Layers are the visual and audio elements you add to your Descript composition — like video, images, text, and shapes. Each layer appears on the canvas and in the timeline, where you control how and when it appears in your project.
This article covers:
For information about the different types of layers you can add to your composition, see our Layer and clip overview.
That’s expected — layers don’t generate transcripts because they aren’t part of the script track. Layers are visual or audio elements that accompany your script, so they’re not transcribed.
If you want your content transcribed, add your media to the script track (or a sequence) instead of adding it as a layer. Learn how the script track works.
What happens when you add a layer
By default, new layers are added to the current scene and appear in both:
- Canvas: where you position and resize them visually
- Timeline: where you control their timing and duration
Ways to add a layer
- Drag and drop: Drag media (like video or images) from your Project files directly into the script panel, the scene editor, or the timeline.
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Add Layer button: Make a selection in the script, then click the + Add Layer button in the hover toolbar and choose a layer type.
- Use the Range tool: Activate the Range tool, select a portion of your script track, then drag and drop media into the selected range. Descript will automatically create scene boundaries at the start and end of the selection and insert the new layer into the new scene.
If you're starting from a blank project without a script track, you won't be able to drag and drop media directly into the scene editor to add it as a layer.
Add media to your project files first, then select the file and use the Add Layer button. Your script track will be automatically populated with a gap clip, and your layer will be added to the scene.