Transcribe a public media URL
Create your first public-link transcription and follow it through to a completed result.
The shortest path from media link to transcript
Public-source jobs need one bearer-authenticated POST and one polling endpoint. The same sequence works across every advertised source.
Authenticate server-side
Keep the API key in a secret or environment variable.
Send one source
Provide source_url and optional speaker_diarization.
Respect 202
Persist the Location header and poll without duplicating the job.
Read the result
Use data.text and data.segments only after completion.
From request to transcript
A predictable sequence you can reuse in server applications, automations, and internal tools.
- 01
Create an API key
Generate a named key in the Fast Transcriber developer dashboard and store it once.
- 02
Queue the URL
POST one supported public media link to /api/v1/transcriptions.
- 03
Poll the job
Follow Location until status becomes completed or failed.
Make the request
Examples use the production API origin and an environment variable for the secret key.
curl --include --request POST https://fast-transcriber.com/api/v1/transcriptions \
--header "Authorization: Bearer $FAST_TRANSCRIBER_API_TOKEN" \
--header "Content-Type: application/json" \
--data '{
"source_url": "https://cdn.example.com/media/interview.mp4",
"speaker_diarization": false
}'Requirements and boundaries
- Run the request from a trusted backend, automation, or secure server environment.
- Only submit media you are authorized to process.
- The source must be accessible without a sign-in.
- Store and reuse the returned job ID instead of creating duplicates.
Frequently asked questions
What does 202 Accepted mean?+
The job was created successfully and is processing asynchronously.
Where is the polling URL?+
Read the Location response header. It points to /api/v1/transcriptions/{id}.
When should I stop polling?+
Stop when status is completed or failed.