ScriptSnapHow to download a YouTube transcript, with timestamps.
Method 1: Download the transcript with ScriptSnap (fastest)
This is the quickest way to get a transcript file, and the only one of the three that gives you subtitle files and timestamps in one click.
- Add ScriptSnap to Chrome. It's free and needs no account.
- Open any YouTube video that has captions, including auto-generated ones.
- Under the video title, click Download.
- Pick a format: TXT, TXT with timestamps, SRT, VTT, Markdown, CSV or JSON.
- The file saves to your Downloads folder, named after the video.
Method 2: Copy the transcript with timestamps
If you only need the text in a document or chat, copying is faster than downloading.
- Open the video and click Copy under the title.
- Paste it anywhere with Ctrl+V (⌘+V on Mac).
- Each line starts with its timestamp, such as
[2:15]. To copy plain text, turn off timestamps in ScriptSnap's settings.
Shortcut: press Alt+Shift+C on any video to copy the transcript without clicking.
Method 3: Use YouTube's built-in transcript
YouTube can show a transcript without any extension, but it has no download button.
- Under the video, open the description and click Show transcript.
- The transcript opens beside the video.
- Select the text with your mouse and copy it. Timestamps are copied on separate lines, so you'll usually need to clean it up.
Which format should you choose?
| You want to… | Choose |
|---|---|
| Read, quote or paste into a document | TXT or TXT with timestamps |
| Add subtitles in Premiere, CapCut, DaVinci or VLC | SRT |
| Add captions to a web video player | VTT |
| Take notes in Notion or Obsidian with clickable times | Markdown |
| Analyze in Excel or Google Sheets | CSV |
| Feed into code or AI tools | JSON |
Why is there no transcript for some videos?
A transcript only exists when the video has captions. Creators can upload captions or YouTube generates them automatically, but some videos, such as music, very new uploads or videos with captions turned off, have none. If the Show transcript button is missing on YouTube, ScriptSnap can't find one either.
Can you get a transcript in another language?
Yes, if the video has captions in that language. In ScriptSnap's panel, use the language menu to switch caption tracks, or choose Auto-translate when YouTube offers it for that video.