Batch Import

Use Batch Import when you already have audio or video files and want Sona to process them in the background.

Best for

• Recorded meetings, lectures, podcasts, or interviews
• Subtitle preparation from local media files
• Workflows where multiple files need to queue and finish one after another

Before you queue files

• Configure a Batch Import Model in Settings > Model Settings.
• Confirm your files use a supported audio or video format.

Add files to the queue

1. Open the Batch Import tab.
2. Drop files into the import area, or click Select File.
3. Add one or more files to the queue.
4. Watch the queue sidebar and the active item status view.
5. Use Add More Files when you want to keep extending the queue.

Adjust import behavior

1. Click Parameter Settings if you want to change Subtitle Mode or Language for new work.
2. Keep an eye on the queue states: Pending, Processing, Complete, or Failed.
3. Message Center & Cancellation: The header Message Center displays batch queue and transcription progress in real time, supporting instant cancellation of active batch imports.

What happens after a file finishes

• Completed items load into the main transcript editor.
• From there, you can continue with Edit and Playback, AI Polish and Translate, Projects and Inbox, or Export and Settings.

Useful tips

• If no offline batch model is configured, Sona reopens onboarding instead of starting import. Models like Qwen3-ASR (via llama.cpp) or Whisper presets provide high-performance offline batch transcription.
• Settings > Model Settings includes Batch VAD Segmentation (powered by Silero VAD v5), VAD Buffer Size, and Max Concurrent Transcriptions, which affect batch behavior. Turning off batch VAD makes local batch transcription recognize the whole file at once.
• If you encounter unusual audio formats or missing decoders, specify a custom FFmpeg path in Settings > Storage Management.
• Batch Import plus export is the main path when you want subtitle files from existing media.