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YouTube transcript downloader

Paste a YouTube link in the dashboard, wait for the transcript, then copy the text or download TXT, SRT, VTT or JSON. The YouTube transcript downloader is also available through the REST API.

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  • Copy text or download four formats
  • Captions first, AI speech-to-text when needed
  • 1 credit per audio minute, rounded up

How it works

Copy a YouTube transcript
Open the completed transcript in the dashboard and copy its text to your editor.
Download plain text
Save a TXT file for reading or editing. Through the API, use format=text and add timestamps=true for a time on each line.
Download YouTube subtitles
Choose SRT or VTT for a subtitle file with timed cues. Review the text before publishing.
Keep the segments in JSON
JSON includes segment text and start and end times for use in your own code.
Read the same transcript again
Changing the output format does not create another transcription or cost more minutes.

Dashboard

Download a YouTube transcript from a link

Sign in, paste the video URL and start the transcription. When it finishes, open the result to read, copy or download it. For the same workflow in code, send the URL to the API.

cURL
curl -X POST "https://api.transcript1.com/v1/transcriptions?wait=60" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $TRANSCRIPT1_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"platform":"youtube","url":"https://youtu.be/dQw4w9WgXcQ"}'

Subtitles

Save SRT or WebVTT alongside the text

Choose SRT or VTT in the dashboard download menu. In the API, read the completed transcription with format=srt or format=vtt and save the response.

format=srt
1
00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:04,200
Welcome back to the channel.

2
00:00:04,200 --> 00:00:09,800
Today we are looking at how transcripts are made.

Start with 60 free minutes

60 free minutes after you verify your email. No card required.

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Frequently asked questions

Something missing? Ask support

How do I download a transcript from YouTube?

Paste the YouTube video URL into transcript1. Once transcription completes, use the dashboard download menu for TXT, SRT, VTT or JSON, or read that format through the API.

Can I copy the transcript without downloading a file?

Yes. Open the completed transcript in the dashboard and copy the text.

What if the video has no captions?

With source set to auto, transcript1 uses AI speech-to-text when no usable captions exist. You can choose source=captions or source=stt through the API.

Is there a free allowance?

New accounts get 60 free minutes once, after email verification, with no card required. Each transcription costs 1 credit per audio minute, rounded up. Failed and canceled transcriptions are not charged.

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