcription.
2. Your app uploads the audio file.
3. The backend generates a JWT with Build platform credentials.
4. The backend sends a transcription request.
5. The API returns a JSON transcript with timestamps.
6. Your app displays the transcript to the user.

For details, see [Fast mode](/docs/ai-services/scribe/fast-mode/).

### Batch mode

Batch mode provides asynchronous transcription for large or complex jobs.

-   Processes many files in a single request
-   Runs in the background — submit jobs and retrieve results when processing is complete

Batch mode is best for:

-   Long recordings
-   Large collections of files
-   Multi-speaker audio

Each audio file generates its own transcript in the corresponding output location.

#### Example workflow

To transcribe stored call recordings in S3:

1. Submit a batch job and specify the input folder in your bucket.
2. The job runs asynchronously.
3. The service writes transcripts to the specified output location.
4. Use batch job status endpoints or webhooks to monitor progress.
5. Retrieve per-file results when processing completes.

You can use these transcripts for record retention or media archives.

For details, see [Batch mode](/docs/ai-services/scribe/batch-mode/).