This article is for our existing users who want a full overview of what's changed in our latest big Season 6 launch. Read about all the improvements we've made or watch the video below where Descript's CEO Andrew walks you through everything you need to know about the changes.
Check out our UI tour where we introduce the two main areas in Descript: the Editor—where your creations come to life—and the Drive view—the organizational hub for your projects and teams.
New Look for Descript
The first thing you’ll notice is Descript’s new design. The updated aesthetics make the app more readable and less imposing, especially in areas like the properties panel.
Consolidated Insertion Menus
We've moved all the insertion menus into a single right sidebar. This makes it easier to find everything and keeps your workspace uncluttered.
Properties are now in Scene and Layer
Properties are now divided into two tabs: "Scene" for scene-level controls and "Layer" for layer properties. This organization makes it simpler to manage different elements of your project.
Captions have their own tab
Captions now have their own sidebar. When you click on them, they apply to the whole composition by default, streamlining your workflow.
Enhanced Composition Navigation
Switch between compositions quickly with the new navigation options in the app bar. You can also keep compositions open in the project sidebar for easier access.
Canvas Toolbar Enhancements
The canvas selection toolbar now includes quick access to more properties, reducing the need to open the layer properties tab constantly.
Sidebar Recorder
The recorder has been relocated to the sidebar. You can now insert recordings into your script as a new layer or replace a selection with just a click.
Better File Preview
Clicking on a file now shows a large preview, making it easier to find and drag the parts you need into your composition, especially useful for long files.
Flexible Selection Scope
For layers spanning multiple scenes, you can now easily change the scope of your selection, such as applying changes to the current scene or the entire layer.
Underlord Sidebar for AI Actions
All AI actions are now accessible in the new Underlord sidebar, making them easier to find and use.
Improved AI Actions UI
The UI for AI actions now includes proper buttons and interfaces, making it more user-friendly than the previous text field approach.
Popular AI Effects in Underlord
We’ve added our most popular AI effects to the Underlord sidebar for easier access and discovery.
Smarter Layout Swapping
When switching between layouts, layers now swap instead of always adding new ones, making the process feel more intuitive, like a slide deck.
Some old templates moved to elements
Some templates that involve adding layers, such as annotations or overlays, have been moved to elements for better organization.
Project-Based Template Memory
Once you select a template for a project, Descript now remembers it on a per-project basis, saving you time.
Save New Layouts Easily
It’s now simpler to save new layouts to your templates, improving your workflow.
Redesigned Timeline
The timeline has been fully redesigned with numerous small improvements, making it cleaner and easier to use.
Friendlier Empty Project State
New projects or compositions now greet you with a much friendlier empty state, improving the initial user experience.
Improved Blank Line State
Blank lines now have a more intuitive empty state. Instead of starting with AI speech by default, you now click to add speech, reflecting user preferences.
Clearer Scene Boundaries
We’ve made scene boundaries more obvious by adding a border around them, helping you keep track of your scenes better.
Removed Script Margin Buttons
Unnecessary buttons in the script margin have been removed to declutter the interface.
Automatic Speaker Detection
Speaker detection now runs automatically when you transcribe a file, removing the need for manual intervention.
Easy Speaker Label Changes
You can now change speaker labels by simply selecting a range, making corrections quick and easy.
Better Speaker Label Merging
The workflow for merging speaker labels has been improved, streamlining the process.
New Editor Layout Selector
A new selector allows you to easily swap between different editor layouts, enhancing customization.
Improved Notifications
Notifications for activities like file uploading, transcribing, and effect processing have been improved for better user awareness.
Marker Navigation Relocation
Marker navigation has been moved down to the transport controls, consolidating navigation tools.
Home Button Relocated
The home button has been pulled out from other menu controls, making it more accessible.