> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.daily.co/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# startTranscription()

> Starts live transcription of a Daily call.

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`startTranscription(options?)`

<Badge color="green">{"✓"} Prebuilt</Badge> <Badge color="green">{"✓"} Custom</Badge>

Starts live transcription for all participants in the room, or a specific subset if `participants` is provided. Transcription is powered by [Deepgram](https://deepgram.com/).

Once started, transcription output is delivered via [`transcription-message`](/reference/daily-js/events/transcription-events#transcription-message) events.

## Parameters

`options?: DailyTranscriptionDeepgramOptions`

All fields are optional.

<ParamField body="language" type="string">
  Language to use (e.g. `'en'`, `'fr-CA'`). See [Deepgram language docs](https://developers.deepgram.com/docs/language).
</ParamField>

<ParamField body="model" type="string">
  Deepgram model to use (e.g. `'nova-2'`, `'finance'`). See [Deepgram model docs](https://developers.deepgram.com/docs/model).
</ParamField>

<ParamField body="profanity_filter" type="boolean">
  Whether to filter profanity from transcripts. See [Deepgram profanity filter docs](https://developers.deepgram.com/docs/profanity-filter).
</ParamField>

<ParamField body="punctuate" type="boolean">
  Whether to add punctuation to transcripts. See [Deepgram punctuation docs](https://developers.deepgram.com/docs/punctuation).
</ParamField>

<ParamField body="endpointing" type="number | boolean">
  Controls voice activity detection sensitivity. See [Deepgram endpointing docs](https://developers.deepgram.com/docs/endpointing).
</ParamField>

<ParamField body="redact" type="boolean | string[]">
  Whether to redact sensitive information. See [Deepgram redaction docs](https://developers.deepgram.com/docs/redaction).
</ParamField>

<ParamField body="extra" type="object">
  Additional Deepgram streaming parameters not covered by the fields above. See [Deepgram features overview](https://developers.deepgram.com/docs/features-overview).
</ParamField>

<ParamField body="includeRawResponse" type="boolean">
  When `true`, Deepgram's raw response object is included in each `transcription-message` event payload.
</ParamField>

<ParamField body="instanceId" type="string">
  UUID for the transcription session. Defaults to `'a1f2f6b7-b1ac-4202-85e5-d446cb6c3d3f'`.
</ParamField>

<ParamField body="participants" type="string[]">
  Array of participant session IDs to transcribe. When provided, only those participants are transcribed.
</ParamField>

<ParamField body="transcription_geo" type="'global' | 'eu'">
  The geographic region where transcription is processed. Set to `'eu'` to ensure transcription data stays within the European Union.
</ParamField>

## Return value

Returns `void`. Listen for [`transcription-started`](/reference/daily-js/events/transcription-events#transcription-started) to confirm transcription is active.

## Examples

```javascript theme={null}
// Start transcription with defaults
await call.startTranscription();

// French Canadian, finance model
await call.startTranscription({
  language: 'fr-CA',
  model: 'finance',
});

// Transcribe specific participants only
await call.startTranscription({
  participants: [
    'd8a14d03-58ef-4b7c-824a-181779ab535a',
    '435fa323-65a1-4654-b788-069936da87a0',
  ],
});
```

## See also

<CardGroup>
  <Card title="Methods" icon="code" iconType="solid">
    * [updateTranscription()](/reference/daily-js/instance-methods/update-transcription)
    * [stopTranscription()](/reference/daily-js/instance-methods/stop-transcription)
  </Card>

  <Card title="Events" icon="bolt" iconType="solid">
    * [Transcription events](/reference/daily-js/events/transcription-events)
  </Card>

  <Card title="Guides" icon="book-open" iconType="solid">
    * [Transcription Overview](/docs/guides/features/transcription)
    * [daily-js: Transcription](/docs/daily-js/features/transcription)
  </Card>

  <Card title="REST API" icon="server" iconType="solid">
    * [Meeting token: auto\_start\_transcription](/reference/rest-api/meeting-tokens/create-meeting-token#body-properties-auto-start-transcription)
    * [Start transcription](/reference/rest-api/rooms/transcription/start)
    * [transcript-started webhook](/reference/rest-api/webhooks/events/transcript-started)
  </Card>
</CardGroup>