YouTube to Text
Convert any YouTube video to a full text transcript. Download as TXT or SRT subtitle file — free, no signup required.
Free · No registration · No signup required
How to Convert YouTube to Text
- 1
Paste the YouTube URL
Copy any YouTube video link and paste it into the input field above.
- 2
Select language (optional)
Choose the video's spoken language or leave on Auto Detect — it will be identified automatically.
- 3
Generate transcript
Click the button. Our server extracts the audio and runs it through AI for transcription.
- 4
Copy or download
Read the transcript inline, copy it to clipboard, or download as a TXT or SRT subtitle file.
TXT or SRT — which download do you need?
Both formats contain the same words; the difference is whether timestamps travel with them. Pick based on what you will do next:
| TXT | SRT | |
|---|---|---|
| Contains timestamps | No — clean reading text | Yes — every line is time-synced |
| Opens in | Any text editor, Word, Google Docs | VLC, Premiere, DaVinci Resolve, CapCut, YouTube Studio |
| Best for | Notes, blog posts, quoting, studying | Subtitles, captions, jumping to a moment in the video |
| Typical size (10 min video) | ~8 KB | ~12 KB |
Not sure? Download both — they are generated from the same transcription, so it costs you nothing. Many creators keep the TXT for writing show notes and the SRT for burning captions into the final cut.
Who uses YouTube transcripts — and why
🎓 Students & researchers
Turn a one-hour lecture into searchable notes in under a minute. Highlight key passages, quote precisely with timestamps from the SRT, and review at reading speed — about three times faster than re-watching.
✍️ Content creators
Repurpose a video into a blog post, newsletter or thread without typing a word. Upload the SRT back to YouTube Studio as captions to make your own videos more accessible and easier to rank in search.
♿ Accessibility
Many videos lack captions or have poor auto-generated ones. A clean transcript makes content usable for deaf and hard-of-hearing viewers, and for anyone reading in a second language.
🌍 Language learners
Follow along with the text while listening, then review vocabulary in the TXT file. Pair it with YouTube to MP3 to build a listen-and-read study pack for any video.
50+ languages, one click
The transcription engine auto-detects the spoken language, but choosing it manually from the dropdown improves accuracy on accented or mixed-language audio:
Tips for the most accurate transcript
- Pick the language manually when you know it — auto-detect occasionally confuses similar languages such as Spanish and Portuguese.
- Prefer clean audio. Speech over loud music or street noise lowers accuracy; a podcast recorded in a studio transcribes almost perfectly.
- One speaker at a time works best. Overlapping dialogue in debates or reaction videos may merge into single lines.
- Check names and jargon. Proper nouns and technical terms are the most likely spots to need a quick manual fix.