Extract the complete transcript from any YouTube video instantly. Free extractor tool with timestamps, multiple formats, and 100+ language support.
A YouTube transcript extractor pulls the full spoken text from any video — including timestamps, speaker labels, and language metadata. YouTubeTranscripts.co extracts transcripts from official captions, auto-generated subtitles, or AI-powered Whisper transcription. Over 3,600 people search for a YouTube transcript extractor every month. This is the fastest one.
Copy the URL from your browser, the YouTube app, or a playlist. All YouTube URL formats are supported including youtu.be short links.
Select your preferred language (100+ available) and output format: plain text, timestamped segments, SRT subtitles, or structured JSON.
The complete transcript appears in under 1.5 seconds for captioned videos. Copy to clipboard or download as a file. Videos without captions get AI-transcribed via Whisper.
Paste URL
Any YouTube video link
Extract
Captions, auto-subs, or AI
Copy or Download
TXT, SRT, VTT, or JSON
Tries official captions first, then auto-generated subtitles, then AI transcription. You always get a result.
Every segment comes with millisecond-accurate timestamps. Navigate directly to any part of the video.
Public videos, unlisted videos, live streams, premieres, and Shorts. If YouTube can play it, we can extract it.
Extract transcripts from up to 25 videos in a single API call. Process entire playlists or channels.
No ads, no clutter. Just the transcript text with optional timestamps in your chosen format.
REST API with Python, JavaScript, and PHP SDKs. 150 free requests to get started.
Choose the format that fits your workflow. All formats are available for every video.
| Format | Best For | Includes Timestamps |
|---|---|---|
| Plain Text | Reading, blog posts, study notes | No |
| Timestamped Text | Video navigation, content analysis | Yes (mm:ss) |
| SRT | Video editing, subtitle overlays, translations | Yes (hh:mm:ss,ms) |
| JSON | Developers, API integrations, RAG pipelines | Yes (offset_ms) |
Automate transcript extraction with a single API call. 150 free requests, no credit card.
# Python
from youtubetranscripts import YouTubeTranscripts
client = YouTubeTranscripts(api_key="YOUR_KEY")
transcript = client.get_transcript("https://youtube.com/watch?v=VIDEO_ID")
print(transcript.text)/v1/transcript?url=youtube.com/watch?v=VIDEO_ID{
"video_id": "VIDEO_ID",
"lang": "en",
"source": "caption_official",
"word_count": 2847,
"content": [
{ "text": "Welcome to the tutorial", "offset_ms": 1200 },
{ "text": "Today we will cover...", "offset_ms": 3400 }
]
}Repurpose video scripts into blog posts, newsletters, and social media threads.
Build text datasets from lectures, interviews, and conferences for analysis.
Feed transcripts into RAG pipelines, fine-tuning datasets, and knowledge bases.
Extract lecture transcripts for study notes, revision, and searchable archives.
Mine competitor videos for keyword ideas and content gaps.
Generate text versions of video content for hearing-impaired users.
A YouTube transcript extractor is a tool that pulls the full spoken text from a YouTube video. It reads the video's captions (manual or auto-generated) and outputs them as readable text, optionally with timestamps. YouTubeTranscripts.co also uses AI transcription for videos without any captions.
Yes. YouTubeTranscripts.co uses OpenAI Whisper for AI-powered transcription when a video has no captions. Accuracy is 95%+ for clear spoken audio in English. The API response includes source: 'ai_generated' so you know which method was used.
Yes. The web tool is free with no signup required and no limits. API access starts with 150 free requests, no credit card needed. Paid plans start at $5 for 500 additional requests.
Four formats: plain text, timestamped text, SRT (subtitle file for video editors), and JSON (structured data for developers). All formats are available for every video.
Yes. The API supports batch extraction of up to 25 videos per request via POST /v1/transcript/batch. Pass an array of URLs and get all transcripts in a single response.
Videos with existing captions return in under 1.5 seconds. Videos requiring AI transcription take 5-15 seconds depending on length. The API response includes timing metadata.
Yes. YouTube Shorts, live streams, premieres, and standard videos are all supported. Paste any YouTube URL format and the extractor handles it automatically.
Yes. YouTubeTranscripts.co supports 100+ languages. The extractor auto-detects the video's language, or you can specify it with the lang parameter. Multi-language videos return the primary language by default.
Get any video's full text instantly
Convert video to text with AI
Generate transcripts from any video
Convert video to readable text
REST API with SDKs for developers
Extract transcripts with JavaScript
Paste any YouTube URL and get the full transcript in seconds. 150 free API requests for developers.