Free YouTube Transcript Generator

Paste the video link into the box at the top of this page. The full transcript appears right below it within a couple of seconds, with no upload, no account, and no page reload. From there you can search it, copy it, or download it as TXT, SRT, or VTT.

Yes, you’re looking at one. freeyoutubetranscribe.com turns any YouTube link into a full transcript in seconds, with no account, watermark, or usage limits. Unlike most transcript tools there is no premium tier at all: search, clickable timestamps, language switching, and TXT, SRT, and VTT downloads are all included.

Paste the video link above, then use the Copy button over the transcript. You can copy the plain text, copy it with timestamps, or copy it wrapped in a ready-made summary prompt for an AI assistant like ChatGPT or Claude. It’s much faster than selecting text in YouTube’s own transcript panel, which drags timestamps along and loses formatting.

Yes. This tool converts any public YouTube video to text using the video’s captions. Paste the URL and the spoken words appear as readable, searchable text you can copy or download. It works with regular videos and Shorts, in any language the video has captions for.

It’s free with no catch: no account, no monthly quota, no credits, no watermark, and no limit on the number or length of videos. Transcripts come from caption data YouTube already publishes, which costs us almost nothing to fetch, so we don’t need to charge for it.

Yes. Along with plain text (.txt, with or without timestamps), you can download proper SubRip (.srt) and WebVTT (.vtt) subtitle files with correct cue timings, ready for video editors, media players, or the web.

Yes. YouTube automatically generates captions for most public videos within minutes to a few hours of upload, and many creators also upload their own edited subtitles. This tool reads both kinds and marks auto-generated tracks with “(auto)” in the language picker, so you always know which one you’re reading.

They’re YouTube’s own caption tracks. If the creator uploaded captions, you get those word-for-word. Otherwise you get YouTube’s auto-generated captions, which are very good for clear speech but can stumble on heavy accents, crosstalk, or technical jargon. Tracks marked “(auto)” in the language picker are auto-generated.

A few possibilities: the video is very new (YouTube usually takes minutes to a few hours to generate auto-captions), the creator disabled captions, the speech couldn’t be recognized, or the video is private or age-restricted. Trying again later often works for new videos.

If the video has caption tracks in other languages (many popular videos do), use the language picker above the transcript to switch between them, including auto-generated ones. On-the-fly machine translation of transcripts isn’t available yet; for now, the “Copy for AI” option pairs well with any AI chatbot, which will translate the transcript for free.

Yes. This site works in any mobile browser: paste a YouTube link the same way and read, search, copy, or download the transcript. There’s nothing to install, and the transcript view is built to stay readable on a small screen.

Shorts work: paste the Shorts link like any other. Live streams work once the stream has ended and YouTube has processed captions for the replay.

Yes. Tick “Fix punctuation” above the transcript and the tool tidies punctuation and capitalization into readable sentences. It works right in your browser, so it’s free no matter how long the video is; the first use takes a little longer to get ready, and after that it’s quick. Only punctuation and capitalization are adjusted; the wording itself is never changed. English captions for now.

Not yet. This tool reads YouTube’s caption data rather than running its own speech recognition, which is what keeps it instant and free. Since YouTube auto-captions nearly every public video, genuinely caption-less videos are rare.

Transcripts here come from caption data YouTube itself makes public for each video. Using them for personal reference, study, notes, accessibility, or research is what this tool is for. The content still belongs to its creator, so republishing a transcript wholesale would need their permission.