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How to get the transcript of a YouTube video

Three ways to get the text of a YouTube video: with YouTube itself, with a free extension, and with AI when there are no captions.

Short answer: on a computer, open the video, expand the description and press Show transcript. To copy the whole text, download it as a file, or get a transcript when the button is missing, use a transcript extension such as Tubrya.

1. Use YouTube's own transcript

If the video has captions, YouTube can show them as a transcript. This works without installing anything.

  1. Open the video on a computer. Go to the video page on youtube.com.
  2. Open the description. Click the description under the video (…more) to expand it.
  3. Press Show transcript. Scroll to the end of the description and press Show transcript. The transcript opens next to the video.
  4. Copy what you need. Select the text with your mouse and copy it. Use the menu at the top of the transcript to hide timestamps.

On a phone, tap the description in the YouTube app and tap Show transcript. YouTube changes its layout from time to time, so the button can move.

Limits: no download button, copying long transcripts by hand is fiddly, and nothing appears when a video has no captions.

2. Use a transcript extension (Tubrya)

An extension shows the transcript next to the video automatically and adds downloads and search.

  1. Add Tubrya to Chrome. It is free and only runs on youtube.com.
  2. Open the video. The Tubrya panel appears next to the player.
  3. Press Get transcript. The whole transcript appears with timestamps.
  4. Copy or download. Copy all of it with one click, or download .txt, .srt or .vtt.

Get the full transcript next to the video, free.

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You can also summarize the video with AI in five styles, or ask it questions and get answers with timestamps. More in our YouTube transcript generator guide.

3. When there is no transcript: transcribe with AI

If the video has no captions, or the automatic captions are wrong, Tubrya can transcribe the video with AI. It listens to the audio and writes each sentence in the language it was spoken. This is part of the Pro and Lifetime plans and works for public videos up to 60 minutes. Read how to transcribe a YouTube video with no captions.

Which way should you use?

You want to…Best way
Read a few lines onceYouTube's Show transcript
Copy or download the full textTubrya, free
Subtitles for a video editor (.srt)Tubrya, free
A summary or answersTubrya AI
Text of a video with no captionsTubrya AI transcription

Questions

Can YouTube transcribe videos automatically?

Yes. YouTube creates automatic captions for many videos with speech recognition, and the transcript is built from them. It can take a while after upload, it doesn't cover every language, and the quality depends on the audio.

Why don't I see Show transcript?

The video has no captions, the creator turned them off, or it was uploaded too recently. You can still get the words with AI transcription.

Can I download the transcript from YouTube?

YouTube lets you select and copy the text, but has no download button. Tubrya downloads it as .txt, .srt or .vtt.

How do I get a transcript on my phone?

In the YouTube app, open the video, tap the description and tap Show transcript. Extensions such as Tubrya work in Chrome on a computer.

Is it legal to use a YouTube transcript?

Reading and quoting short parts for personal use, study or commentary is generally fine. Republishing someone else's full transcript may need the creator's permission. Check the rules in your country.

Read the video instead of rewinding it.

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