How to Download Transcript of a YouTube Video: An Easy-to-Follow Guide
Dec 15, 2025
Key Takeaways
You can get a YouTube video transcript in three different ways: YouTube’s built-in tool, Google Docs, or an accurate AI tool like Audionotes.
YouTube transcripts are quick to access, but they can be inaccurate or incomplete.
Google Docs can capture audio using voice typing, but the quality depends on background noise and playback clarity.
Tools like Audionotes provide a cleaner, faster, and more reliable way to transcribe a YouTube video into text with improved accuracy.
Taking notes from a long YouTube video is a tedious task that can overwhelm even the best of us. You often have to pause, rewind, and replay, and you may still miss important details. But the good news is that you can skip the manual work and download a transcript of a YouTube video with ease!
In this guide, you’ll learn three easy ways to get a YouTube video transcript using YouTube’s own features, Google Docs, and Audionotes.
Related Read: AI Summarization Tools for YouTube Videos
Method 1: Use YouTube’s Built-In Transcript Tool
YouTube provides a native transcript feature, but it isn’t always perfect. The captions are auto-generated, and depending on the speaker’s accent, background noise, or fast speech, they can miss or misinterpret certain words.
Still, if you need a quick way to get a YouTube video transcript without external tools, this is a simple option.
Step 1: Find a video with subtitles
Open the YouTube video and ensure it has closed captions. You’ll see a “CC” or “Subtitles” option under the player.
Step 2: Tap “Show Transcript”
On desktop, click the three dots (⋮) below the video or open the transcript panel if it’s visible. YouTube will display the entire transcript on the right side.
Step 3: Turn off timestamps (Optional)
Click the settings icon within the transcript window and disable timestamps if you want a cleaner copy.
Step 4: Copy the transcript
Highlight the text, copy it, and paste it into a document. You now have a basic YouTube transcript download, but keep in mind that the accuracy can vary.
Method 2: Use Google Docs for YouTube Transcripts
If the YouTube transcript is missing, disabled, or too inaccurate, Google Docs can help you transcribe a YouTube video to text using its built-in voice typing tool.
This method listens to your computer’s audio and converts it into text in real time, though accuracy still depends on volume, clarity, and background noise.
Step 1: Open a blank Google Docs page
Visit Google Docs and create a new blank document.
Step 2: Select “Voice typing”
Go to Tools → Voice Typing. A microphone icon will appear on the left side.
Step 3: Open a YouTube video
Play the YouTube video at a moderate volume. Click the microphone icon to start voice typing. Google Docs will begin capturing the audio as text.
Step 4: Edit & save the transcript
Once done, stop the recording and edit the text for accuracy and formatting. This method is helpful, but it often needs cleanup, especially with videos that have music, multiple speakers, or fast dialogue.
Method 3: Use Audionotes (Most Accurate & Easiest Method)
If you want the fastest and most accurate way to download a YouTube video transcript, Audionotes gives you a clean, ready-to-use transcript with almost no editing required. Unlike YouTube or Google Docs, Audionotes uses AI to remove filler words, fix errors, and create structured notes automatically.
Here’s how to use it:
Step 1: Log in to Audionotes
Open the Audionotes web app or mobile app and sign in to your account.
Step 2: Choose the “YouTube Video Link” option
At the bottom toolbar, tap or click the YouTube Video Link feature.
Step 3: Paste the video URL & submit
Copy the YouTube link you want and paste it into the field. Then, click Submit to generate your transcript.
Step 4: Copy or save your transcript
Once processed, tap Copy Transcript to save it or generate summaries, action items, or notes instantly. This method of transcribing YouTube videos is ideal when you need accuracy, clean formatting, and a smooth workflow. You can even use Audionotes to take notes directly from a video.
Learn More: How to Take Notes From a Video
Why Should You Transcribe Your YouTube Videos With Audionotes?
Using Audionotes to get a YouTube video transcript doesn’t just save time. It gives you a cleaner, smarter, and more reliable transcript than YouTube’s auto-captions or Google Docs voice typing.
Here’s why it stands out:
Provides Higher Accuracy: Audionotes uses AI to correct common captioning errors, remove filler words, and clean up messy transcripts. You get readable text without dealing with misheard phrases or broken sentences.
Works With Any YouTube Video: Even if a YouTube video has no subtitles, poor auto-captions, or multiple speakers, Audionotes can still transcribe a YouTube video to text with clarity.
Generates Structured Notes Automatically: Instead of a long block of text, Audionotes organizes transcripts into sections, headings, bullet points, highlights, and summaries, making long videos easier to review and study.
Allows You to Summarize, Search & Chat With the Transcript: Once the transcript is created, you can ask questions inside the note, request summaries, extract action items, and create study notes or flashcards, making it a searchable, interactive workspace.
Supports 30+ Languages: If you need a YouTube transcript in another language, Audionotes can translate the content in seconds, helping you share or repurpose videos for multilingual audiences.
Requires No Manual Cleanup: Unlike Google Docs or YouTube’s transcript tool, you don’t have to fix formatting, delete timestamps, remove incorrect words, or rewatch parts of the video. Audionotes handles all of that for you.