Download a YouTube Transcript in 4 Steps
- Copy the video link. On YouTube, select Share → Copy link, or copy the URL from your browser.
- Paste the link above. TubeToTranscript checks whether the video has an accessible caption track.
- Load the transcript. Click Get Transcript and review the language, timestamps, and text.
- Choose Download. Select TXT, SRT, or VTT from the transcript toolbar and save the file.
Which YouTube Transcript Format Should You Download?
TXT
Use for reading, note-taking, search, and pasting into ChatGPT or another writing tool.
SRT
Use for subtitle tracks in video editors, VLC, and other widely supported media software.
VTT
Use for HTML5 video, websites, and modern web players that support WebVTT tracks.
What Each File Contains
A TXT download gives you the transcript as readable text, with the timestamp setting controlling whether time markers are included. SRT and VTT preserve caption timing so a compatible player can display each line at the right moment.
If you need a specific export page, use the YouTube transcript downloader. You can also go directly to the TXT exporter, SRT exporter, or VTT exporter.
If the Download Does Not Work
- Check captions first. Open the caption availability checker to see whether a public track exists.
- Try another language. A video may expose one caption track but not the language you selected.
- Check the source video. Private, restricted, removed, or newly uploaded videos may not expose captions.
- Review auto-generated text. Caption recognition can mishear names and technical terms, so verify important passages against the video.
Use the Downloaded Transcript
For long transcripts, the transcript search tool helps you locate exact phrases and timestamps. For AI preparation, see the guide to using a YouTube transcript with ChatGPT.
Worked example: the same text in three formats
These are original sample lines, not captions from a YouTube video. The previews below use the same formatting functions as the download buttons. Your actual file will contain the selected video's available captions.
TXT, with timestamps
[00:00] First, write down the question you want the video to answer. [00:04] Next, search the transcript for a distinctive phrase. [00:08] Finally, check the matching moment in the source video.
SRT
1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:04,000 First, write down the question you want the video to answer. 2 00:00:04,000 --> 00:00:08,500 Next, search the transcript for a distinctive phrase. 3 00:00:08,500 --> 00:00:13,500 Finally, check the matching moment in the source video.
VTT
WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:04.000 First, write down the question you want the video to answer. 00:00:04.000 --> 00:00:08.500 Next, search the transcript for a distinctive phrase. 00:00:08.500 --> 00:00:13.500 Finally, check the matching moment in the source video.
Use TXT to read or search. SRT and VTT include start and end times for subtitle software. Inspect names, numbers, and timing before publishing an export.