This feature lets you preview the narration audio of subtitles on the spot in the video editor. Before you export the entire procedure and play it back, you can check the intonation, speed, and accuracy of the readings for each subtitle.

When to use it

Check whether technical terms are read correctly before exporting
Check whether the pauses in narration sound natural in longer subtitles
Listen right away to check the effect after you change the Pronunciation Dictionary (word readings)
Check whether the narration of translated subtitles is easy to understand

Prerequisites

For the target step, “Subtitle narration” must be turned ON (subtitles with it OFF cannot be previewed)
For the subtitle you want to preview, text must be entered (hidden or blank subtitles are not targets)

You can switch subtitle narration ON or OFF with the Narration target in the Audio settings that appear when you select a step in the video editor (select Subtitles to preview).

Preview one subtitle only

Open the video editor and check the subtitles lined up on the Timeline at the bottom
Click the [Preview] button (speaker icon) for the subtitle you want to preview
The video jumps to the start of the subtitle, and the narration audio plays right away (the video also moves in sync)
Click the same button again to stop it

Subtitles shown on screen while playing can also be previewed in the same way, using the speaker icon that appears on the video.

About video and audio sync

While previewing, the video's original audio is automatically muted, so you only hear the narration
The video position and the narration audio are linked, and playback stops automatically when the subtitle's time range ends
Cut sections (sections excluded while editing) are also collapsed in the audio, just like in the actual playback
If you seek on the Timeline while previewing, the preview stops automatically
If a step contains a shape hold, the narration keeps going through it without a break (the same as normal playback)
Because the hold time is also used for narration, subtitles that were sped up sound slower, by the length of the hold. The speed you hear in the preview is the same speed used during playback

Tips for using it well

Check technical terms subtitle by subtitle: you can pinpoint the subtitles you are concerned about and preview them as many times as you like
Use with the Pronunciation Dictionary: if there is a word whose reading you want to fix, register it in the Pronunciation Dictionary and check the effect with a preview
Also useful after translation: even for translated subtitles, you can check the narration audio in that language on the spot
Cached audio is reused: a subtitle with the same content plays right away from the second time on, so the cycle of small adjustments and re-previews runs quickly
Previewing does not affect the SOP itself: since it is for preview only, the confirmed narration data is not changed

If you can't preview or don't hear any sound

Check that the Narration target of the affected steps is not set to anything other than Subtitles (None or Description)
If a subtitle has no text entered, or is set to Hide, it is not a target for preview
Check that the browser's audio is not muted, and also check the volume settings on the PC itself
The first playback needs a user action (a click). Autoplay may be blocked by browser restrictions