How to get a YouTube transcript

The quick answer

Choose the route that fits your task

Find a transcript on YouTube

1. Open the video and check whether captions are available. The transcript view depends on caption availability.
2. Expand the video description and select Show transcript. Use the panel to follow the text and navigate to a passage.
3. Select the text you need and copy it into your notes. Review names, punctuation, and timestamps before quoting or publishing it.

When the button is missing, first check the video itself and YouTube's current help. A private, deleted, region-restricted, or otherwise inaccessible source may also be unavailable to an external transcription service.

Export an editable transcript with Sonora

1. Copy a public YouTube video link and open the Sonora transcription tool. Paste the HTTPS URL into the video or media URL field. Process only content you have permission to use.
2. Submit the link and wait for the result. Supadata may return existing captions or generate a transcript when captions are unavailable. A source can still be unsupported or fail; no transcript is guaranteed.
3. Read the returned segments and correct the words in Sonora. Export TXT for readable text, SRT for SubRip subtitle cues, or VTT for web captions.

No file uploads: Sonora accepts links, not an MP4 file from your device. It edits transcript text, not cue timing, and does not translate or summarize videos. If you need frame-accurate timing, adjust the exported captions in a subtitle editor. The SRT file format guide shows the cue structure.

Which download should you choose?

• TXT: start-time markers and transcript lines for reading or quoting after review.
• SRT: numbered cues with start and end times for software that accepts SubRip captions.
• VTT: timed WebVTT cues for a compatible web player or editor.

The file comes from the completed Sonora result. It is not a download of the original video or audio. Transcript quality depends on the available captions, source audio, and provider result; proofread it before important use.

If the transcript is unavailable

Check that the video is public and the URL opens normally. If YouTube has no Show transcript option, its own transcript view may not be available. If Sonora reports an unsupported source or provider error, try a different accessible link or use the video's native caption controls. A missing result is not an empty transcript.

Sonora's saved history requires sign-in; download a completed export before leaving if you are not signed in. For how source links and saved transcripts are handled, read the privacy information.