01
When should you set the timestamps yourself?
When you already know which passage matters, when the recording is mostly not speech, or when a specific moment has to be exact. Automatic selection works from what was said, so a recording carried by music or visuals gives it little to rank. Manual selection comes with the paid plans and everything downstream still applies to it.
02
What each mode is good at
| Task | Automatic | You choosing |
|---|---|---|
| Reviewing a long recording you have not watched | Fast | Slow |
| Finding a specific quote you remember | May miss it | Exact |
| Discovering moments you would have skipped | This is its value | Impossible by definition |
| Keeping a series consistent | Varies | Consistent |
| Working through an archive quickly | Right | Too slow to sustain |
03
Mixing both on a busy week
A practical rhythm for many creators is automatic selection for regular recordings and manual selection for the few that carry a deadline. The weekly show gets processed without anyone watching it twice; the launch interview gets its key statement marked by hand. Each mode is used where it saves the most effort or protects the most important moment.
Keep a short note of which recordings you handled which way. After a month you will see which kind of content needs a human choice and which runs fine on its own.
04
Reviewing automatic picks quickly
When clips arrive, watch each one once from start to finish, and judge it the way a stranger in the feed would. Would you stop scrolling for it? Does it make sense alone? A quick yes or no on each keeps review fast and prevents second-guessing.
If a pick is close but not quite right, trimming the start or end usually fixes it. Rejecting it entirely is reserved for clips that miss the point of the conversation.
05
Marking moments while recording
If you plan to choose manually, make it easy on yourself by noting times during the recording. A co-host, producer or even a phone timer can capture a rough minute mark when something memorable happens. Those notes turn manual selection from a long search into a quick lookup.
Agreeing on a simple hand signal between hosts for great moments is an old broadcasting trick that still works.
06
When manual choices are non-negotiable
Client approvals, legal wording, sponsored segments and quotes that must appear exactly as spoken all call for a person to set the boundaries. The cost of getting those wrong is higher than the time saved by letting it run automatically.
For these, double-check the start and end points after production, especially that the first and last words are complete.
07
Learning from both
Compare how automatic and manual clips perform over a few months. Sometimes the moments a creator is sure about underperform, while unexpected picks do well. The comparison is a useful reality check on your instincts.
Let the results inform how you use each mode, rather than a fixed preference.
08
Default is not a limitation
- Let it choose for unfamiliar recordings. Especially long ones you have not watched.
- Set timestamps for known moments. When you already know the passage you want.
- Use manual for non-speech material. Music and visual recordings give ranking little to work with.
Try the automatic pass on a free video first, then decide. Nothing to pay.
Questions people ask
- Is manual selection available free?
- No, the free video uses automatic selection.
- Can one video use both modes?
- One mode per video. Running it twice gives you both.
- Does manual cost differently?
- No, the pricing does not change with the mode.
- Do the other features still work?
- Yes, framing, captions, hooks and styles all apply either way.
- What if the automatic picks are wrong?
- Switch to timestamps on a paid plan rather than re-running and hoping.