YouTube Transcript Downloader
Paste a YouTube link and save its captions as a clean, readable transcript or as SRT subtitles.
Got many videos? Paste one link per line (Shift + Enter for a new line), from any mix of sites.
- 1 Paste the link(s)
- 2 Choose what to save
- 3 Your files are ready
- Free forever
- No sign-up
- No popups
- Nothing to install
In short
To download a YouTube transcript, paste the video's link above, press Download and choose Transcript (TXT) for plain text or Subtitles (SRT) for timed captions. We use the creator's captions when they exist and YouTube's automatic ones otherwise, and remove the repeated lines that automatic captions are full of.
Easy as 1, 2, 3, 4
How to download from YouTube transcript
- 1
Copy the video link
From Share, Copy link, or the browser's address bar. Shorts work too.
- 2
Paste and press Download
We read the video and list its caption languages under Transcript and subtitles.
- 3
Choose TXT or SRT
TXT for reading, searching, quoting or pasting into notes. SRT to use the captions in an editor or a media player.
- 4
Open the file
TXT opens in any text editor. SRT can be dropped onto a timeline in Premiere, DaVinci Resolve or CapCut.
Good to know
Why most automatic YouTube transcripts repeat every line
YouTube shows automatic captions as "rolling" text: a new line appears at the bottom while the previous one moves up. In the caption file behind it, every caption block repeats the line before it. Each block also carries the timing of every single word as hidden tags.
Convert that file to text naively and every sentence appears two or three times, sprinkled with leftover tags. That is the messy result many free transcript tools hand back.
We strip the word timings and drop any line that only repeats the one before. Then we join the result into readable paragraphs. The SRT version keeps the timing but writes each line once, so subtitles do not stutter on screen. We tested this on a long automatic transcript: the opening sentence appears once, where the raw file holds it three times.
What people use it for
Study and notes
Turn a lecture into text you can search, highlight and revise from.
Accurate quotes
Quote a talk or an interview word for word, with the timestamp from the SRT version.
Subtitles for your own edit
Bring captions into your editor instead of typing them out again.
Summaries and translation
Paste the transcript into a summariser or a translation tool. Respect the creator's rights over the text.
Key facts
| Formats | TXT: plain readable text, in paragraphs, without timestamps. SRT: numbered, timed subtitles for video editors and players |
|---|---|
| Sources | Creator-made captions first. If there are none, YouTube's automatic captions (speech recognition) |
| Languages | Every creator-made caption language, plus the automatic track in the spoken language and English where offered |
| Accuracy | Creator captions are as good as the creator made them. Automatic captions are machine-made and get names and technical terms wrong |
| Bulk | Download the transcripts of a whole channel or playlist with the channel downloader |
| Not possible | Videos with no captions at all, and private, members-only or age-restricted videos |
If it does not work
- No transcript options appear
- The video has no captions in any language. Very new videos may get automatic captions after a while, so try again later.
- The transcript has odd words
- It came from automatic captions, which mishear names, accents and jargon. Creator captions, when a video has them, are listed first.
- The language I need is missing
- We list creator captions and the automatic track in the spoken language. Other languages on YouTube are machine translations of those.
- "That video has no transcript or captions in the language you chose"
- In bulk downloads, the language code must match a track the video has. Try the video's original language code.
- The SRT file shows odd characters in my editor
- The file is saved as UTF-8, which modern editors read correctly. In older software, choose UTF-8 as the encoding when importing, so accented letters and other scripts display properly.
Ways to get a YouTube transcript, compared
| Method | Output | Clean text | Catch |
|---|---|---|---|
| This tool | TXT or SRT file | Yes, repeated lines removed | Only videos with captions |
| YouTube's Show transcript panel | On screen only | With timestamps on every line | Copying it by hand is slow and messy |
| Typing it out | Whatever you write | Yes | Takes hours per hour of video |
| Paid transcription services | Edited text | Yes | Costs money; useful when there are no captions at all |
Questions people ask
How do I download a YouTube transcript?
Paste the video link above, press Download, and choose Transcript (TXT) under Transcript and subtitles. You get a text file with the full transcript.
What is the difference between TXT and SRT?
TXT is plain text in paragraphs, best for reading and quoting. SRT keeps a timestamp on every caption, which video editors and media players need.
Can I get the transcript of a video without captions?
No. We download captions that exist. If a video has none, it needs a transcription service.
Are automatic captions accurate?
They are good for clear speech and weaker with names, accents, music and technical terms. Check important quotes against the video.
Can I download transcripts of a whole channel?
Yes. Use the channel downloader, choose Transcript (TXT) or Subtitles (SRT), enter a language code, and select the videos.
Can I use the transcript in Premiere Pro or CapCut?
Yes. Choose Subtitles (SRT) and import the file. Both accept SRT captions.
Can I republish a transcript?
The words belong to whoever spoke or wrote them. Use transcripts for notes, study and quoting with credit; republishing someone else's full transcript needs permission.
Does the transcript include timestamps?
The TXT version deliberately has none, so it reads like an article. If you need to know when something was said, download the SRT version, where every caption carries its start and end time.
Can I get a transcript of a YouTube Short?
Yes, if the Short has captions. Paste the Shorts link as it is. Many Shorts have automatic captions, but some, especially music-only ones, have none.
Content reviewed 2026-10-04. Download only videos you own or have permission to use. Terms · Copyright and takedowns