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·4 min read

How to Add Captions Using Your Own Gemini API Key (Step-by-Step)

A practical walkthrough for connecting a Google Gemini API key to SnipCaptions and generating word-level transcripts in minutes.

SnipCaptions uses Google's Gemini models for speech-to-text. You provide the key, so you stay in control of usage, billing, and privacy. The key is stored only in your browser's local storage and is never sent to our servers.

Step 1 — Get a Gemini API key

Open Google AI Studio, create a key, and copy it. On the free tier this is enough for everyday captioning of short clips.

Step 2 — Paste it into SnipCaptions

Click “Add API Key” in the top-right of the app, paste your key, and we run a quick validation ping to confirm it works before you upload anything.

Step 3 — Upload, generate, export

Drop in a video up to two minutes, choose a language, and hit Generate Captions. Gemini returns word-level timestamps, which the player and exporter use to sync the text frame-accurately.

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