YouTube to transcript
The transcript of a whole YouTube video, whatever its length
Paste a link and get every word of the video with timestamps, whether it is a 20-minute talk or a 3-hour podcast, with or without captions. When the video has good captions they are used and set out as timestamped paragraphs; when it has none, the audio is transcribed. The first part is free, with no sign-up. The whole video costs $5: one payment, no subscription, for videos of up to 6 hours.
- Paste a youtube.com or youtu.be link: nothing to download or install
- Videos up to 6 hours for one payment (12 hours on Unlimited)
- Works on videos without captions: the audio itself is transcribed
- A timestamp at the start of every paragraph, counted from the start of the video
- Optional translation into 38 languages under each paragraph
- Edit on screen, then download TXT or Word
- First part free without an account · whole video $5, one payment
NASA ScienceCasts: Two Sides of the Same Star
NASA Science · 3:43 · Creative Commons Attribution
Transcript
Real output from a Creative Commons video, shortened here. This video has captions by its creator, so they were used; a video without captions is transcribed from the audio. The Spanish lines are the tool’s translation.
What you get back
A complete, editable transcript of the video in paragraphs, each starting with its time from the start of the video, so you can jump to any moment.
- Every word of the video, written out in full, never summarised.
- A timestamp such as [1:12:05] at the start of every paragraph.
- Captions written by the creator are used when the video has them; YouTube’s automatic captions are used when they cover the whole video; otherwise the audio is transcribed. The work screen says which source was used.
- You can choose to always transcribe the audio, for example when the automatic captions are poor.
- In transcribed audio, unclear words are marked [inaudible], never guessed.
- If you choose a translation, it appears under each paragraph; the original always comes first.
- TXT and Word downloads, including any edits you made on screen.
Doing it in a chatbot, and with this tool
A chat assistant works with text. When a video has captions it may be able to read them; a long video without captions gives it nothing to read from the link.
| What you need | A chatbot | This tool |
|---|---|---|
| A 3-hour video without captions | No text to read from the link; it asks you for the audio or a transcript | The audio is transcribed, up to 6 hours per video |
| Every word, not a summary | Long transcripts get shortened or cut off | Each part written out in full and joined in order |
| Finding a moment again | No reliable timestamps | A timestamp at the start of every paragraph |
| A video in another language | Translates part of it, then stops | The original text, with an optional translation under every paragraph |
| A file to keep or share | Text in a chat window | TXT or Word download |
How to get the transcript of a YouTube video
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1
Copy the video link
Open the video on YouTube and copy the address, or use Share → Copy link. Shorts and finished live streams work; paste one video at a time, not a playlist.
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2
Paste it and read the first part free
The first part of the video, about a quarter and at most 10 minutes, appears with timestamps, usually within a minute or two.
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3
Unlock the whole video and download
Unlock the whole video for $5 and download the transcript as TXT or Word.
Why a long YouTube video is hard to get as text
YouTube’s own “Show transcript” panel only shows captions that already exist. Many videos have none: the creator turned them off, or automatic captions were never made for that language or that recording. A tool that copies captions has nothing to copy, and a chat assistant given the link has no text to work from, so for a long video it usually asks you for the audio file.
This tool takes the audio from the link itself. It splits the video into parts of up to ten minutes, writes each part out completely with the same instructions, shifts each timestamp by where the part starts, and joins the parts in order. A three-hour video comes back as one transcript, not as a summary.
Captions first, audio when needed
If the creator uploaded captions, those are the creator’s own words and timings, so they are used and set out as timestamped paragraphs. YouTube’s automatic captions are used when they run through the whole video. When a video has no captions, or the captions stop partway or contain almost no words, the audio is transcribed instead.
Automatic captions can miss punctuation and do not say who is speaking. If you want the audio transcribed even when captions exist, choose “Always transcribe the audio” before you start.
What people transcribe
- Long podcasts and interviews, for quotes and show notes
- Lectures and courses, for notes and revision
- Sermons, talks and debates in Hindi, Arabic, Spanish and other languages
- Council meetings, hearings and conference sessions published on YouTube
- Their own videos, to reuse as a blog post or article
Accuracy and limits
Transcribed audio is written by an AI speech model. It is accurate on clear speech; background music, people talking over each other and poor microphones cause mistakes. Captions are only as good as the captions on the video. Check anything important against the video.
Only public and unlisted videos can be read. Private, members-only and age-restricted videos, live streams that are still running and whole playlists are not supported. For your own private video, download it from YouTube Studio and upload the file to the long audio tool. The transcript is not a certified record.
YouTube is a trademark of Google LLC. This tool is independent and is not affiliated with or endorsed by YouTube or Google.
By language and situation
YouTube video without captions to text
If a video has no “Show transcript” option, it has no captions, and tools that copy captions return nothing. P...
Read more →Transcribe a long YouTube video
Paste the link to a podcast, lecture, sermon or meeting of up to 6 hours and get every word as one transcript...
Read more →What it costs
First part
Free
No account. The first part of the video, about a quarter and at most 10 minutes, to check the result.
Whole video
$5
One payment for one video of up to 6 hours, whatever its length. TXT and Word. No subscription, never expires.
Unlimited
$29/month
Every tool on the site, videos up to 12 hours each. Or $180 a year.
Questions and answers
How do I get the transcript of a whole YouTube video?
Paste the link here and read the first part free. Unlock the whole video for $5, one payment, and download the transcript as TXT or Word. Every paragraph starts with a timestamp.
Does it work on a video without captions?
Yes. When a video has no captions, or only captions that stop partway, the audio itself is transcribed. You can also choose to have the audio transcribed even when captions exist.
How much does a 3-hour video cost?
The same as a short one: $5 for the whole video, paid once, with no subscription. One payment covers a video of up to 6 hours; Unlimited covers up to 12 hours per video.
Can ChatGPT transcribe a YouTube video?
A chat assistant works with text. If the video has captions it may be able to use them; for a long video without captions it usually asks you for the audio or a transcript. Get the transcript here, then paste the text into the chat with your question.
What is free?
The first part of the video, about a quarter and at most the first 10 minutes, on screen, without an account. The rest of the video and the downloads come with the one payment.
Which videos cannot be read?
Private, members-only and age-restricted videos, live streams that are still running, and whole playlists; paste one video at a time. For your own private video, download it from YouTube Studio and upload the file to the long audio tool.
Is this tool part of YouTube?
No. YouTube is a trademark of Google LLC. This is an independent tool run by APPFACT STUDIO LTD and is not affiliated with or endorsed by YouTube or Google.
Is my transcript private?
Only you can open your job. Audio is sent to an AI model provider only to transcribe it, through routes that do not use your data for training. Jobs started without an account are deleted after 7 days, and you can delete a job yourself at any time.
Updated October 20, 2026 · APPFACT STUDIO LTD