How can I get a transcript of a YouTube video?
YouTube creates captions for most videos automatically, and you can view them as a transcript: a full text version of what's said. This is a free, easy way to turn your videos into blog posts, show notes, social posts or accessible text for your website.
There are two ways to get a transcript:
- For your own videos, download the captions file from YouTube Studio. This is the best option.
- For any public video, copy the transcript from the YouTube video page.
Option 1: Download the transcript of your own video (YouTube Studio)
- Sign in to YouTube Studio with your channel's account.
- In the left menu, click Subtitles.
- Click the video you want.
- Next to the language track you want, click the three dots (⋮) and choose Download.
- Choose a file format:
- .srt or .vtt: includes timestamps. Use these for video editing or uploading captions elsewhere.
- .sbv: YouTube's own caption format.
Tip: if YouTube's automatic captions have errors, you can edit them in YouTube Studio before downloading. This also improves the captions viewers see on YouTube.
Option 2: Copy the transcript from any YouTube video
- Open the video on YouTube, on a computer for the easiest experience.
- Below the video, click …more to expand the description.
- Scroll to the bottom of the description and click Show transcript. The transcript opens to the right of the video, with timestamps.
- To remove the timestamps, click the three dots (⋮) at the top of the transcript panel and select Toggle timestamps.
- Highlight the transcript text, copy it, and paste it into a document such as Word or Google Docs.
On the YouTube mobile app: open the video, tap the description, then tap Show transcript.
Don't see "Show transcript"? The video may not have captions. The creator may have turned them off, or YouTube couldn't create them. If it's your video, check Subtitles in YouTube Studio to see whether captions are still processing.
Clean up your transcript
Automatic captions are a helpful start but are rarely perfect. Before using a transcript:
- Fix names, company terms and industry jargon, which automatic captions often get wrong.
- Add punctuation and paragraph breaks, since automatic transcripts usually have little or none.
- Remove filler words like "um" and "you know," and repeated phrases.
- Check numbers, dates, rates and statistics carefully.
For financial firms: if you're turning video content into blog posts, emails or social posts, the new content may need compliance review before publishing.
Please note: only republish transcripts of videos you own. Another creator's transcript is protected by copyright like the video itself.
Related articles: What are some basic video marketing tips for companies? · How do I add a YouTube or Vimeo video to a page or post?
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