How to Get Transcript of YouTube Video (Step-by-Step Guide)

Need a transcript of a YouTube video but don’t know where to start? Whether you're trying to extract key points from a lecture, repurpose content, improve accessibility, or simply want a text version of a video, getting a YouTube transcript can save time and effort.

Luckily, there are multiple ways to convert a YouTube video to text—from using YouTube’s built-in transcript tool to AI-powered transcription software that delivers accurate transcripts with timestamps.

In this guide, you’ll learn:
✅ How to access YouTube’s built-in transcript tool (and when it doesn’t work).
✅ The best free and paid tools for transcribing YouTube videos.
✅ How to get transcripts for private or unlisted videos.
✅ How to download a YouTube transcript as a text file (TXT, SRT, or VTT).

By the end of this article, you'll know the fastest and most reliable methods to transcribe any YouTube video—whether it has captions enabled or not. Let’s get started! 🚀

TL;DR

Looking for a fast way to get a transcript of a YouTube video? Here’s a quick breakdown of the best methods:
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✅ YouTube’s built-in transcript tool → Works if captions are enabled, but requires manual copying.
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✅ Downloading YouTube captions (SRT/VTT files) → Saves subtitles with timestamps, but only if the video has captions.
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✅ Free YouTube transcript generators → Quick and automatic, but accuracy may be low.
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✅ AI transcription tools (TranscribeBox) → Best for long videos, accuracy, and formatting. Works even when captions aren’t available.

💡 Best Method? If you need a highly accurate transcript with timestamps, AI-based tools like TranscribeBox are the most reliable option.

Why You Might Need a YouTube Video Transcript

Transcripts aren’t just for reading what’s said in a video—they unlock many benefits that make YouTube content more accessible, searchable, and repurposable. Whether you’re a student, content creator, marketer, or researcher, a YouTube video transcript can be incredibly useful. Here’s why:

Accessibility: Helping Those with Hearing Impairments

Not everyone can rely on audio. Transcripts make video content accessible to individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing, ensuring they can still consume and understand YouTube content.

Note-Taking: Extract Key Points from Educational Videos

Ever watched a long tutorial or lecture and wished you had a written summary? Transcripts help you skim key takeaways, search for specific topics, and create study notes faster.

Content Repurposing: Turn Videos into Blogs, Summaries, or Captions

A transcript allows you to reuse YouTube content across different formats:

• Convert a video into a blog post or social media content.
• Generate subtitles or captions for Instagram, TikTok, or LinkedIn.
• Pull quotes or insights for marketing materials.

SEO Benefits: Improve Searchability & Reach

Google can’t crawl videos, but it can crawl text—meaning transcripts help videos rank better in search results. Adding a transcript to your content improves SEO and increases visibility.

Translations & Localization

Want to translate a YouTube video into another language? A transcript makes it easier to generate translated subtitles or voiceovers for international audiences.

Podcast & Webinar Summaries

For content creators who upload podcasts or webinars to YouTube, transcripts help summarize key discussions and provide an easy-to-read written version for those who prefer text.

💡 Bottom Line: Whether you’re looking to take notes, repurpose content, improve accessibility, or boost SEO, a YouTube video transcript is a game-changer. Now, let’s explore the different ways to get a transcript of a YouTube video—both manually and automatically.

How to Get a Transcript of a YouTube Video (4 Methods)

There are multiple ways to extract text from a YouTube video, depending on whether the video has built-in captions or if you need AI-based transcription for better accuracy.

Below, we’ll cover four effective methods to get a YouTube video transcript:

1️⃣ Using YouTube’s built-in transcript tool – The easiest way to access subtitles for videos that support it.
2️⃣ Downloading YouTube captions as a text file – A method to save subtitles in TXT or SRT format.
3️⃣ Using a free YouTube transcript generator – Online tools that automatically generate transcripts.
4️⃣ Using AI-based transcription tools – The most accurate way to transcribe YouTube videos, even if captions aren’t available.

Each method has its pros and cons, and we’ll walk you through the best option based on your needs. Let’s start with the easiest method! 🚀

1. Using YouTube’s Built-in Transcript Feature (Easiest & Free)

YouTube offers a built-in transcript tool that allows you to view and copy the subtitles of a video—if the creator has enabled them. This is the fastest and easiest way to get a transcript without using third-party tools.

Steps to Get a YouTube Transcript Using YouTube’s Built-in Feature:

1️⃣ Open the YouTube video you want to transcribe.
2️⃣ Click the three-dot menu (⋮) below the video.
3️⃣ Select "Show transcript."
4️⃣ The transcript will appear on the right side of the screen (or below the video on mobile).
5️⃣ Copy and paste the transcript into a document for editing or saving.

Pros & Cons of Using YouTube’s Built-in Transcript Feature

✅ Pros:
✔️ 100% free and built into YouTube—no extra tools needed.
✔️ Works instantly for videos with enabled captions.
✔️ Includes timestamps for better navigation.

❌ Cons:
✖️ Doesn’t work if the video has no captions or if the creator has disabled transcripts.
✖️ Auto-generated captions may contain errors and lack punctuation.
✖️ Requires manual copying—no direct download option.

💡 Best For: Quick access to transcripts when captions are available. If the video doesn’t support captions, you’ll need a different method.

2. Downloading YouTube Captions as a Text File (For Videos with Subtitles Available)

If a YouTube video has captions, you can download them as a text file (TXT, SRT, or VTT format) for easier access and editing. This method is great if you want to save the transcript for offline use, edit it, or repurpose the content.

Method 1: Download Captions Using YouTube Studio (For Video Owners)

If you own the video, you can download the full transcript directly from YouTube Studio:

1️⃣ Go to YouTube Studio (studio.youtube.com).
2️⃣ Select "Subtitles" from the left menu.
3️⃣ Click on the video you want to download subtitles for.
4️⃣ Under "Subtitles", click the three-dot menu (⋮) next to the available captions.
5️⃣ Select "Download", and choose TXT, SRT, or VTT format.

✅ Best for: Video owners who want to extract subtitles in an editable format.

Method 2: Download Captions Using a Third-Party Tool (For Any Video)

If you’re trying to download captions from someone else’s video, YouTube doesn’t provide a direct download option. However, you can use free online tools or browser extensions to extract captions.

Steps to download YouTube subtitles using an online tool:
1️⃣ Copy the YouTube video URL.
2️⃣ Visit a YouTube subtitle downloader (such as downsub.com or savecaption.com).
3️⃣ Paste the video URL and click "Download".
4️⃣ Select TXT or SRT format and save the file to your device.

✅ Best for: Anyone who needs to download captions from a YouTube video they don’t own.

Pros & Cons of Downloading YouTube Captions as a Text File

✅ Pros:
✔️ Lets you save and edit accurate captions from YouTube videos.
✔️ Works for both owned and public videos with subtitles.
✔️ Some tools allow you to remove timestamps for easier reading.

❌ Cons:
✖️ Only works if subtitles are available—no captions means no transcript.
✖️ Auto-generated captions may contain errors (especially for technical content).
✖️ Some online tools may have ads or require verification.

💡 Best For: Anyone who wants a downloadable transcript file for easy editing and storage. If the video has no captions, try an AI-based transcription tool instead.

3. Using a Free YouTube Transcript Generator (Fast & Automatic)

If YouTube’s built-in transcript tool isn’t available or you need a faster way to extract text, a free YouTube transcript generator can help. These tools automatically convert YouTube videos to text, making them ideal for quick transcriptions without manual effort.

How to Use a Free YouTube Transcript Generator

1️⃣ Copy the YouTube video URL of the video you want to transcribe.
2️⃣ Visit a free YouTube transcript generator such as:

• Otter.ai (Free & Paid)
• Sonix.ai (Free trial)
• TScript (Free)
• Downsub (Free for captions)

3️⃣ Paste the video link into the tool’s search bar.
4️⃣ Click "Generate Transcript" and wait for the tool to process the video.
5️⃣ Download or copy the transcript for use.

Pros & Cons of Free YouTube Transcript Generators

✅ Pros:
✔️ Quick & easy—just paste the video link and get the text.
✔️ Works for public videos (even without built-in captions).
✔️ Some tools allow removing timestamps for a cleaner transcript.

❌ Cons:
✖️ Auto-generated transcripts may have errors—editing is required.
✖️ Some free tools have time limits or ads.
✖️ May not work for private or unlisted videos.

💡 Best For: Anyone who wants a quick and free transcript without downloading software. However, for higher accuracy and timestamps, AI-based transcription tools are a better option.

4. Using AI-Based Transcription Tools Like TranscribeBox (Most Accurate & Best for Long Videos)

If you need a highly accurate YouTube video transcript—especially for long videos, interviews, or technical content—AI-based transcription tools like TranscribeBox are the best option. Unlike free transcript generators, AI-powered tools provide more accurate transcripts, include timestamps, and can even generate AI summaries of the video content.

How to Get a YouTube Video Transcript Using TranscribeBox

1️⃣ Copy the YouTube video URL or download the video’s audio.
2️⃣ Upload the YouTube video or audio file to TranscribeBox.
3️⃣ The AI will process the audio and generate a transcript with punctuation and speaker differentiation.
4️⃣ Download the transcript in TXT, SRT, or PDF format for editing and sharing.

Why Use TranscribeBox Over Other Methods?

✅ Most accurate: AI transcription tools process speech better than YouTube’s auto-captions, reducing errors.
✅ Works for any video: Even if YouTube’s built-in transcript tool is disabled, AI can still transcribe the content.
✅ Includes timestamps & speaker labels: Helpful for podcasts, interviews, and research.
✅ Supports multiple formats: Download transcripts in TXT, SRT, VTT, or even AI-generated summaries.
✅ Transcribe long videos: Unlike free tools that limit length, TranscribeBox works for hour-long content.

Pros & Cons of Using AI-Based Transcription Tools

✅ Pros:
✔️ Most accurate transcription (compared to YouTube’s auto-captions).
✔️ Works for any YouTube video—even private, unlisted, or without captions.
✔️ Time-saving: No need for manual corrections like in free tools.
✔️ AI-generated summaries for quick insights.

❌ Cons:
✖️ May require payment—some AI tools offer free trials but charge for full transcripts.
✖️ Processing time varies depending on video length.
✖️ Requires an upload step, unlike copy-pasting from YouTube.

💡 Best For:

• Students & researchers who need precise transcriptions.
• Content creators & podcasters who repurpose video content.
• Businesses & marketers who need SEO-friendly transcripts.

🔥 Pro Tip: If you need a transcript with timestamps and speaker labels, AI tools like TranscribeBox are your best bet.

How to Get YouTube Transcripts with Timestamps

Timestamps make YouTube transcripts easier to navigate, especially for long videos, lectures, or tutorials where you might want to jump to a specific moment. Some methods automatically include timestamps, while others require extra steps to add them manually.

Below are the best ways to get a YouTube transcript with timestamps based on whether the video has built-in captions or requires AI transcription.

1. Using YouTube’s Built-in Transcript Tool (For Videos with Captions Enabled)

YouTube’s built-in transcript feature includes timestamps by default:
1️⃣ Open the YouTube video and click the three-dot menu (⋮) below the video.
2️⃣ Select "Show transcript."
3️⃣ The transcript panel will display text with timestamps next to each line.
4️⃣ Copy the transcript with timestamps and paste it into a document.

✅ Best for: Videos where captions are already enabled by the creator.
❌ Not ideal if timestamps need formatting or if the transcript is missing punctuation.

2. Using AI Transcription Tools Like TranscribeBox (Best for Accuracy & Customization)

If YouTube’s built-in tool isn’t available or you need precise timestamps, an AI transcription tool like TranscribeBox can generate a time-coded transcript automatically.

1️⃣ Upload the YouTube video or audio file to TranscribeBox.
2️⃣ The AI processes the video and adds timestamps automatically.
3️⃣ Choose different formats (TXT, SRT, VTT) based on how you need the timestamps displayed.
4️⃣ Download the transcript and search by timestamp for quick navigation.

✅ Best for: Long videos, interviews, and high-accuracy transcripts with correct punctuation.
❌ Requires a tool like TranscribeBox, but provides much better results than YouTube’s built-in captions.

3. Using a YouTube Transcript Downloader for SRT/VTT Files (For Downloadable Captions with Timestamps)

If a YouTube video has subtitles enabled, you can download them as an SRT or VTT file, which includes timestamps.

1️⃣ Copy the YouTube video URL.
2️⃣ Use a YouTube subtitle downloader like:

• Downsub
• SaveSubs
• YTSUB

3️⃣ Paste the video link and select "Download SRT" or "Download VTT."
4️⃣ Open the downloaded file in Notepad or a subtitle editor to view timestamps.

✅ Best for: Saving transcripts with accurate timestamps in a structured format.
❌ Requires a subtitle downloader and won’t work for videos without captions.

4. Manually Adding Timestamps to a Transcript (For Full Control Over Timing)

If none of the automated methods work or the transcript is missing timestamps, you can manually add them:

1️⃣ Open the YouTube video and note key timestamps for each section.
2️⃣ Paste your transcript into a text editor.
3️⃣ Add timestamps at the beginning of each section (e.g., [00:45] Introduction).
4️⃣ Format them using a structured layout

✅ Best for: Customizing timestamps based on specific sections or breaking long transcripts into readable chunks.
❌ Time-consuming, but helpful for manual transcript formatting.

Which Method is Best for Getting a YouTube Transcript with Timestamps?

The best method depends on your needs:

• YouTube’s built-in transcript tool → Quick but lacks formatting.
• AI transcription tools (TranscribeBox) → Most accurate, best for large videos.
• SRT/VTT subtitle downloads → Works if captions are available.
• Manual timestamps → Best for custom organization.

🔥 Pro Tip: If you need editable, accurate transcripts with timestamps, AI tools like TranscribeBox are your best bet!

FAQs

Here are answers to some of the most common questions about getting transcripts of YouTube videos:

1. How do I download a YouTube transcript for free?

You can use YouTube’s built-in transcript tool (if available) by clicking the three-dot menu below the video > "Show transcript" and copying the text. Alternatively, free YouTube transcript generators like Downsub or TScript allow you to extract transcripts quickly.

2. Can I get a transcript of a YouTube video without captions?

Yes! If the video doesn’t have captions, AI transcription tools like TranscribeBox can process the video’s audio and generate an accurate transcript with punctuation and timestamps.

3. What is the best free YouTube transcript generator?

Some of the best free YouTube transcript generators include:

• Downsub – Extracts subtitles from YouTube videos.
• TScript – Simple online transcript extractor.
• Sonix (Trial) – AI-based transcription with a free trial.

However, for higher accuracy, an AI tool like TranscribeBox is recommended.

4. How do I extract text from a YouTube video with timestamps?

YouTube’s built-in transcript tool includes timestamps, but they may not be formatted properly. If you need clean timestamps, downloading SRT/VTT subtitle files or using AI-based transcription tools is the best option.

5. Can I generate transcripts for any YouTube video?

Yes, as long as you can access the video’s audio. If captions are unavailable, AI transcription software like TranscribeBox can generate a highly accurate transcript, even for private or unlisted videos (if you have access).

6. How do I save YouTube transcripts in Word or PDF format?

After copying or downloading the transcript, you can:

• Paste it into Microsoft Word and save it as a .docx or PDF.
• Use AI transcription tools that offer direct download options in multiple formats (TXT, SRT, PDF, and VTT).

Accuracy Comparison: Which YouTube Transcript Method Works Best?

Not all transcription methods deliver the same level of accuracy. While some tools provide instant transcripts, they may require manual corrections due to misinterpretations, missing words, or poor punctuation. Below is a comparative analysis of the most common ways to get a YouTube video transcript and how they stack up in terms of accuracy, timestamps, and usability.

Comparison Table: Best YouTube Transcript Methods by Accuracy

MethodAccuracyTimestamps?Best ForYouTube’s Built-in Transcript Tool⭐⭐⭐☆☆ (Moderate)✅ YesQuick access to subtitles, but lacks punctuationFree YouTube Transcript Generators⭐⭐☆☆☆ (Basic)❌ NoFast results, but may require heavy editingDownloading Captions (SRT/VTT)⭐⭐⭐⭐☆ (High)✅ YesBest when professional subtitles are availableAI-Based Transcription Tools (TranscribeBox)⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (Very High)✅ YesMost accurate with punctuation, speaker labels, and formatting

Key Takeaways: Which Method Should You Use?

🔹 Best for Quick & Free Transcripts: YouTube’s built-in transcript tool works if captions are enabled, but may require manual editing.
🔹 Best for Saving Captions with Timestamps: Downloading SRT or VTT files preserves timestamps, but only works if captions exist.
🔹 Best for Accuracy & Large Videos: AI transcription tools like TranscribeBox deliver the most accurate transcripts, even for videos without captions.
🔹 Best for Editing & Repurposing Content: AI-based transcriptions provide cleaner text, making them ideal for note-taking, content repurposing, and SEO.

💡 Bottom Line: If accuracy is your priority, AI-based transcription tools offer the best results compared to YouTube’s auto-generated captions.

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