Transcript tool
YouTube Transcript Generator
Paste a YouTube link to get the full transcript, with timestamps you can click, translation and TXT or SRT download. Free, no sign-up.
Tested by Thiago · Updated
Free, no sign-up · We only read the captions YouTube publishes; the video is never downloaded
How to get the transcript of a YouTube video
- Copy the link of the video from the address bar or the "Share" button on YouTube.
- Paste it in the box above and click "Get transcript".
- Copy the text or download it as TXT or SRT. Click any line to jump to that moment in the video.
What the transcript includes
The transcript is built from the captions YouTube publishes for the video. Each line keeps the moment it starts, so you can click it and the player jumps there. Turn off "Timestamps" when you only want the plain text.
When a video has captions in more than one language, the "Language" menu lists all of them. Captions typed by the creator are usually the most accurate; captions generated automatically by YouTube are marked with a note above the text.
- TXT is plain text: best for notes, documents and AI tools.
- SRT keeps the timing of every line: best for video editors, players and re-uploading subtitles.
When a video has no transcript
This tool reads captions; it does not listen to the audio. If the creator turned captions off, if YouTube did not create automatic captions, or if the video is private or age-restricted, there is nothing to read and the page tells you so.
If the video is your own and you have the file, Video to Text listens to the audio and writes what is said, even without captions.
Tips for a cleaner transcript
- Automatic captions often have little punctuation and may misspell names and technical terms. Before quoting someone, click the line and listen to that moment.
- Pick the language the video is actually spoken in. Translations are made automatically and are better for understanding the content than for quoting it.
- The words belong to the creator. When you quote or reuse a transcript, credit the channel and link to the video.
Frequently asked questions
Is this YouTube transcript tool free?
Yes. It is completely free, with no sign-up.
Why can't I get the transcript of some videos?
We can only show a transcript when the video has captions, either added by the creator or generated automatically by YouTube. Some creators turn captions off, and private or age-restricted videos cannot be read.
Can I download the transcript?
Yes. Download it as a TXT file (plain text) or as an SRT file, the subtitle format used by video editors and players.
Can I translate the transcript?
For most videos, yes: pick a language in "Translate to". The translation is made automatically by YouTube, so it may contain mistakes.
Do you download or store the video?
No. We only read the captions YouTube already publishes. The audio and video are never downloaded or stored.
What can I do with a transcript?
Take study notes, quote a speaker, turn a video into a blog post, search for a specific moment, or paste it into an AI tool to get a summary.