HeyScribe
YouTube to text

YouTube to text

YouTube to Text: Get the Transcript of Any Public Video

Paste a YouTube link and HeyScribe transcribes what is actually said in the video, with timestamps, speaker labels and a summary. It works even when the video has no captions.

Transcribe a YouTube video See how it works

Included in Pro
Works without captions
Works in your browser

How to convert a YouTube video to text

Copy the YouTube link
Copy the address of a public video from your browser, or use the Share button on YouTube.
Paste it into Import link
Open HeyScribe, choose Import link, paste the URL and press Import. You will see the title and length.
Transcribe and use the text
Press Transcribe. When it finishes, read it, summarize it, copy it or download TXT, SRT or VTT.

More than a copy of the captions

Works without captions

HeyScribe transcribes the spoken audio, so it does not depend on the uploader adding captions.

Timestamps

Each paragraph has a time, so you can quote it and find the moment again in the video.

Speaker labels

Interviews, panels and podcasts are easier to follow with each voice labelled.

Instant summary

Get an overview, key points and action items instead of reading the whole transcript.

90+ languages

Transcribe videos in other languages, with automatic language detection.

Copy or export

Copy the text, or download TXT, SRT or VTT.

YouTube’s own transcript or HeyScribe?

Use whichever fits. Here is how they differ.

	YouTube’s built-in transcript	HeyScribe
When it is available	Only when the video has captions	Any public video with speech
Speaker labels	No	Yes, with speaker detection
Summary	No	Yes, on demand
Editing and library	No	Edit, favorite, file into folders, search
Export	Copy and paste	TXT, TXT with timestamps, SRT, VTT

What to do with a YouTube transcript

A transcript turns an hour of video into something you can read in minutes, search in seconds and quote accurately. People use it to study, research, repurpose their own videos and keep a record of things worth remembering.

Ways people use YouTube transcripts

Studying. Convert lectures and tutorials into notes, then ask for a summary of the key points.
Research. Find the exact moment a point was made and quote it with a timestamp.
Repurposing your own videos. Turn each video you publish into a blog post, newsletter or set of social posts.
Accessibility. Add subtitles to your own channel with the SRT or VTT export.
Language learning. Read along with native-speed speech.

Use transcripts responsibly

Only transcribe videos you own, have permission to use, or are allowed to use for personal study or research where you live. Do not republish someone else’s transcript as your own. Videos that are private, members-only, age-restricted or removed cannot be transcribed.

Prefer to work from a downloaded file? See video to text. For other links, see link to text.

Who transcribes YouTube videos

Students

Notes and summaries from lectures and tutorials.

YouTube creators

Subtitles, blog posts and descriptions from each upload.

Researchers and journalists

Accurate quotes with timestamps.

Marketers

Repurpose interviews and webinars into written content.

Language learners

Read what you hear, in the original language.

Professionals

Keep a written record of useful talks and trainings.

Frequently asked questions

How do I convert a YouTube video to text?

Copy the video link, open HeyScribe, choose Import link, paste the URL and press Import, then Transcribe. The transcript is saved in your library.

Does the video need captions?

No. HeyScribe transcribes the audio itself, so it works on videos with no captions or with poor automatic captions.

Can I get a summary of a YouTube video?

Yes. Open the Summary tab on the finished transcript and choose Generate summary for an overview, key points and action items.

Does it work with private or unlisted videos?

Unlisted videos usually work because anyone with the link can watch. Private, members-only, age-restricted and removed videos do not.

Can I transcribe a YouTube video in another language?

Yes. 90+ languages are supported, and auto-detect picks the language for you.

Is it free?

Importing YouTube links is part of the paid Pro plan. The free plan (20 minutes in total) covers voice typing, live transcription and file uploads, so you can try HeyScribe first and upgrade when you want to paste links.

Is it allowed to transcribe someone else’s video?

Make sure your use is permitted where you live. Personal study and research is commonly fine; republishing another creator’s content without permission is not. When in doubt, ask the creator.

More ways to turn speech into text

Every HeyScribe tool works from the same account and the same minutes.

Turn any public YouTube video into text

Paste a link into HeyScribe and get a timestamped transcript and summary.

Transcribe a YouTube video

Voice typing

Transcribe files

Live and AI

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