How Do I Get a Transcript of a YouTube Video?

Whether you are summarizing a lecture, quoting a podcast, or making subtitles in another language, the steps are the same. Here is the complete workflow.

Use YouTube’s native transcript panel

1. Open the video on desktop and click the ... menu under the title.
2. Pick Show transcript.
3. Choose your preferred language in the dropdown at the top of the panel.
4. Toggle timestamps depending on whether you need them for editing.
5. Copy the text and paste it wherever you need.

Use YouTube Transcript Fast for instant results

1. Go to YouTube Transcript Fast.
2. Paste any watch URL (long-form, Shorts, live replay, or unlisted link).
3. Hit Convert.
4. Copy or download the clean text.

Benefits of the tool

• Works the moment closed captions exist, even if the transcript UI still says “Unavailable”.
• Cleans timestamps and odd punctuation automatically.
• Handles very long videos without freezing.
• Lets you keep a transcript open while you continue browsing elsewhere.

Handling special cases

• Live streams: Wait for processing to finish, then use either method above.
• Auto-translate: If a creator uploaded only one language, use our tool to copy the text and drop it into your translation workflow (DeepL, Google Translate, etc.).
• Accessibility: Share the transcript link or downloaded file with teammates who cannot watch or hear the audio.
• Research and notes: Paste multiple transcripts into a single doc; add headings with the timestamp to keep context.

FAQ

Can I get a transcript without logging in? Yes. Both the YouTube panel and our converter work for signed-out viewers.

Does this support private classroom videos? If you have permission to view them (for example, unlisted links shared by your professor), you can generate the transcript. Private videos remain inaccessible.

What about exporting to other formats? Copy the transcript into Google Docs, then download as .docx, .pdf, or .rtf. We focus on clean text output so it fits any workflow.