How to Download YouTube Transcripts as Text (2025 Guide)

Need to download a YouTube transcript for research, studying, or content creation? You're in the right place. This guide shows you the easiest methods to save any YouTube video transcript as a text file—in seconds.

Why Download YouTube Transcripts?

There are plenty of reasons you might want a YouTube transcript as a text file:

• Students: Turn lecture videos into searchable study notes
• Researchers: Extract quotes from interviews and documentaries
• Content creators: Repurpose video content into blog posts or social media
• Accessibility: Read content instead of watching when you can't play audio
• Translation: Get text to translate into other languages

Let's look at the three main ways to download YouTube transcripts.

Method 1: Use a Transcript Tool (Fastest)

The quickest way to download a YouTube transcript is using a dedicated tool like ytranscript.com.

Here's how:

1. Copy the YouTube video URL
2. Go to ytranscript.com
3. Paste the URL and click "Get Transcript"
4. Click "Download" to save as a text file

That's it—four steps, no account required. You can also copy the text directly to your clipboard or toggle timestamps on/off depending on what you need.

Method 2: YouTube's Built-in Transcript Feature

YouTube has a built-in transcript feature, but it requires more steps and doesn't let you download directly.

Here's how to access it:

1. Open the YouTube video
2. Click the three dots ("...") below the video
3. Select "Show transcript"
4. Manually select all the text and copy it
5. Paste into a text editor and save

Limitations:

• No direct download button
• Timestamps are always included (can be messy)
• Doesn't work on all videos
• Mobile experience is clunky

This method works in a pinch, but it's slower and more manual than using a dedicated tool.

Method 3: Browser Extensions

There are browser extensions that add transcript download buttons to YouTube. However, they come with trade-offs:

• Pros: Convenient if you download transcripts frequently
• Cons: Requires installation, privacy concerns, may break with YouTube updates

If you only need transcripts occasionally, a web tool is simpler and doesn't require installing anything.

Downloading Transcripts With or Without Timestamps

Depending on your use case, you may want timestamps or clean text:

• With timestamps: Useful for referencing specific moments in the video
• Without timestamps: Cleaner for reading, studying, or repurposing as content

YTranscript lets you toggle timestamps on or off before copying or downloading—so you get exactly what you need.

What Videos Have Transcripts?

Not every YouTube video has a transcript available. Transcripts work when:

• The creator uploaded captions/subtitles
• YouTube auto-generated captions (most English videos)

If a video has the "CC" button, it likely has a transcript you can extract.

Popular Use Cases

For Students

Turn lecture recordings into searchable notes. Instead of rewatching a 2-hour lecture to find one quote, download the transcript and use Ctrl+F.

For Content Creators

Repurpose YouTube videos into blog posts, Twitter threads, or LinkedIn content. The transcript gives you a starting point—then edit and format as needed.

For Researchers

Extract quotes from interviews, documentaries, or talks. Having the text makes it easy to cite specific moments accurately.

For Podcast Listeners

Many podcasts are uploaded to YouTube. Download the transcript to read on the go or search for specific topics discussed.

Summary

The fastest way to download a YouTube transcript is using a tool like ytranscript.com:

1. Paste the video URL
2. Get the transcript instantly
3. Download as text or copy to clipboard
4. Optionally get an AI summary

No account needed, no extensions to install, and it works on any video with captions.