How to export your data from Descript

Descript doesn't have one bulk 'export all my data' button — you export project by project, saving rendered video/audio (MP4, MP3, WAV, GIF), transcripts/subtitles, or a non-destructive timeline to keep editing in another tool, plus optional direct publishing to Google Drive, YouTube, or a Descript web link.

Formats: MP4 (video), MP3 (audio), WAV (audio), GIF, Text/transcript file, Subtitle file, Timeline export for other NLEsPlan: Any plan, including Free — local export is not gated by plan. Publishing to a web link or YouTube has plan-based limits (e.g. Free/Hobbyist capped at 720p/1080p and 1 hour; Creator, Business, and Enterprise get up to 4K and 3 hours for YouTube).Role: Not role-restricted in the docs reviewed — any collaborator with edit access to a project can use the Export panel; there's no documented workspace-owner-only 'export everything' control.

✓ Verified against Descript's official documentation, October 2026

Step by step

1Open the project you want to export in the Descript editor.
2Click the Export button in the top-right corner of the editor.
3In the export menu, pick the Local export tab to save a file to your computer, or use the Destination dropdown to publish elsewhere.
4For video or audio, choose your format/resolution (video, audio, GIF, text, or subtitle file are the supported local export types) and click Export.
5To preserve editing work rather than a flattened file, use the Timeline export option to send your project to another major audio/video editor non-destructively.
6To push a file straight to cloud storage, set Destination to Google Drive, sign in to Google, pick a save location, and click Export (files land in your Drive's root folder by default).
7To get a shareable/downloadable copy without a Descript account on the other end, set Destination to 'Descript (web link)', click Export to publish to share.descript.com, then use the Download button on that page to grab the file.
8Repeat these steps for each project — there is no single action that exports an entire workspace at once.

What the export includes

✓Rendered video or audio file for each project (MP4/MP3/WAV/GIF)
✓Transcript/script text and subtitle files
✓Timeline/edit structure, exportable non-destructively to continue work in other audio/video editors
✓A downloadable copy of whatever was last published to a Descript web link (share.descript.com)

What it doesn't include

✗No single workspace-wide or account-wide export/backup file — exports are per project
✗Embedded captions are not burned into the video by default on local video/GIF export
✗Comments on a share page are permanently deleted when you update or remove that page (project comments inside the editor are separate)
✗Direct publishing to YouTube is limited to resolution/length based on plan, is web-app only, and doesn't support brand or shared-access YouTube channels

Before you start

⚠There's no documented bulk 'download all my data' feature — plan to export projects one at a time before cancelling
⚠Updating or removing a Descript web link permanently deletes all public comments on that share page
⚠Files sent via the Google Drive export go to the root of your Drive by default, not a chosen subfolder structure
⚠YouTube export is only available from the web version of Descript, not the desktop app, and YouTube Shorts aren't supported (download and upload manually instead)
⚠Local video/GIF exports don't burn in subtitles automatically — handle captions separately if you need them hardcoded

Where to take your data

Free and cheaper tools that can take a Descript export. See all Descript alternatives →

CapCut

Alternatives

Download your finished video locally from Descript (MP4) and import that file directly into a new CapCut project to keep editing or re-export for social platforms.

Riverside.fm

Use Descript's local export to pull your original recordings/finished audio or video, then upload them into Riverside as source media if you're moving future recording sessions there.

Otter.ai

Alternatives

Export the Descript transcript/text file and use it as a reference, or upload the exported audio file into Otter to generate a fresh transcript if you're switching transcription tools.

Exporting from Descript: common questions

Can I export every Descript project at once before cancelling my account?+

No — Descript's export options work per project through the Export panel; there is no documented single action that exports your entire workspace or account in one step.

Will I lose my transcripts if I leave Descript?+

No, as long as you export them first. Descript's export panel supports exporting your script as a text or subtitle file in addition to the rendered video/audio.

Can I keep editing my Descript project in another video editor?+

Yes. Descript supports a non-destructive Timeline export so you can continue editing the same project in most major audio and video editing tools instead of only exporting a flattened file.

What happens to comments on a Descript share page if I stop using Descript?+

Updating or removing a share page permanently deletes all public comments on it, so save or screenshot any feedback you need before you update or take down the page.

Does exporting from Descript cost extra?+

Local export (video, audio, GIF, text/subtitle) works on any plan including Free; only certain publishing destinations like YouTube have plan-based resolution and length limits.

Can I export directly to cloud storage instead of downloading to my computer?+

Yes — Descript can send a finished composition straight to Google Drive from the export menu without downloading it first, though it saves to your Drive's root folder by default.