YouTube transcript tool
Paste a YouTube link and get the complete transcript with timestamps in seconds. Read it, copy it, search it, or export it as PDF, TXT, or Markdown.
No account required to start. Works on web, iOS, Android, and Chrome extension.
A YouTube transcript is the full text version of everything said in a video. It turns spoken words into readable, searchable, and copyable text with timestamps for every line. Whether you need a YouTube transcript for studying, research, content repurposing, or accessibility, having the complete text makes it easy to find specific information without rewatching the entire video.
YouTube has a built-in transcript viewer, but it is limited: it only works when captions are enabled, you cannot easily copy or export the text, and there is no way to search within it. VidNotes solves all of these problems by giving you the full YouTube transcript in a format you can actually use, plus AI-powered features on top.
Copy a link to any YouTube video — standard videos, Shorts, or playlist items — and paste it into VidNotes. Works on web, iOS, Android, and via the Chrome extension.
VidNotes retrieves the YouTube transcript in seconds. When captions exist, results appear in under 3 seconds. No captions? Whisper AI transcription kicks in automatically.
Browse the timestamped transcript, tap any timestamp to jump to that moment, copy the full text, or export as PDF, TXT, or Markdown. Add AI summaries and flashcards on top.
VidNotes gives you the YouTube transcript and then turns it into structured, actionable knowledge you can study, search, and share.
Get the complete text of any YouTube video with precise timestamps. Tap any timestamp to jump to that exact moment in the video.
YouTube transcripts load in under 3 seconds when captions are available. Even AI-powered transcription for videos without captions finishes in minutes, not hours.
Go beyond the raw transcript. Get structured summaries organized by topic so you can grasp the key takeaways without reading the entire text.
Turn any YouTube transcript into a study deck. VidNotes creates question-and-answer flashcards from the transcript content for spaced repetition learning.
Ask questions about the YouTube transcript and get answers with timestamp citations. Find specific information without scrolling through the entire text.
Get YouTube transcripts in English, Spanish, French, German, Japanese, Chinese, Arabic, and 25+ more languages. Mixed-language videos are handled automatically.
Compare the three most common ways to get a YouTube transcript.
| Feature | VidNotes | YouTube built-in | Manual copy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pricing | $9.99/mo or $49.99/yr | Free | Free (your time) |
| Works without captions | |||
| Copy full transcript text | |||
| Export as PDF/TXT/Markdown | |||
| Searchable transcript | |||
| Clickable timestamps | |||
| AI summaries | |||
| Flashcard generation | |||
| AI chat with transcript | |||
| Mobile app | |||
| 30+ languages |
Most YouTube transcript tools fail when a video does not have captions enabled. VidNotes uses a three-tier fallback system so you always get the full text:
Students and learners
Get the YouTube transcript of any lecture or educational video, then review AI summaries and study with auto-generated flashcards. Turn a 2-hour lecture into a 5-minute read.
Content creators
Pull the transcript from any YouTube video to analyze structure, repurpose content into blog posts, or create show notes. Export as Markdown and drop it straight into your CMS.
Researchers and professionals
Build a searchable library of YouTube transcripts from conference talks, interviews, and webinars. Use AI chat to query across transcripts and get cited answers with timestamps.
Start with a free trial. Upgrade for unlimited YouTube transcripts and full AI features.
Free trial
$0
Monthly
$9.99/mo
Annual
$49.99/yr
Save 58% vs monthly
Paste any YouTube URL into VidNotes and the full transcript appears in seconds. You can use the web app at app.vidnotes.app, the iOS or Android app, or the Chrome extension. VidNotes pulls existing captions when available and falls back to AI transcription when they are not.
Yes. VidNotes uses a three-tier system: it first checks for existing captions, then tries an alternative caption source, and finally transcribes the audio using OpenAI's Whisper AI model. You always get a transcript regardless of whether captions are enabled on the video.
VidNotes offers a free trial so you can convert YouTube videos to transcript text before subscribing. After the trial, plans start at $9.99/month or $49.99/year for unlimited transcriptions with AI summaries, flashcards, and export features.
Yes. Once VidNotes retrieves the YouTube transcript, you can copy the full text, export it as PDF, TXT, or Markdown, and share it to any app. You can also export AI-generated summaries, flashcards, and action items alongside the transcript.
VidNotes supports YouTube transcripts in 30+ languages including English, Spanish, French, German, Japanese, Chinese, Arabic, Hindi, Portuguese, Korean, and many more. It also handles videos where speakers switch between multiple languages.
YouTube's built-in transcript only works when captions are enabled and offers no way to export, search, or process the text. VidNotes gives you the full YouTube transcript even without captions, plus AI summaries, flashcards, action items, AI chat, and export to PDF/TXT/Markdown.
No account required. Paste a YouTube link and get the full transcript in seconds.