vidmagpie.

YouTube transcript generator

Paste a YouTube link and get everything that's said as a text file, with or without timestamps.

Download type

How to use it

  1. Copy the link of the YouTube video.
  2. Paste it above. Transcript and TXT are already selected.
  3. Press Download, or switch to SRT or VTT first if you want timings.

At a glance

Formats
TXT, SRT, VTT
Source
Video captions, else speech-to-text
Speech-to-text limit
1 hour per video
Price
3 free, then from $2.50
Works on
iPhone, Android, Mac, PC

Home YouTube transcript · Updated

How do I get the transcript of a YouTube video?

Paste the video's link into the box above. The selector is already on Transcript and the format on TXT, so just press Download. You get a plain text file of everything that's said. If you'd rather keep the timestamps, switch the format to SRT or VTT before you download. It all runs in your browser, on a phone or a computer.

The transcript guide covers this step by step.

Where does the transcript come from?

If the video has captions, we use those, so the text matches what YouTube shows. When there are no captions, our speech-to-text (Whisper) listens to the audio and writes a transcript instead, for videos up to an hour long. It handles clear speech well, but it isn't perfect: accents, background music and people talking over each other cause mistakes.

Is the transcript accurate enough to quote?

When it comes from the video's own captions, it's as accurate as those captions. A speech-to-text transcript is usually close on clear speech, but names, numbers and technical terms are where it slips. Before you quote anyone, play back the part you're quoting and check the wording. Treat an automatic transcript as a fast first draft.

Not sure which file type to pick? Read SRT vs VTT vs TXT.

Is the YouTube transcript generator free?

Yes, for your first 3 downloads. Make a free account with an email and password and you get 3 downloads to try it. After that, A Little More is $2.50 for 20 downloads, paid once. Pro is $5.99 a month for unlimited downloads, or $14 a quarter, or $45 a year. If a download fails, it doesn't use a credit.

We build your file on our server and delete it 15 minutes after it's ready. Your account history keeps the link, the title and the format you picked, and you can clear it whenever you like. There's no app to install: it all runs in the browser on iPhone, Android, Mac and PC.

More downloaders

Browse all guides (English)

Questions, answered.

Is the transcript accurate?

It matches the captions when the video has them. A speech-to-text transcript is usually good on clear speech but isn't perfect, so check names, numbers and technical terms.

Does it work if the video has no captions?

Yes, for videos up to an hour. That's when our speech-to-text writes one from the audio.

Which languages work?

Captions come in whatever languages the video has. Speech-to-text handles many common languages and works best when one language is spoken clearly.

Can I use the transcript as subtitles?

Yes. Pick SRT or VTT and load it into VLC, Premiere, DaVinci Resolve or CapCut. The subtitle downloader page has more.

Can I get the subtitles burned into the video?

No, you get a separate file. Most editors can burn it in if you need that.

Do transcripts from other sites work?

Yes. Any supported site works, including TikTok, Instagram and Vimeo.

Is it free?

You get 3 free downloads when you make an account. After that it's $2.50 for 20 downloads, or Pro at $5.99 a month for unlimited. Failed downloads don't count.