Download as plain text
Save the transcript as a TXT file. Turn timestamps off for clean paragraphs, or keep them for a time-coded log of the video.
Free · No sign-up · 6 file formats
Download YouTube Transcript
Download a YouTube video transcript as a text file, subtitles, a Word document or a PDF. Paste the link, check the text, and save it in the format you need.
- TXT, SRT, VTT, Word, MD, PDF
- With or without timestamps
- Works on phone and desktop
Subtitle files with timings
Export SRT or VTT files with every cue’s start and end time, ready for video editors, players and caption tools.
Documents you can edit
Download a Word (.doc) file, a Markdown (.md) file for Notion or Obsidian, or print the transcript to a PDF.
Clean it before you save
Edit lines in place and remove sponsor reads or intros, so the file you download contains only what you want.
Pick the caption language
If the video has several caption tracks, switch to the one you want before downloading. Auto-generated tracks are labelled.
No extension, no install
Everything runs on this web page, so it works the same in Chrome, Safari, Firefox or Edge, on a laptop or a phone.
How to download a YouTube video transcript
Downloading the transcript of a YouTube video takes less than a minute:
- Copy the video link from the address bar or the Share button. Watch, youtu.be, Shorts and live links all work.
- Paste it into the box above and press Get Transcript to Download.
- Choose whether to show timestamps, and edit or remove any lines you do not want.
- Press the download button for your format: TXT, SRT, VTT, Markdown, Word or PDF.
Can you download a transcript from YouTube directly?
Not really. YouTube lets you open a transcript panel under a video (click “…more”, then “Show transcript”), but there is no download button. You can try to select and copy the text from the panel, but the timestamps come along on separate lines and long transcripts are awkward to select.
This page fills that gap. It reads the same captions YouTube publishes for the video and gives you a proper file, so you can download the YouTube transcript as text or in any of six formats.
Which format should you download?
- TXT: the simplest option. Best for reading, notes, search, or pasting into ChatGPT.
- SRT: the most widely supported subtitle format, with numbered cues and start and end times.
- VTT: the web subtitle format used by HTML5 players and many course platforms.
- Word (.doc): opens in Microsoft Word, Google Docs or LibreOffice for editing and sharing.
- Markdown (.md): clean text with a heading, good for Notion, Obsidian and GitHub.
- PDF: opens a print view. Choose “Save as PDF” to keep a fixed, printable copy.
Download a YouTube transcript with timestamps
The Timestamps toggle controls what goes into TXT, Word, Markdown and PDF downloads. Keep it on to save each line with its time, which is useful for quoting or finding a moment again. Turn it off for flowing text.
SRT and VTT files always include timings, because that is what makes them subtitle files.
How to download a YouTube transcript on mobile
On iPhone or Android, open the video in the YouTube app, tap Share and then Copy link. Open this page in your browser, paste the link and download. The file goes to your phone’s Downloads or Files app, and the PDF option uses your phone’s print and share sheet.
A free online tool, not a browser extension
Many people look for a Chrome extension to download YouTube transcripts. You do not need one. This free YouTube transcript download tool runs in any browser tab, asks for no permissions, and works on devices where extensions are not allowed, such as school laptops and phones.
It only works with captions that already exist. Creator subtitles and YouTube’s auto-generated captions are both fine; a video with no captions at all has no transcript to download.
Frequently asked questions
How do I download a transcript from a YouTube video?
Paste the video link into the box on this page and press the button. When the transcript appears, choose a format (TXT, SRT, VTT, Word, Markdown or PDF) and the file downloads straight away.
Can I download a YouTube transcript for free?
Yes. There is no account, no paywall and no watermark. You can download as many transcripts as you need.
How do I download a YouTube transcript as text?
Use the TXT download. Turn timestamps off first if you want plain paragraphs, or leave them on to keep the time of each line.
Can I download the transcript as SRT?
Yes. The SRT download gives you a standard subtitle file with numbered cues and start and end times. VTT is available too.
Can I download auto-generated captions as a transcript?
Yes. If YouTube made automatic captions for the video, you can download them in any format. The auto-generated track is labelled so you know which one you have.
Does it work for YouTube Shorts and live streams?
Yes, as long as captions exist. Paste a /shorts/ or /live/ link the same way as a normal video.
Why is there no transcript to download?
The video has no captions, or it is private, age-restricted or members-only. We only read captions YouTube makes public and do not bypass those restrictions.
More free YouTube tools
- YouTube Transcript Generator
- YouTube Subtitle Downloader
- YouTube Captions Download
- YouTube Video to PDF
- YouTube Transcript to Word
- YouTube Transcript to Markdown
- Copy YouTube Transcript
- Transcript with Timestamps
- YouTube Video Translator
- Transcript on Mobile
- Transcript Without Extension
- Transcript Not Showing
- See all tools