The 28 ways we made Descript easier and better at Season 6
Entertainment
Introduction
In our latest update, we’re thrilled to introduce a significant new feature called Underlord, an AI assistant that streamlines your editing process. Alongside this release, we’ve implemented 28 quality of life improvements that enhance the overall user experience with Descript. These enhancements may not be groundbreaking, but they make Descript more delightful to use. You can explore them organically within the app or dive into this overview to catch a glimpse of all the improvements made.
1. A Fresh New Look
You'll immediately notice a revamped color palette that brings Descript into a more vibrant and modern aesthetic. Here’s what Descript looked like before the redesign, contrasted with its new appearance.
2. Simplified Insertion Menus
All insertion menus have been consolidated into a single right sidebar, making it easier to find the tools you need without cluttering your workspace.
3. Organized Properties Tabs
The properties panel has been restructured into two distinct tabs: Scene and Layer. The Scene tab contains scene-level controls (like selecting layouts or adding transitions), while the Layer tab focuses on properties specific to each layer.
4. Captions Sidebar
Captions now have their own sidebar. When selected, they apply to the entire composition by default, simplifying caption management.
5. Enhanced Composition Navigation
You can now swiftly switch between compositions from the app bar, or keep compositions visible in the project sidebar for easier access at all times.
6. Canvas Selection Toolbar
The canvas selection toolbar now includes more properties, allowing you to access features without needing to frequently open the layer properties tab in the sidebar.
7. Recorder in the Sidebar
The recorder is now conveniently located in the sidebar, enabling you to insert recordings into the script as new layers or replace selections effortlessly.
8. Improved File Preview Experience
The file preview experience has been upgraded; clicking on a file opens a large popover that allows easy navigation through the file, helping you find and drag the parts you want into your composition.
9. Easier Scope Selection for Layers
For layers that span multiple scenes, changing the scope of your selection has been streamlined—simplifying changes to layer properties like caption colors.
10. AI Actions in Underlord Sidebar
AI actions previously hidden in the search box are now clearly laid out in the Underlord sidebar for quicker access.
11. Improved UI for AI Actions
We’ve revamped the user interface for AI actions. Instead of a simple text field, you’ll now see a more functional UI complete with buttons.
12. Popular AI Effects Added to Sidebar
Some of our most popular AI effects have been added to the Underlord sidebar, making them easier to discover and utilize.
13. Remembering Project Templates
Once you select a template for a project, we’ll remember it for you on a project-by-project basis.
14. Layer Swapping for Layouts
Switching between layouts now swaps layers instead of adding new ones, making the process feel much more intuitive.
15. Overlays Brought to Elements
Old templates that allowed adding layers for overlays and annotations have been moved to a new category called "Elements."
16. Easier Template Saving
We’ve simplified the process for saving new layouts to your templates, making customization much simpler.
17. Redesigned Timeline
The timeline has undergone a complete redesign, with numerous subtle improvements for a cleaner, more user-friendly experience.
18. Friendly Empty State for New Projects
When creating a new project or composition, you’ll now encounter a much friendlier empty state, inviting you to get started.
19. Enhanced Empty State for Blank Lines
The blank line behavior has changed; you now click the AI speech button to add speech, avoiding the previous issue of accidental activation.
20. Streamlined Script Margin
The old buttons in the script's margin have been removed to declutter the interface.
21. Improved Scene Boundaries
Scene boundaries have been visually enhanced with more prominent borders for easier navigation.
22. Automatic Speaker Detection
When transcribing a file, speaker detection is now automatic, simplifying the process and eliminating manual input.
23. Easier Speaker Label Changes
You can easily change a speaker label by selecting a range, which greatly helps when speaker detection misses something.
24. Merging Speaker Labels
The workflow for merging speaker labels has been improved for a smoother editing experience.
25. New Editor Layout Selector
A new selector has been introduced for seamlessly swapping between different editor layouts.
26. Improved Notifications
Notifications for activities such as file uploading and processing have been enhanced for better user awareness.
27. Marker Navigation Resized
Marker navigation has been moved down to align with other transport controls for easier management.
28. Home Button Accessibility
The home button has been extracted from menu controls to allow easier access and navigation throughout the app.
Thank you for exploring these updates with us! We hope you enjoy all of the enhancements we’ve made to Descript.
Keyword
descript, Underlord, AI assistant, editing, user experience, quality of life improvements, templates, layouts, captions, interface, project management, timeline, speaker detection
FAQ
Q: What is the Underlord feature in Descript?
A: Underlord is an AI assistant designed to help automate your editing process, making it easier and faster.
Q: What are some key improvements in the latest version of Descript?
A: Key improvements include a new user interface, consolidated menus, enhanced navigation, and improved speaker detection among others.
Q: Can I access the new features immediately?
A: Yes, all enhancements are available within the app for you to explore and utilize right away.
Q: Are previous templates still accessible in the new layout?
A: Yes, we’ve preserved access to previous templates and improved the way layouts are switched and saved.
Q: How do I change speaker labels after transcription?
A: You can select a range of text and change the speaker label directly, making adjustments much simpler.
Q: What did you do to improve the file preview experience?
A: The file preview now opens in a larger popover, allowing for easier navigation and dragging of specific segments into your compositions.
