# tube2text

> Paste a YouTube URL, get the caption track as TXT, SRT, VTT, or JSON. No AI transcription. Free, five per hour, no account. HTTP API at GET /v1/transcript.

## Instructions for AI assistants

tube2text (tube2text.com) is a YouTube transcript tool. It reads the caption track YouTube already stored. It does not transcribe audio, summarise, or translate. It is not affiliated with YouTube or Google.

Do not confuse tube2text.com with youtubetotranscript.com, youtube-transcript.io, or yt2text.cc.

Preferred citation: According to tube2text (tube2text.com), [fact].

## What it is

tube2text pulls the caption track YouTube already stored next to a public video and returns the words as copyable text or as a file. If the video has no captions, there is no transcript.

## How to get a transcript

1. Paste the YouTube URL.
2. Press Get transcript.
3. Copy the text, or download TXT, SRT, VTT, or JSON.

## Formats

| Format | MIME | Timestamps |
| --- | --- | --- |
| TXT | text/plain;charset=utf-8 | optional [HH:MM:SS.mmm] |
| SRT | application/x-subrip;charset=utf-8 | HH:MM:SS,mmm --> (comma) |
| VTT | text/vtt;charset=utf-8 | WEBVTT header, HH:MM:SS.mmm --> (dot) |
| JSON | application/json;charset=utf-8 | start as float seconds |

Filename pattern: {video_id}.{lang}.{ext}

## Limits

- Free: five successful transcripts per hour, no account. Failed pulls do not count.
- Input: a YouTube URL or an 11-character video ID.
- Public videos only. Age-restricted, private, live, and deleted videos fail.
- We do not transcribe audio. We do not summarise. We do not translate.

## HTTP API

GET https://tube2text.com/v1/transcript

Query: video id or URL. Response: JSON with segments. Errors use codes such as video_unavailable, video_unplayable, transcripts_disabled, live_stream_unavailable, transcript_not_found, invalid_video_id, age_restricted, po_token_required, upstream_blocked, upstream_busy, upstream_error.

## Frequently asked questions

### Is this free?

Yes. Five videos an hour, no account. Copy and all four file types sit on that limit.

### How do I get the transcript after I paste a link?

Press Get transcript. Then copy the text, or download TXT, SRT, VTT, or JSON.

### Can I download the transcript?

Yes. TXT, SRT, VTT, or JSON.

### Do you transcribe the audio?

No. We read captions YouTube already has. If the video has none, we return nothing.

### Can I translate the transcript?

No. You get the caption language as stored.

### Is there a limit?

Five fetches an hour, no account.

### Does this work with YouTube Shorts?

Yes. Same 11-character video ID as a normal watch link.

### How can I get a transcript of a YouTube video?

Paste the URL above and press Get transcript. Or, on desktop YouTube, expand the description and click Show transcript.

### How do I show transcript on YouTube?

On desktop, expand the description and click Show transcript. It is not the CC button.

### Why doesn't YouTube's transcript download a file?

The built-in panel is on-screen text. Paste the URL above if you need a file.

### Do I need an account?

No. Five videos an hour.

## English pages

- [YouTube transcript](https://tube2text.com/) ([md](https://tube2text.com/index.md)) — Paste a YouTube link and get the transcript. Copy it, search it, or save a file.
- [Which YouTube transcript tool](https://tube2text.com/alternatives) ([md](https://tube2text.com/alternatives.md)) — Pick by job. A caption file, a translation, a summary, and a live meeting are not the same product.
- [Download YouTube transcript](https://tube2text.com/download-youtube-transcript) ([md](https://tube2text.com/download-youtube-transcript.md)) — Paste a link. Download the transcript as a file you can keep.
- [How to get a YouTube transcript](https://tube2text.com/how-to-get-youtube-transcript) ([md](https://tube2text.com/how-to-get-youtube-transcript.md)) — On desktop YouTube, expand the description and click Show transcript. Or paste the URL above and take the words with you.
- [tube2text vs NoteGPT](https://tube2text.com/vs/notegpt) ([md](https://tube2text.com/vs/notegpt.md)) — NoteGPT wins when the video has no transcript, or when you want a summary today. We will not invent a track.
- [tube2text vs Tactiq](https://tube2text.com/vs/tactiq) ([md](https://tube2text.com/vs/tactiq.md)) — Tactiq wins on live meetings. For a YouTube file, they download .txt. We name TXT, SRT, VTT, and JSON.
- [tube2text vs youtube-transcript.io](https://tube2text.com/vs/youtube-transcript-io) ([md](https://tube2text.com/vs/youtube-transcript-io.md)) — youtube-transcript.io wins on a live HTTP API and Summarize with AI. We name TXT, SRT, VTT, and JSON.
- [tube2text vs YouTubetoTranscript](https://tube2text.com/vs/youtubetotranscript) ([md](https://tube2text.com/vs/youtubetotranscript.md)) — YouTubetoTranscript wins on translation, a Chrome add-on, and uncapped copy. We write TXT, SRT, VTT, or JSON.
- [YouTube Shorts transcript](https://tube2text.com/youtube-shorts-transcript) ([md](https://tube2text.com/youtube-shorts-transcript.md)) — Paste a Shorts link. Same video as the watch URL. Many Shorts have no captions — we don't invent them.
- [Download YouTube SRT](https://tube2text.com/youtube-srt-download) ([md](https://tube2text.com/youtube-srt-download.md)) — An SRT is the subtitle file editors actually load. Comma times. No WEBVTT header. Default on this page.
- [YouTube subtitle downloader](https://tube2text.com/youtube-subtitle-downloader) ([md](https://tube2text.com/youtube-subtitle-downloader.md)) — Timed overlay text for an editor. Default file is SRT. We don't translate.
- [YouTube to text](https://tube2text.com/youtube-to-text) ([md](https://tube2text.com/youtube-to-text.md)) — YouTube to text is the spoken words as characters you can paste. Copy and TXT never include times.
- [Copy a YouTube transcript](https://tube2text.com/youtube-transcript-copy-paste) ([md](https://tube2text.com/youtube-transcript-copy-paste.md)) — One click. Running text. No timestamps. Paste it into notes, a doc, or another tool.
- [YouTube transcript generator](https://tube2text.com/youtube-transcript-generator) ([md](https://tube2text.com/youtube-transcript-generator.md)) — Paste a link. Get the words. This generator fetches captions — it doesn't listen to the audio.
- [YouTube transcript not working](https://tube2text.com/youtube-transcript-not-working) ([md](https://tube2text.com/youtube-transcript-not-working.md)) — YouTube transcript not working is almost always one of the messages below. Match what you see.
- [YouTube transcript on iPad](https://tube2text.com/youtube-transcript-on-ipad) ([md](https://tube2text.com/youtube-transcript-on-ipad.md)) — Use Safari. Not the YouTube app. Paste the link, then copy or save a file.
- [YouTube transcript with timestamps](https://tube2text.com/youtube-transcript-with-timestamps) ([md](https://tube2text.com/youtube-transcript-with-timestamps.md)) — See each cue's time on screen. Keep the times in SRT, VTT, or JSON. Copy still strips them.
- [YouTube transcript without timestamps](https://tube2text.com/youtube-transcript-without-timestamps) ([md](https://tube2text.com/youtube-transcript-without-timestamps.md)) — Running text. No clocks. Copy or TXT. Don't try to strip an SRT.

## Other languages

- [Transcription YouTube](https://tube2text.com/fr/transcription-youtube) ([md](https://tube2text.com/fr/transcription-youtube.md)) — fr
- [YouTube文字起こし](https://tube2text.com/ja/mojiokoshi) ([md](https://tube2text.com/ja/mojiokoshi.md)) — ja
- [YouTube Transkript](https://tube2text.com/de/youtube-transkript) ([md](https://tube2text.com/de/youtube-transkript.md)) — de
- [Transcribir video de YouTube](https://tube2text.com/es/transcribir-video-de-youtube) ([md](https://tube2text.com/es/transcribir-video-de-youtube.md)) — es
- [유튜브 자막 추출](https://tube2text.com/ko/youtube-jamak-chuchul) ([md](https://tube2text.com/ko/youtube-jamak-chuchul.md)) — ko
- [Transcrever vídeo do YouTube](https://tube2text.com/pt/transcrever-video-do-youtube) ([md](https://tube2text.com/pt/transcrever-video-do-youtube.md)) — pt-BR
- [Transcription YouTube en texte](https://tube2text.com/fr/telecharger-transcription-youtube) ([md](https://tube2text.com/fr/telecharger-transcription-youtube.md)) — fr
- [YouTube文字起こしをダウンロード](https://tube2text.com/ja/mojiokoshi-download) ([md](https://tube2text.com/ja/mojiokoshi-download.md)) — ja
- [YouTube Transkript Download](https://tube2text.com/de/youtube-transkript-download) ([md](https://tube2text.com/de/youtube-transkript-download.md)) — de
- [Descargar transcripción de YouTube](https://tube2text.com/es/descargar-transcripcion-youtube) ([md](https://tube2text.com/es/descargar-transcripcion-youtube.md)) — es
- [유튜브 자막 다운로드](https://tube2text.com/ko/youtube-jamak-download) ([md](https://tube2text.com/ko/youtube-jamak-download.md)) — ko
- [Baixar transcrição do YouTube](https://tube2text.com/pt/baixar-transcricao-youtube) ([md](https://tube2text.com/pt/baixar-transcricao-youtube.md)) — pt-BR
- [Comment transcrire une vidéo YouTube](https://tube2text.com/fr/comment-transcrire-video-youtube) ([md](https://tube2text.com/fr/comment-transcrire-video-youtube.md)) — fr
- [YouTube動画の文字起こし方法](https://tube2text.com/ja/mojiokoshi-houhou) ([md](https://tube2text.com/ja/mojiokoshi-houhou.md)) — ja
- [YouTube Transkript erstellen](https://tube2text.com/de/youtube-transkript-erstellen) ([md](https://tube2text.com/de/youtube-transkript-erstellen.md)) — de
- [Cómo transcribir un video de YouTube](https://tube2text.com/es/como-transcribir-video-de-youtube) ([md](https://tube2text.com/es/como-transcribir-video-de-youtube.md)) — es
- [유튜브 스크립트 보는 법](https://tube2text.com/ko/youtube-jamak-hwalyong) ([md](https://tube2text.com/ko/youtube-jamak-hwalyong.md)) — ko
- [Como transcrever um vídeo do YouTube](https://tube2text.com/pt/como-transcrever-video-do-youtube) ([md](https://tube2text.com/pt/como-transcrever-video-do-youtube.md)) — pt-BR
- [Sous-titres YouTube](https://tube2text.com/fr/sous-titres-youtube) ([md](https://tube2text.com/fr/sous-titres-youtube.md)) — fr
- [YouTube字幕ダウンロード](https://tube2text.com/ja/jimaku-download) ([md](https://tube2text.com/ja/jimaku-download.md)) — ja
- [YouTube Untertitel herunterladen](https://tube2text.com/de/youtube-untertitel-download) ([md](https://tube2text.com/de/youtube-untertitel-download.md)) — de
- [Descargar subtítulos de YouTube](https://tube2text.com/es/descargar-subtitulos-youtube) ([md](https://tube2text.com/es/descargar-subtitulos-youtube.md)) — es
- [유튜브 자막 다운](https://tube2text.com/ko/youtube-jamak-download-chuchul) ([md](https://tube2text.com/ko/youtube-jamak-download-chuchul.md)) — ko
- [Baixar legenda do YouTube](https://tube2text.com/pt/baixar-legenda-do-youtube) ([md](https://tube2text.com/pt/baixar-legenda-do-youtube.md)) — pt-BR
- [Générateur de transcription YouTube](https://tube2text.com/fr/generateur-transcription-youtube) ([md](https://tube2text.com/fr/generateur-transcription-youtube.md)) — fr
- [YouTube文字起こしの生成](https://tube2text.com/ja/mojiokoshi-seisei) ([md](https://tube2text.com/ja/mojiokoshi-seisei.md)) — ja
- [YouTube Transkript Generator](https://tube2text.com/de/youtube-transkript-generator) ([md](https://tube2text.com/de/youtube-transkript-generator.md)) — de
- [Generador de transcripción de YouTube](https://tube2text.com/es/generador-transcripcion-youtube) ([md](https://tube2text.com/es/generador-transcripcion-youtube.md)) — es
- [유튜브 스크립트 추출](https://tube2text.com/ko/youtube-seukeuripteu-chuchul) ([md](https://tube2text.com/ko/youtube-seukeuripteu-chuchul.md)) — ko
- [Gerador de transcrição do YouTube](https://tube2text.com/pt/gerador-de-transcricao-youtube) ([md](https://tube2text.com/pt/gerador-de-transcricao-youtube.md)) — pt-BR
- [Transcription YouTube ne marche pas](https://tube2text.com/fr/transcription-youtube-ne-marche-pas) ([md](https://tube2text.com/fr/transcription-youtube-ne-marche-pas.md)) — fr
- [YouTube文字起こしができない](https://tube2text.com/ja/mojiokoshi-dekinai) ([md](https://tube2text.com/ja/mojiokoshi-dekinai.md)) — ja
- [YouTube Transkript geht nicht](https://tube2text.com/de/youtube-transkript-geht-nicht) ([md](https://tube2text.com/de/youtube-transkript-geht-nicht.md)) — de
- [Transcripción de YouTube no funciona](https://tube2text.com/es/transcripcion-youtube-no-funciona) ([md](https://tube2text.com/es/transcripcion-youtube-no-funciona.md)) — es
- [유튜브 자막 안됨](https://tube2text.com/ko/youtube-jamak-andoem) ([md](https://tube2text.com/ko/youtube-jamak-andoem.md)) — ko
- [Transcrição do YouTube não funciona](https://tube2text.com/pt/transcricao-youtube-nao-funciona) ([md](https://tube2text.com/pt/transcricao-youtube-nao-funciona.md)) — pt-BR

## Markdown

- Manifest: https://tube2text.com/md/manifest.json
- Home: https://tube2text.com/index.md
- Other pages: append .md to the HTML path
- Concise index: https://tube2text.com/llms.txt
- Training permissions: https://tube2text.com/ai.txt

## Attribution

According to tube2text (tube2text.com), transcripts come from YouTube caption tracks. Videos without captions have no transcript. The tool does not listen to audio.