Want to get a YouTube transcript? You are in the right place. This guide shows you the fastest ways to view, copy, and download transcripts from any YouTube video.
A transcript is the text version of everything said in a video. It helps you read the content, take notes, study, or use the text for your own work.
Why Get YouTube Transcripts?
There are many reasons why people need YouTube transcripts:
- Study and learn - Read along with educational videos
- Take notes - Copy important parts for your notes
- Content creation - Use quotes for blog posts or articles
- Accessibility - Read when you cannot listen to audio
- Research - Find specific information in long videos
- Translation - Translate video content to other languages
Method 1: Use YoutubeTS (Fastest Way)
The easiest way to get a YouTube transcript is with YoutubeTS. Here is how:
Step 1: Copy the YouTube URL
Go to the YouTube video you want. Copy the URL from your browser address bar. It looks like this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XXXXX
Step 2: Paste in YoutubeTS
Go to YoutubeTS.com and paste the URL in the input box. Click the "Get Transcript" button.
Step 3: View and Download
The transcript appears on your screen. You can:
- Copy the text with one click
- Download as TXT, PDF, or Word file
- View with or without timestamps
This method works for most YouTube videos that have captions enabled.
Method 2: View Transcript on YouTube
You can also see the YouTube transcript directly on YouTube. Here is how to open it:
On Desktop:
- Open the YouTube video
- Click the three dots (...) below the video
- Click "Show transcript"
- The transcript panel opens on the right side
On Mobile:
- Open the YouTube app
- Play the video
- Tap the video title to expand description
- Look for "Show transcript" button
Note: The YouTube app does not always show the transcript option. For mobile, we recommend using YoutubeTS in your phone browser.
Method 3: Use the YoutubeTS Chrome Extension
If you get transcripts often, install our Chrome extension. It adds a "Get Transcript" button to every YouTube video page.
How it works:
- Install the extension from Chrome Web Store
- Go to any YouTube video
- Click the YoutubeTS button
- Get the transcript instantly
Which Videos Have Transcripts?
Not all YouTube videos have transcripts. A video has a transcript if:
- The creator added manual captions
- YouTube generated automatic captions
- The video has subtitles in any language
Videos without any captions will not have transcripts available. This includes some music videos, very old videos, or videos where the creator disabled captions.
Transcript Formats You Can Get
With YoutubeTS, you can download YouTube transcripts in these formats:
| Format | Best For |
|---|---|
| TXT (Plain Text) | Simple reading, notes |
| Printing, sharing, archiving | |
| Word (DOCX) | Editing, reports, documents |
With or Without Timestamps?
YoutubeTS gives you two transcript versions:
- Full Text - Clean text without timestamps. Easy to read and copy.
- With Timestamps - Shows the time for each line. Good for finding specific parts.
Choose the version that works best for your needs.
Common Questions
Can I get transcript from any YouTube video?
You can get transcripts from videos that have captions. If a video has no captions, there is no transcript to get.
Is YoutubeTS free?
Yes! YoutubeTS offers free transcripts every day. You can also upgrade for more features and higher limits.
What languages are supported?
YoutubeTS works with all languages that YouTube supports. If the video has captions in Spanish, French, German, or any other language, you can get that transcript.
How accurate are the transcripts?
The accuracy depends on the video. Manual captions are very accurate. Auto-generated captions are usually good but may have some errors.
Start Getting Transcripts Now
Ready to get your first YouTube transcript? It takes less than 10 seconds:
- Copy a YouTube video URL
- Go to YoutubeTS.com
- Paste the URL and click "Get Transcript"