Download YouTube Captions

Paste a YouTube URL and get the transcript in seconds — free, no sign-up, no software to install.

How it works

This page downloads the caption file for a YouTube video — the same subtitles YouTube shows on the player, saved as a file. It is the direct route when you want the caption data itself rather than a reading view, and it covers both the manual captions a creator uploaded and the auto-generated ones YouTube produced.

The output is SRT or VTT with the original timings, so it can go straight back onto a video as subtitles or into an editor as a starting point for a translation.

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Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between captions and subtitles?
In practice the same file. Captions usually include sound information for accessibility, subtitles usually carry dialogue and are aimed at translation. YouTube stores both the same way, and this page downloads whichever the video has.
Can I download auto-generated captions?
Yes. Videos whose captions YouTube generated automatically are handled the same as manually uploaded ones. Auto-generated text often lacks punctuation and may mishear names.
Why does the caption file look different from what I see on YouTube?
The player renders captions with its own styling and sometimes merges cues. The file carries the underlying cues and their timings, which is what other software expects.
Can I edit the captions after downloading?
Yes — they are a plain text file with timecodes. Open it in any text editor or subtitle tool and change what you like.
Do I need an account?
No. Paste the link and download the file. Nothing is stored on our side.