How to handle noisy audio in an Instagram transcript

Separate audible speech from interpretation

Listen to the short passage once without reading the transcript. On a second pass, compare the words you can actually hear with the generated text. If a phrase only makes sense after you see it written, treat it as a candidate rather than a confirmed quote.

Use a three-level confidence note

• Clear: the words are understandable on replay and agree with the audio.
• Probable: the sentence is mostly clear, but a name, number, or ending needs checking.
• Unclear: noise or overlap prevents a responsible reading; keep a timestamp and use [inaudible] or a short note.

Keep the original time range

Do not remove a difficult phrase just to make the transcript read smoothly. Preserve its start and end time, then replay a few seconds before and after it. The surrounding context can identify a speaker or word, but it should not be used to invent missing audio.

Check music and overlapping speakers separately

Music can make the model repeat a plausible phrase, while two speakers can merge into one sentence. Re-run only the short problem window with the clearest language setting, then compare it with the first result. If both attempts disagree, report the disagreement instead of choosing the version that sounds nicer.

Export a transcript that remains auditable

Use TXT for notes, SRT or VTT for timed review, and keep a separate list of uncertain timestamps. A trustworthy instagram transcript is not just readable text; it shows which parts came directly from the recording and which parts still need human review.