How to Get YouTube Video Transcripts: Step-by-Step Tutorial

YouTube is packed with amazing video content, but sometimes you need it in text form! Whether you're a creator looking to repurpose a video or a viewer who wants to reference something later, a transcript is the key. Here's how to get them easily.

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Why Get YouTube Transcripts?

Include all viewers: Help those with hearing impairments enjoy the video.

SEO: Search engines can 'read' the transcript, boosting your video's visibility.

Quotes & Notes: Extract key information for summaries or social media posts.

Content Repurposing: Turn your video into a blog post or script.

Get YouTube Video Transcripts on Desktop (Fast & Easy!)

‍Step 1: Open the Video

Go to YouTube in your web browser and search for or navigate to the video you want a transcript of.

Step 2: Open “More” Description Area

Click the '...more'. It's under the video, to the right.

Step 3: Select "Show Transcript"

Click on the show transcript button from the Transcript section.

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Step 4: Choose to toggle timestamps or not

Click on the three dots from top right corner to choose to toggle timestamps or not.

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‍Step 5: Choose the Language (If Available)‍

Click the dropdown and select your desired language from the available options. Not all videos offer multilingual transcripts.This depends on whether the video creator enabled them and if YouTube's system could translate them successfully.

Step 6: Utilize the Transcript

Copy and Paste (But Formatting May Be Messy): Select the desired text, or the part of the video, or the full transcript, copy it, and paste it into a text file editor (like Google Docs or Microsoft Word Document) for further editing or use. 

Transcript of a Youtube Video Example: Copied from YouTube and Pasted into a Google Doc.

Get YouTube Video Transcripts on Mobile (But No Copying)

‍Step 1: Find the Video on YouTube

Open the YouTube app on your mobile device and search for your video.

Step 2: Open the Transcript

Tap the "...More" button under the video title.

Then select "Show Transcript".   

Step 3: Change Language (If Available)

Look for a dropdown menu within the transcript. Select your desired language if there are multiple options. Not all videos have this.

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Other Simple Ways to Obtain Transcripts of YouTube Videos

Using a Free YouTube Video Transcript Generator

Vatis Tech offers a free way to transcribe a youtube video that is perfect for a quick and basic youtube transcription.

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How to Use:

1. Go to the Vatis Tech Free YouTube Transcript Generator

2. Paste the YouTube video URL.

3. Click "Get Transcript" and get your transcript in seconds.

Using Professional Transcription Software

• Speed: Get transcripts in minutes.
• Accuracy: Often better than YouTube's auto-captions.
• Editing: Easily fix errors, add formatting, download the transcript in multiple formats etc.

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For faster, cleaner transcripts, and more editing power, try these tool:

Vatis Tech: Super accurate, directly uploads your files in the platform using a YouTube link, easy to edit the transcript, labels speakers and differentiates speakers even with background noise, syncs transcript to video.(Free trial)

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Vatis Tech is a speech to text transcription software that automatically converts audio to text. Both for real time speech and also for pre-recorded files. You can import audio files from public links such as YouTube, Google Drive, Facebook, Instagram, and more. This is a great way to transcribe audio files that you don't have to download. 

Pros: 

• 90%+ accurate transcript: near-human precision
• Directly paste YouTube video links. No need to download them first. 
• Editing the transcripts inside the web app
• Transcripts are linked to the original media. Simply click on the transcript and hear exactly what was said – no need for full playback!
• Speaker labels and time stamps. It identifies different speakers in your audio or video files, making it easy to follow the conversation and identify who is speaking and when. 
• Comes with an AI Assistant that helps you summarize your transcripts, ask questions, and get answers quickly.
• You can translate your transcript into 30+ languages. This helps you to create and edit your own subtitles, making your video content accessible to a global audience.
• Cloud-based and accessible anywhere
• Download transcripts in multiple formats‍
• 1 hour Free Trial that comes with every new account

‍Cons: 

• Manual editing may be necessary to achieve 100% accuracy or to tailor the content to your specific needs.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Can I edit YouTube's transcript? 

Not directly. You'll need to copy/paste it. 

How do you download a YouTube transcript?

YouTube offers no direct transcript download option. Here's what you can do:

Option 1: Copy & Paste

Desktop: Open the video, access the transcript, copy the text, and paste it into a text editor. Clean up formatting as needed.

Mobile: View the transcript, but you'll need a computer to copy/edit it.

Option 2: Transcription services

Use YouTube video to text converter tools such as Vatis Tech (https://www.vatis.tech) to automatically generate transcripts. Simply copy and paste the video link into the web app and you will get the transcript.

Does downloading a video violate YouTube's rules? 

Generally, yes. YouTube's Terms of Service state that you cannot download content unless YouTube specifically provides a download button or link.

YouTube Premium Exception: If you subscribe to YouTube Premium, you can download certain videos for offline viewing within the YouTube app.

Third-Party Tools: Many websites and apps offer YouTube video downloading. Unauthorized distribution of downloaded videos can lead to copyright infringement issues.

How to Find Copyright-Friendly YouTube Videos?

1. Search for your topic: Use the YouTube search bar.
2. Apply the Creative Commons Filter: Click "Filters" (top of results page) -> "Creative Commons".
3. Understand the Terms: You will now be shown Creative Commons Videos on Youtube, BUT these licenses have different rules. Always read the specific license details in the video description.
4. Learn More About Creative Commons Licenses