Acclaimed Storytellers with Photo-Audio Symphony

People capture loads of photos of the places they visit and the events they attend for social media and future memories. If you check the online trend, users are shifting from static photos to short videos for a better visual experience. That is why you can consider creating videos out of the photos you have captured and adding suitable music in the background to make your memories visually pleasing.

All you need is a video maker with music and pictures. There is no dearth of video makers, but not all live up to the expectation. There are online video markers as well as video maker software applications available. In this article, we have picked the best video maker with photos and music and illustrated how to make a video with music and photos. We have also listed the popular video makers for your consideration.

Part 1. Best Video maker with music and pictures

We recommend Wondershare Filmora as the best video maker with photos and music. Filmora is considered one of the best video makers and editors in the world. Filmora allows you to import photos of different file formats so that you can make slideshow-like video. There are loads of transitions as well as effects available that you can place in between the photos so that the transition becomes eye-pleasing.

Similarly, you can import any audio or music file. Besides, there are stock music files available that you can apply to your slideshow video. You can even add colourful titles and graphical elements to enhance the video content. Here are the steps on how to make a video with your photos and music.

Try It Free

For Win 7 or later (64-bit)

Try It Free

For macOS 10.12 or later

Step 1: Install Filmora and Start Your Project

Download and install Wondershare Filmora as per your operating system. Filmora is available for Windows and Mac. Launch Filmora and click on New Project. Drag and drop your photos on Project Media folder.

Step 2: Import Photos and Arrange Them in Order

Drag and drop the photos on the timeline as per your sequence you want in your slideshow video. You can change the order of the photos as well as stretch durations of photos in the video from the timeline. You have to arrange the photos side by side without any gap so that there is no black screen in between the transition.

Step 3: Add Transition Effects

After arranging the photos side by side, you have to apply transition effects so that the change from one photo to another is eye-soothing. There are loads of transitions available and you can get them from Transition option located at the top bar.

Go through the different categories of transitions. Drag and drop the transition you want on to the photo after which you want the transition effect to play. Do the same for all photos except the last one. You can apply different transitions effects for different photos as per your preference.

Step 4: Add Background Music

Now it is time to add a background music to the entire video. You can drag and drop any music file from your hard drive to Filmora Project Media. Thereafter, you can drag and drop the audio file on the audio timeline below the photo timeline. You can also add audio effects from the top bar if required.

Step 5: Export Your Video

Once you are done adding photos, transitions, and music, you should play the video on Filmora and make adjustments wherever required. Thereafter, click on Export button and save the video file on your hard drive in your desired file format.

Part 2. Popular video makers with photos and music

Here is the list of the popular premium and free video maker with music and pictures that you can consider for making slideshow videos.

1. Invideo

Invideo is a popular online video maker with music and pictures along with 5000 customizable templates. These templates help users to transform photos into videos with background music in a few minutes. Besides, the platform offers a wide range of stock media files. You can create videos in more than 70 languages, and the editor is user-friendly for users of all ages.

All you need to do is select a template and customize it if required. Thereafter, you need to import the photos, add text effects, and finally add music. There are options for trimming, cropping, and adding stickers, texts and transitions. The free version lets you export 60 videos per month but with a watermark. Here are the top features of Invideo.

• 5000+ customizable templates for all video types.
• 9+ million stocks videos, photos, and audio files.
• Add transitions, stickers, animations, and texts to videos.
• Trim and crop videos and audio files.
• Add voiceover as well as fade-in and fade-out effects.
• Work in collaboration with team members.

2. Icecream slideshow maker

Icecream slideshow maker is a free video maker with music and pictures for Windows users only. The software is compatible with Windows 10, 8, 7 and XP. You can create a high-quality video from your photos with music instantly. There is no need for any prior experience to use the video maker. There are beautiful transitions available that will enhance the video quality and make your presentation stand out. The free version allows up to 10 slides per video and saving the video in Webm file format. You can upgrade to Pro version to get rid of the limitations.

You can change photo and transition duration as per requirements. The software supports various audio file formats that you can import for your video. You can also add animations to texts so that they can shine in your video. The software allows sharing the video directly to YouTube. Besides, you can save it on Google Drive and Dropbox. Here are all the features of Icecream slideshow maker that you should be aware of.

• Super intuitive user interface for all users.
• Add colourful text, transitions, and animations.
• Save and resume project work as per time availability.
• Pro version allows saving video in 4K resolution.
• Video output in MP4, AVI, MOV and WEBM formats.
• Suitable for low-end computers.

3. PhotoStage Slideshow

PhotoStage Slideshow by NCH Software is another video maker software for Windows users. The software comes with an easy and automated wizard for users to transform photos with a video instantly. There is also an image editor available to adjust different parameters of your photos before making a video out of them.

Besides, there are various transitions available to apply and you can add captions and narration as per your requirements. In fact, along with photos, you can add video clips to create the ultimate video. Moreover, there are tools available to edit your audio and music file and add different effects. Here are the top features of PhotoStage Slideshow Software.

• Supports Full HD and 4K video resolution.
• Edit and fine-tune photos and add captions.
• Wide range of eye-catching and popular transitions.
• Edit audio and music file and add different effects.
• Save video file in MOV, MP4, GIF, AVI, 3GP and more.
• Directly share on YouTube, Vimeo, Flickr, HTML5.

4. Clideo video maker

Clideo Video Maker is a free online video maker with song. All you need to do is upload photos from your hard drive and choose a preset depending on the online platform where you want to upload the video. Thereafter, add audio and trim it as per video length. Then add smooth transitions and the video will be ready to export on your hard drive or cloud storage.

The online video maker supports different video and audio file format for importing and exporting. You can use the editor on any device starting from Windows and Mac to Android and iPhone. The user interface is very simple to use and it does not store video files for more than a day. Here are all the features of Clideo video maker.

• Upload photos from hard drive, and cloud storage.
• Presets for Instagram, Stories, YouTube, and Facebook videos.
• Add different photos, audio, and video clips to make videos.
• Zoom & crop option along with image duration elongation.
• Suitable for computer and mobile phone users.

5. Movavi Slideshow Maker

Movavi Slideshow Maker is available for both Windows and Mac users. The software comes with a wizard to allow users to create video from photos. However, advanced users can create video from photos manually as well. You get to add photos, audio files and video clips of different file formats. Most importantly, there are various templates available to create professional-quality videos.

There are loads of effects, filters, titles, and stickers available to apply on your video. The free version is limited to seven days usage. The output video will have watermark on it and you can purchase the premium version to avoid all limitations. Here are the top features of Movavi Slideshow Maker.

• Slideshow wizard for fast and easy video creation.
• Manual mode for advanced users to create customized video.
• Supports different types of media file formats.
• Different types of templates for instant video making.
• Wide ranges of transitions, filters, titles, and stickers.

Conclusion

If you are making a video from your photos, you can use an online video maker with photos and music free. If you are someone who wants to make professional-quality videos from photos, a premium video maker is best for you. If you are going to upload your slideshow videos on social media and video streaming platforms, we recommend Wondershare Filmora as the best video maker with music and pictures.

Try It Free

For macOS 10.12 or later

Step 1: Install Filmora and Start Your Project

Download and install Wondershare Filmora as per your operating system. Filmora is available for Windows and Mac. Launch Filmora and click on New Project. Drag and drop your photos on Project Media folder.

Step 2: Import Photos and Arrange Them in Order

Drag and drop the photos on the timeline as per your sequence you want in your slideshow video. You can change the order of the photos as well as stretch durations of photos in the video from the timeline. You have to arrange the photos side by side without any gap so that there is no black screen in between the transition.

Step 3: Add Transition Effects

After arranging the photos side by side, you have to apply transition effects so that the change from one photo to another is eye-soothing. There are loads of transitions available and you can get them from Transition option located at the top bar.

Go through the different categories of transitions. Drag and drop the transition you want on to the photo after which you want the transition effect to play. Do the same for all photos except the last one. You can apply different transitions effects for different photos as per your preference.

Step 4: Add Background Music

Now it is time to add a background music to the entire video. You can drag and drop any music file from your hard drive to Filmora Project Media. Thereafter, you can drag and drop the audio file on the audio timeline below the photo timeline. You can also add audio effects from the top bar if required.

Step 5: Export Your Video

Once you are done adding photos, transitions, and music, you should play the video on Filmora and make adjustments wherever required. Thereafter, click on Export button and save the video file on your hard drive in your desired file format.

Part 2. Popular video makers with photos and music

Here is the list of the popular premium and free video maker with music and pictures that you can consider for making slideshow videos.

1. Invideo

Invideo is a popular online video maker with music and pictures along with 5000 customizable templates. These templates help users to transform photos into videos with background music in a few minutes. Besides, the platform offers a wide range of stock media files. You can create videos in more than 70 languages, and the editor is user-friendly for users of all ages.

All you need to do is select a template and customize it if required. Thereafter, you need to import the photos, add text effects, and finally add music. There are options for trimming, cropping, and adding stickers, texts and transitions. The free version lets you export 60 videos per month but with a watermark. Here are the top features of Invideo.

• 5000+ customizable templates for all video types.
• 9+ million stocks videos, photos, and audio files.
• Add transitions, stickers, animations, and texts to videos.
• Trim and crop videos and audio files.
• Add voiceover as well as fade-in and fade-out effects.
• Work in collaboration with team members.

2. Icecream slideshow maker

Icecream slideshow maker is a free video maker with music and pictures for Windows users only. The software is compatible with Windows 10, 8, 7 and XP. You can create a high-quality video from your photos with music instantly. There is no need for any prior experience to use the video maker. There are beautiful transitions available that will enhance the video quality and make your presentation stand out. The free version allows up to 10 slides per video and saving the video in Webm file format. You can upgrade to Pro version to get rid of the limitations.

You can change photo and transition duration as per requirements. The software supports various audio file formats that you can import for your video. You can also add animations to texts so that they can shine in your video. The software allows sharing the video directly to YouTube. Besides, you can save it on Google Drive and Dropbox. Here are all the features of Icecream slideshow maker that you should be aware of.

• Super intuitive user interface for all users.
• Add colourful text, transitions, and animations.
• Save and resume project work as per time availability.
• Pro version allows saving video in 4K resolution.
• Video output in MP4, AVI, MOV and WEBM formats.
• Suitable for low-end computers.

3. PhotoStage Slideshow

PhotoStage Slideshow by NCH Software is another video maker software for Windows users. The software comes with an easy and automated wizard for users to transform photos with a video instantly. There is also an image editor available to adjust different parameters of your photos before making a video out of them.

Besides, there are various transitions available to apply and you can add captions and narration as per your requirements. In fact, along with photos, you can add video clips to create the ultimate video. Moreover, there are tools available to edit your audio and music file and add different effects. Here are the top features of PhotoStage Slideshow Software.

• Supports Full HD and 4K video resolution.
• Edit and fine-tune photos and add captions.
• Wide range of eye-catching and popular transitions.
• Edit audio and music file and add different effects.
• Save video file in MOV, MP4, GIF, AVI, 3GP and more.
• Directly share on YouTube, Vimeo, Flickr, HTML5.

4. Clideo video maker

Clideo Video Maker is a free online video maker with song. All you need to do is upload photos from your hard drive and choose a preset depending on the online platform where you want to upload the video. Thereafter, add audio and trim it as per video length. Then add smooth transitions and the video will be ready to export on your hard drive or cloud storage.

The online video maker supports different video and audio file format for importing and exporting. You can use the editor on any device starting from Windows and Mac to Android and iPhone. The user interface is very simple to use and it does not store video files for more than a day. Here are all the features of Clideo video maker.

• Upload photos from hard drive, and cloud storage.
• Presets for Instagram, Stories, YouTube, and Facebook videos.
• Add different photos, audio, and video clips to make videos.
• Zoom & crop option along with image duration elongation.
• Suitable for computer and mobile phone users.

5. Movavi Slideshow Maker

Movavi Slideshow Maker is available for both Windows and Mac users. The software comes with a wizard to allow users to create video from photos. However, advanced users can create video from photos manually as well. You get to add photos, audio files and video clips of different file formats. Most importantly, there are various templates available to create professional-quality videos.

There are loads of effects, filters, titles, and stickers available to apply on your video. The free version is limited to seven days usage. The output video will have watermark on it and you can purchase the premium version to avoid all limitations. Here are the top features of Movavi Slideshow Maker.

• Slideshow wizard for fast and easy video creation.
• Manual mode for advanced users to create customized video.
• Supports different types of media file formats.
• Different types of templates for instant video making.
• Wide ranges of transitions, filters, titles, and stickers.

Conclusion

If you are making a video from your photos, you can use an online video maker with photos and music free. If you are someone who wants to make professional-quality videos from photos, a premium video maker is best for you. If you are going to upload your slideshow videos on social media and video streaming platforms, we recommend Wondershare Filmora as the best video maker with music and pictures.

Try It Free

For macOS 10.12 or later

Step 1: Install Filmora and Start Your Project

Download and install Wondershare Filmora as per your operating system. Filmora is available for Windows and Mac. Launch Filmora and click on New Project. Drag and drop your photos on Project Media folder.

Step 2: Import Photos and Arrange Them in Order

Drag and drop the photos on the timeline as per your sequence you want in your slideshow video. You can change the order of the photos as well as stretch durations of photos in the video from the timeline. You have to arrange the photos side by side without any gap so that there is no black screen in between the transition.

Step 3: Add Transition Effects

After arranging the photos side by side, you have to apply transition effects so that the change from one photo to another is eye-soothing. There are loads of transitions available and you can get them from Transition option located at the top bar.

Go through the different categories of transitions. Drag and drop the transition you want on to the photo after which you want the transition effect to play. Do the same for all photos except the last one. You can apply different transitions effects for different photos as per your preference.

Step 4: Add Background Music

Now it is time to add a background music to the entire video. You can drag and drop any music file from your hard drive to Filmora Project Media. Thereafter, you can drag and drop the audio file on the audio timeline below the photo timeline. You can also add audio effects from the top bar if required.

Step 5: Export Your Video

Once you are done adding photos, transitions, and music, you should play the video on Filmora and make adjustments wherever required. Thereafter, click on Export button and save the video file on your hard drive in your desired file format.

Part 2. Popular video makers with photos and music

Here is the list of the popular premium and free video maker with music and pictures that you can consider for making slideshow videos.

1. Invideo

Invideo is a popular online video maker with music and pictures along with 5000 customizable templates. These templates help users to transform photos into videos with background music in a few minutes. Besides, the platform offers a wide range of stock media files. You can create videos in more than 70 languages, and the editor is user-friendly for users of all ages.

All you need to do is select a template and customize it if required. Thereafter, you need to import the photos, add text effects, and finally add music. There are options for trimming, cropping, and adding stickers, texts and transitions. The free version lets you export 60 videos per month but with a watermark. Here are the top features of Invideo.

• 5000+ customizable templates for all video types.
• 9+ million stocks videos, photos, and audio files.
• Add transitions, stickers, animations, and texts to videos.
• Trim and crop videos and audio files.
• Add voiceover as well as fade-in and fade-out effects.
• Work in collaboration with team members.

2. Icecream slideshow maker

Icecream slideshow maker is a free video maker with music and pictures for Windows users only. The software is compatible with Windows 10, 8, 7 and XP. You can create a high-quality video from your photos with music instantly. There is no need for any prior experience to use the video maker. There are beautiful transitions available that will enhance the video quality and make your presentation stand out. The free version allows up to 10 slides per video and saving the video in Webm file format. You can upgrade to Pro version to get rid of the limitations.

You can change photo and transition duration as per requirements. The software supports various audio file formats that you can import for your video. You can also add animations to texts so that they can shine in your video. The software allows sharing the video directly to YouTube. Besides, you can save it on Google Drive and Dropbox. Here are all the features of Icecream slideshow maker that you should be aware of.

• Super intuitive user interface for all users.
• Add colourful text, transitions, and animations.
• Save and resume project work as per time availability.
• Pro version allows saving video in 4K resolution.
• Video output in MP4, AVI, MOV and WEBM formats.
• Suitable for low-end computers.

3. PhotoStage Slideshow

PhotoStage Slideshow by NCH Software is another video maker software for Windows users. The software comes with an easy and automated wizard for users to transform photos with a video instantly. There is also an image editor available to adjust different parameters of your photos before making a video out of them.

Besides, there are various transitions available to apply and you can add captions and narration as per your requirements. In fact, along with photos, you can add video clips to create the ultimate video. Moreover, there are tools available to edit your audio and music file and add different effects. Here are the top features of PhotoStage Slideshow Software.

• Supports Full HD and 4K video resolution.
• Edit and fine-tune photos and add captions.
• Wide range of eye-catching and popular transitions.
• Edit audio and music file and add different effects.
• Save video file in MOV, MP4, GIF, AVI, 3GP and more.
• Directly share on YouTube, Vimeo, Flickr, HTML5.

4. Clideo video maker

Clideo Video Maker is a free online video maker with song. All you need to do is upload photos from your hard drive and choose a preset depending on the online platform where you want to upload the video. Thereafter, add audio and trim it as per video length. Then add smooth transitions and the video will be ready to export on your hard drive or cloud storage.

The online video maker supports different video and audio file format for importing and exporting. You can use the editor on any device starting from Windows and Mac to Android and iPhone. The user interface is very simple to use and it does not store video files for more than a day. Here are all the features of Clideo video maker.

• Upload photos from hard drive, and cloud storage.
• Presets for Instagram, Stories, YouTube, and Facebook videos.
• Add different photos, audio, and video clips to make videos.
• Zoom & crop option along with image duration elongation.
• Suitable for computer and mobile phone users.

5. Movavi Slideshow Maker

Movavi Slideshow Maker is available for both Windows and Mac users. The software comes with a wizard to allow users to create video from photos. However, advanced users can create video from photos manually as well. You get to add photos, audio files and video clips of different file formats. Most importantly, there are various templates available to create professional-quality videos.

There are loads of effects, filters, titles, and stickers available to apply on your video. The free version is limited to seven days usage. The output video will have watermark on it and you can purchase the premium version to avoid all limitations. Here are the top features of Movavi Slideshow Maker.

• Slideshow wizard for fast and easy video creation.
• Manual mode for advanced users to create customized video.
• Supports different types of media file formats.
• Different types of templates for instant video making.
• Wide ranges of transitions, filters, titles, and stickers.

Conclusion

If you are making a video from your photos, you can use an online video maker with photos and music free. If you are someone who wants to make professional-quality videos from photos, a premium video maker is best for you. If you are going to upload your slideshow videos on social media and video streaming platforms, we recommend Wondershare Filmora as the best video maker with music and pictures.

Try It Free

For macOS 10.12 or later

Step 1: Install Filmora and Start Your Project

Download and install Wondershare Filmora as per your operating system. Filmora is available for Windows and Mac. Launch Filmora and click on New Project. Drag and drop your photos on Project Media folder.

Step 2: Import Photos and Arrange Them in Order

Drag and drop the photos on the timeline as per your sequence you want in your slideshow video. You can change the order of the photos as well as stretch durations of photos in the video from the timeline. You have to arrange the photos side by side without any gap so that there is no black screen in between the transition.

Step 3: Add Transition Effects

After arranging the photos side by side, you have to apply transition effects so that the change from one photo to another is eye-soothing. There are loads of transitions available and you can get them from Transition option located at the top bar.

Go through the different categories of transitions. Drag and drop the transition you want on to the photo after which you want the transition effect to play. Do the same for all photos except the last one. You can apply different transitions effects for different photos as per your preference.

Step 4: Add Background Music

Now it is time to add a background music to the entire video. You can drag and drop any music file from your hard drive to Filmora Project Media. Thereafter, you can drag and drop the audio file on the audio timeline below the photo timeline. You can also add audio effects from the top bar if required.

Step 5: Export Your Video

Once you are done adding photos, transitions, and music, you should play the video on Filmora and make adjustments wherever required. Thereafter, click on Export button and save the video file on your hard drive in your desired file format.

Part 2. Popular video makers with photos and music

Here is the list of the popular premium and free video maker with music and pictures that you can consider for making slideshow videos.

1. Invideo

Invideo is a popular online video maker with music and pictures along with 5000 customizable templates. These templates help users to transform photos into videos with background music in a few minutes. Besides, the platform offers a wide range of stock media files. You can create videos in more than 70 languages, and the editor is user-friendly for users of all ages.

All you need to do is select a template and customize it if required. Thereafter, you need to import the photos, add text effects, and finally add music. There are options for trimming, cropping, and adding stickers, texts and transitions. The free version lets you export 60 videos per month but with a watermark. Here are the top features of Invideo.

• 5000+ customizable templates for all video types.
• 9+ million stocks videos, photos, and audio files.
• Add transitions, stickers, animations, and texts to videos.
• Trim and crop videos and audio files.
• Add voiceover as well as fade-in and fade-out effects.
• Work in collaboration with team members.

2. Icecream slideshow maker

Icecream slideshow maker is a free video maker with music and pictures for Windows users only. The software is compatible with Windows 10, 8, 7 and XP. You can create a high-quality video from your photos with music instantly. There is no need for any prior experience to use the video maker. There are beautiful transitions available that will enhance the video quality and make your presentation stand out. The free version allows up to 10 slides per video and saving the video in Webm file format. You can upgrade to Pro version to get rid of the limitations.

You can change photo and transition duration as per requirements. The software supports various audio file formats that you can import for your video. You can also add animations to texts so that they can shine in your video. The software allows sharing the video directly to YouTube. Besides, you can save it on Google Drive and Dropbox. Here are all the features of Icecream slideshow maker that you should be aware of.

• Super intuitive user interface for all users.
• Add colourful text, transitions, and animations.
• Save and resume project work as per time availability.
• Pro version allows saving video in 4K resolution.
• Video output in MP4, AVI, MOV and WEBM formats.
• Suitable for low-end computers.

3. PhotoStage Slideshow

PhotoStage Slideshow by NCH Software is another video maker software for Windows users. The software comes with an easy and automated wizard for users to transform photos with a video instantly. There is also an image editor available to adjust different parameters of your photos before making a video out of them.

Besides, there are various transitions available to apply and you can add captions and narration as per your requirements. In fact, along with photos, you can add video clips to create the ultimate video. Moreover, there are tools available to edit your audio and music file and add different effects. Here are the top features of PhotoStage Slideshow Software.

• Supports Full HD and 4K video resolution.
• Edit and fine-tune photos and add captions.
• Wide range of eye-catching and popular transitions.
• Edit audio and music file and add different effects.
• Save video file in MOV, MP4, GIF, AVI, 3GP and more.
• Directly share on YouTube, Vimeo, Flickr, HTML5.

4. Clideo video maker

Clideo Video Maker is a free online video maker with song. All you need to do is upload photos from your hard drive and choose a preset depending on the online platform where you want to upload the video. Thereafter, add audio and trim it as per video length. Then add smooth transitions and the video will be ready to export on your hard drive or cloud storage.

The online video maker supports different video and audio file format for importing and exporting. You can use the editor on any device starting from Windows and Mac to Android and iPhone. The user interface is very simple to use and it does not store video files for more than a day. Here are all the features of Clideo video maker.

• Upload photos from hard drive, and cloud storage.
• Presets for Instagram, Stories, YouTube, and Facebook videos.
• Add different photos, audio, and video clips to make videos.
• Zoom & crop option along with image duration elongation.
• Suitable for computer and mobile phone users.

5. Movavi Slideshow Maker

Movavi Slideshow Maker is available for both Windows and Mac users. The software comes with a wizard to allow users to create video from photos. However, advanced users can create video from photos manually as well. You get to add photos, audio files and video clips of different file formats. Most importantly, there are various templates available to create professional-quality videos.

There are loads of effects, filters, titles, and stickers available to apply on your video. The free version is limited to seven days usage. The output video will have watermark on it and you can purchase the premium version to avoid all limitations. Here are the top features of Movavi Slideshow Maker.

• Slideshow wizard for fast and easy video creation.
• Manual mode for advanced users to create customized video.
• Supports different types of media file formats.
• Different types of templates for instant video making.
• Wide ranges of transitions, filters, titles, and stickers.

Conclusion

If you are making a video from your photos, you can use an online video maker with photos and music free. If you are someone who wants to make professional-quality videos from photos, a premium video maker is best for you. If you are going to upload your slideshow videos on social media and video streaming platforms, we recommend Wondershare Filmora as the best video maker with music and pictures.

Essential Tips for FREE YouTube Video Transcriptions

How to Transcribe a YouTube Video for FREE

Richard Bennett

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

If you want to transcribe your videos to make the dialogs and speeches available in text format, you can use YouTube Transcribe feature that the streaming site offers for free. In this article, I’ll share with you a couple of methods to transcribe a YouTube video for free.

• Part 1: Transcribe YouTube Video Automatically for Free [2 Ways]
• Part 2: Transcribe YouTube Video to Text Online with Third-Party Service
• Part 3: Benefits of Transcribing YouTube Videos
• Part 4: YouTube Video Transcription FAQs

Part 1: How to Transcribe YouTube Video Automatically for Free [2 Ways]

Besides the basic video editing features on the YouTube platform, you can now quickly transcribe YouTube videos to the text as well. The good thing is, you can either use the automatic transcription feature that YouTube offers, or upload it manually while adjusting the timing as you go further.

Below are the two methods to transcribe your YouTube videos for free:

Method 1: Use the Automated Transcription Service on YouTube

As the name suggests, YouTube automatic transcription service works automatically. This means you don’t even have to click the ‘Transcribe’ button anymore to transcribe a YouTube video, and the website takes care of it on its own. All you need to do is, choose English as the language of the video when setting up subtitles. You can follow the instructions given below to do so:

Step 1 Upload a Video

Sign in to your YouTube account, click your profile picture from the top-right corner, and click YouTube Studio from the menu. Next, click CREATE from the upper-right corner, click Upload videos from the menu, and drag and drop a video from your computer to the Upload videos box that appears next.

Step 2 Select Transcription Language

On the Details page of the next box that appears, scroll down and click MORE OPTIONS, and select English in the Video language drop-down list under the Language, subtitles, and closed captions (CC) section.

Step 3 Publish the Video

Follow the on-screen instructions from this point to publish the video, and wait while YouTube automatically transcribes and adds the close captions to it.

Note: Depending on the duration of the clip, the time YouTube would take to transcribe may vary.

After YouTube has transcribed the video, you can download the transcription file in your preferred format. The instructions are given below explain how you can do so:

1. Get to the Subtitles Window

While on the YouTube Studio page, click Subtitles from the left pane to go to the Channel subtitles page. And then click the video you want to modify.

1. Get to Classic Studio

In the video subtitle page of the target video, hover mouse on the Published Automatic status under the Subtitles column, click the Options icon (with three vertical dots) that appears, and click Edit on Classic Studio.

1. Download Transcription File

Click and open the Actions drop-down list from the top-left corner of the left pane, click your preferred transcription format including .vtt, .srt and .sbv from the list, and save the file on your local hard disk.

Method 2: Get YouTube Transcription when Watching

In addition, if you are watching any other video, you can make YouTube transcribe that for you as well. You can follow the instructions given below to get the YouTube video to text transcription:

Step 1: Play the Video

Go to the video on YouTube and start playing it. Make sure NOT to get to full-screen mode as doing so would hide the option to transcribe the clip.

Step 2: Enable Transcription

Click the More icon (with three horizontal dots) from under the bottom-right corner of the video player, and click Open transcript to see the video transcription in the Transcript pane that appears in the right.

Step 3: Manage Timestamps

Click the Options icon (with three vertical dots) from the top-right corner of the Transcript pane, and click Toggle timestamp to enable or disable the timestamps in the video transcription.

Limitations of Using YouTube Transcribe

Although YouTube’s automatic transcription is a decent feature that saves you a lot of time, since Google uses machine learning algorithms to convert the speech to text, the level of accuracy may vary depending on the accent of the speaker, and the clarity of the audio the video has. Also, even sometime you may not be satisfied with the end-results.

Alternatively, you can use Kapwing to transcribe a YouTube video and download the transcription file with the below step-by-step instructions:

Step 1: Add YouTube Video

Copy the URL of YouTube video you want to transcribe, go to https://www.kapwing.com/subtitles , paste the URL in the Paste a URL field, wait while Kapwing fetches the content of the video, and opens the Add subtitles to Video page.

Step 2: Transcribe the Video

Click Auto-generate from the right window, and follow the on-screen instructions to transcribe YouTube video to text.

Step 3: Download the Transcription File

Click Download SRT from the left pane, and follow the instructions from there to download the transcription file in *.srt format.

Pros

• Kapwing is free to use
• The auto-transcription process is quick and less tedious
• Kapwing also allows manual transcription and uploading of an existing *.srt file

Cons

• The auto-transcribed text might lack accuracy as the task is done by the speech-to-text tools that work in the background

You can follow the step-by-step instructions to transcribe a YouTube video and download the transcription file using Kapwing:

Step 1: Add YouTube Video

Copy the URL of YouTube video you want to transcribe, go to https://www.kapwing.com/subtitles , paste the URL in the Paste a URL field, wait while Kapwing fetches the content of the video, and opens the Add subtitles to Video page.

Step 2: Transcribe the Video

Click Auto-generate from the right window, and follow the on-screen instructions to transcribe YouTube video to text.

Step 3: Download the Transcription File

Click Download SRT from the left pane, and follow the instructions from there to download the transcription file in *.srt format.

Pros

• Kapwing is free to use
• The auto-transcription process is quick and less tedious
• Kapwing also allows manual transcription and uploading of an existing *.srt file

Cons

• The auto-transcribed text might lack accuracy as the task is done by the speech-to-text tools that work in the background

Part 3: Benefits of Transcribing YouTube Videos

You may need video transcriptions for several reasons, such as analyzing the summary of the entire speech in the video, extracting a single phrase or quote that was spoken in the clip, or making the video helpful even for those suffering from hearing impairment. When you transcribe a YouTube video, the transcript can be useful in many ways. Some of the most common benefits of transcribing a video include:

• Search Engine Optimization

When you add subtitles, the text can appear in Google search results when someone types a similar phrase in the search box. This helps get more views to your videos, thus giving your channel popularity, and you, monetary gains in the long run.

• Accent

If the speaker in the video is from a different region and is using an accent that you are not much comfortable with, you can turn on the subtitles and read the dialogs along with the video.

• Repurposing on Blogs

If you own a blog that you have embedded your video to, the transcription could be used to add text to it so the target audience can get a fair idea of what the video is all about. This is useful because many people prefer reading over watching.

YouTube Video Transcription FAQs

1. How to Transcribe YouTube Video to Text

Usually the transcription files have *.srt extension that are globally accepted and supported by almost all media players. However, there might be instances when you want to have the subtitles in plain text.

That said, to convert an SRT file to TXT, you can:

• Right-click the SRT file
• Go to Rename
• Replace srt with txt and press Enter
• Click OK on the confirmation box that appears next to convert SRT to TXT

After this, you can simply double-click the file, and read and modify the transcribed content as needed.

2. How to Edit and Upload Edited Transcript to YouTube

If you made any modifications to the transcript that was automatically generated by YouTube or any other third-party transcription tool, you can follow the steps given below to upload the new file to the YouTube video:

• Go to YouTube Studio and then to the Channel subtitles page as explained earlier
• Expand the Languages column of the target video
• Click the Options icon that appears under the Subtitles column when you hover mouse on to it
• Click Edit on Classic Studio
• On the next page, click Edit from the top-right corner

• Click to open the Actions drop-down list from the upper-left corner
• Click Upload a file
  • Follow the on-screen instructions from there to upload the modified transcription file
  • Click Save Changes from the top-right corner of the page when done

Conclusion

If you are looking for a quick and easy way of adding subtitles to your videos, letting YouTube transcribe for you could be a good approach. However, because these auto-generated transcriptions are created by machine learning algorithms, their accuracy cannot be counted on. Therefore, the best way to get the job done accurately is, let YouTube auto-transcribe your video, download the transcription file, make the necessary changes to it, and then upload the file back to the video.

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

If you want to transcribe your videos to make the dialogs and speeches available in text format, you can use YouTube Transcribe feature that the streaming site offers for free. In this article, I’ll share with you a couple of methods to transcribe a YouTube video for free.

• Part 1: Transcribe YouTube Video Automatically for Free [2 Ways]
• Part 2: Transcribe YouTube Video to Text Online with Third-Party Service
• Part 3: Benefits of Transcribing YouTube Videos
• Part 4: YouTube Video Transcription FAQs

Part 1: How to Transcribe YouTube Video Automatically for Free [2 Ways]

Besides the basic video editing features on the YouTube platform, you can now quickly transcribe YouTube videos to the text as well. The good thing is, you can either use the automatic transcription feature that YouTube offers, or upload it manually while adjusting the timing as you go further.

Below are the two methods to transcribe your YouTube videos for free:

Method 1: Use the Automated Transcription Service on YouTube

As the name suggests, YouTube automatic transcription service works automatically. This means you don’t even have to click the ‘Transcribe’ button anymore to transcribe a YouTube video, and the website takes care of it on its own. All you need to do is, choose English as the language of the video when setting up subtitles. You can follow the instructions given below to do so:

Step 1 Upload a Video

Sign in to your YouTube account, click your profile picture from the top-right corner, and click YouTube Studio from the menu. Next, click CREATE from the upper-right corner, click Upload videos from the menu, and drag and drop a video from your computer to the Upload videos box that appears next.

Step 2 Select Transcription Language

On the Details page of the next box that appears, scroll down and click MORE OPTIONS, and select English in the Video language drop-down list under the Language, subtitles, and closed captions (CC) section.

Step 3 Publish the Video

Follow the on-screen instructions from this point to publish the video, and wait while YouTube automatically transcribes and adds the close captions to it.

Note: Depending on the duration of the clip, the time YouTube would take to transcribe may vary.

After YouTube has transcribed the video, you can download the transcription file in your preferred format. The instructions are given below explain how you can do so:

1. Get to the Subtitles Window

While on the YouTube Studio page, click Subtitles from the left pane to go to the Channel subtitles page. And then click the video you want to modify.

1. Get to Classic Studio

In the video subtitle page of the target video, hover mouse on the Published Automatic status under the Subtitles column, click the Options icon (with three vertical dots) that appears, and click Edit on Classic Studio.

1. Download Transcription File

Click and open the Actions drop-down list from the top-left corner of the left pane, click your preferred transcription format including .vtt, .srt and .sbv from the list, and save the file on your local hard disk.

Method 2: Get YouTube Transcription when Watching

In addition, if you are watching any other video, you can make YouTube transcribe that for you as well. You can follow the instructions given below to get the YouTube video to text transcription:

Step 1: Play the Video

Go to the video on YouTube and start playing it. Make sure NOT to get to full-screen mode as doing so would hide the option to transcribe the clip.

Step 2: Enable Transcription

Click the More icon (with three horizontal dots) from under the bottom-right corner of the video player, and click Open transcript to see the video transcription in the Transcript pane that appears in the right.

Step 3: Manage Timestamps

Click the Options icon (with three vertical dots) from the top-right corner of the Transcript pane, and click Toggle timestamp to enable or disable the timestamps in the video transcription.

Limitations of Using YouTube Transcribe

Although YouTube’s automatic transcription is a decent feature that saves you a lot of time, since Google uses machine learning algorithms to convert the speech to text, the level of accuracy may vary depending on the accent of the speaker, and the clarity of the audio the video has. Also, even sometime you may not be satisfied with the end-results.

Alternatively, you can use Kapwing to transcribe a YouTube video and download the transcription file with the below step-by-step instructions:

Step 1: Add YouTube Video

Copy the URL of YouTube video you want to transcribe, go to https://www.kapwing.com/subtitles , paste the URL in the Paste a URL field, wait while Kapwing fetches the content of the video, and opens the Add subtitles to Video page.

Step 2: Transcribe the Video

Click Auto-generate from the right window, and follow the on-screen instructions to transcribe YouTube video to text.

Step 3: Download the Transcription File

Click Download SRT from the left pane, and follow the instructions from there to download the transcription file in *.srt format.

Pros

• Kapwing is free to use
• The auto-transcription process is quick and less tedious
• Kapwing also allows manual transcription and uploading of an existing *.srt file

Cons

• The auto-transcribed text might lack accuracy as the task is done by the speech-to-text tools that work in the background

You can follow the step-by-step instructions to transcribe a YouTube video and download the transcription file using Kapwing:

Step 1: Add YouTube Video

Copy the URL of YouTube video you want to transcribe, go to https://www.kapwing.com/subtitles , paste the URL in the Paste a URL field, wait while Kapwing fetches the content of the video, and opens the Add subtitles to Video page.

Step 2: Transcribe the Video

Click Auto-generate from the right window, and follow the on-screen instructions to transcribe YouTube video to text.

Step 3: Download the Transcription File

Click Download SRT from the left pane, and follow the instructions from there to download the transcription file in *.srt format.

Pros

• Kapwing is free to use
• The auto-transcription process is quick and less tedious
• Kapwing also allows manual transcription and uploading of an existing *.srt file

Cons

• The auto-transcribed text might lack accuracy as the task is done by the speech-to-text tools that work in the background

Part 3: Benefits of Transcribing YouTube Videos

You may need video transcriptions for several reasons, such as analyzing the summary of the entire speech in the video, extracting a single phrase or quote that was spoken in the clip, or making the video helpful even for those suffering from hearing impairment. When you transcribe a YouTube video, the transcript can be useful in many ways. Some of the most common benefits of transcribing a video include:

• Search Engine Optimization

When you add subtitles, the text can appear in Google search results when someone types a similar phrase in the search box. This helps get more views to your videos, thus giving your channel popularity, and you, monetary gains in the long run.

• Accent

If the speaker in the video is from a different region and is using an accent that you are not much comfortable with, you can turn on the subtitles and read the dialogs along with the video.

• Repurposing on Blogs

If you own a blog that you have embedded your video to, the transcription could be used to add text to it so the target audience can get a fair idea of what the video is all about. This is useful because many people prefer reading over watching.

YouTube Video Transcription FAQs

1. How to Transcribe YouTube Video to Text

Usually the transcription files have *.srt extension that are globally accepted and supported by almost all media players. However, there might be instances when you want to have the subtitles in plain text.

That said, to convert an SRT file to TXT, you can:

• Right-click the SRT file
• Go to Rename
• Replace srt with txt and press Enter
• Click OK on the confirmation box that appears next to convert SRT to TXT

After this, you can simply double-click the file, and read and modify the transcribed content as needed.

2. How to Edit and Upload Edited Transcript to YouTube

If you made any modifications to the transcript that was automatically generated by YouTube or any other third-party transcription tool, you can follow the steps given below to upload the new file to the YouTube video:

• Go to YouTube Studio and then to the Channel subtitles page as explained earlier
• Expand the Languages column of the target video
• Click the Options icon that appears under the Subtitles column when you hover mouse on to it
• Click Edit on Classic Studio
• On the next page, click Edit from the top-right corner

• Click to open the Actions drop-down list from the upper-left corner
• Click Upload a file
  • Follow the on-screen instructions from there to upload the modified transcription file
  • Click Save Changes from the top-right corner of the page when done

Conclusion

If you are looking for a quick and easy way of adding subtitles to your videos, letting YouTube transcribe for you could be a good approach. However, because these auto-generated transcriptions are created by machine learning algorithms, their accuracy cannot be counted on. Therefore, the best way to get the job done accurately is, let YouTube auto-transcribe your video, download the transcription file, make the necessary changes to it, and then upload the file back to the video.

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

If you want to transcribe your videos to make the dialogs and speeches available in text format, you can use YouTube Transcribe feature that the streaming site offers for free. In this article, I’ll share with you a couple of methods to transcribe a YouTube video for free.

• Part 1: Transcribe YouTube Video Automatically for Free [2 Ways]
• Part 2: Transcribe YouTube Video to Text Online with Third-Party Service
• Part 3: Benefits of Transcribing YouTube Videos
• Part 4: YouTube Video Transcription FAQs

Part 1: How to Transcribe YouTube Video Automatically for Free [2 Ways]

Besides the basic video editing features on the YouTube platform, you can now quickly transcribe YouTube videos to the text as well. The good thing is, you can either use the automatic transcription feature that YouTube offers, or upload it manually while adjusting the timing as you go further.

Below are the two methods to transcribe your YouTube videos for free:

Method 1: Use the Automated Transcription Service on YouTube

As the name suggests, YouTube automatic transcription service works automatically. This means you don’t even have to click the ‘Transcribe’ button anymore to transcribe a YouTube video, and the website takes care of it on its own. All you need to do is, choose English as the language of the video when setting up subtitles. You can follow the instructions given below to do so:

Step 1 Upload a Video

Sign in to your YouTube account, click your profile picture from the top-right corner, and click YouTube Studio from the menu. Next, click CREATE from the upper-right corner, click Upload videos from the menu, and drag and drop a video from your computer to the Upload videos box that appears next.

Step 2 Select Transcription Language

On the Details page of the next box that appears, scroll down and click MORE OPTIONS, and select English in the Video language drop-down list under the Language, subtitles, and closed captions (CC) section.

Step 3 Publish the Video

Follow the on-screen instructions from this point to publish the video, and wait while YouTube automatically transcribes and adds the close captions to it.

Note: Depending on the duration of the clip, the time YouTube would take to transcribe may vary.

After YouTube has transcribed the video, you can download the transcription file in your preferred format. The instructions are given below explain how you can do so:

1. Get to the Subtitles Window

While on the YouTube Studio page, click Subtitles from the left pane to go to the Channel subtitles page. And then click the video you want to modify.

1. Get to Classic Studio

In the video subtitle page of the target video, hover mouse on the Published Automatic status under the Subtitles column, click the Options icon (with three vertical dots) that appears, and click Edit on Classic Studio.

1. Download Transcription File

Click and open the Actions drop-down list from the top-left corner of the left pane, click your preferred transcription format including .vtt, .srt and .sbv from the list, and save the file on your local hard disk.

Method 2: Get YouTube Transcription when Watching

In addition, if you are watching any other video, you can make YouTube transcribe that for you as well. You can follow the instructions given below to get the YouTube video to text transcription:

Step 1: Play the Video

Go to the video on YouTube and start playing it. Make sure NOT to get to full-screen mode as doing so would hide the option to transcribe the clip.

Step 2: Enable Transcription

Click the More icon (with three horizontal dots) from under the bottom-right corner of the video player, and click Open transcript to see the video transcription in the Transcript pane that appears in the right.

Step 3: Manage Timestamps

Click the Options icon (with three vertical dots) from the top-right corner of the Transcript pane, and click Toggle timestamp to enable or disable the timestamps in the video transcription.

Limitations of Using YouTube Transcribe

Although YouTube’s automatic transcription is a decent feature that saves you a lot of time, since Google uses machine learning algorithms to convert the speech to text, the level of accuracy may vary depending on the accent of the speaker, and the clarity of the audio the video has. Also, even sometime you may not be satisfied with the end-results.

Alternatively, you can use Kapwing to transcribe a YouTube video and download the transcription file with the below step-by-step instructions:

Step 1: Add YouTube Video

Copy the URL of YouTube video you want to transcribe, go to https://www.kapwing.com/subtitles , paste the URL in the Paste a URL field, wait while Kapwing fetches the content of the video, and opens the Add subtitles to Video page.

Step 2: Transcribe the Video

Click Auto-generate from the right window, and follow the on-screen instructions to transcribe YouTube video to text.

Step 3: Download the Transcription File

Click Download SRT from the left pane, and follow the instructions from there to download the transcription file in *.srt format.

Pros

• Kapwing is free to use
• The auto-transcription process is quick and less tedious
• Kapwing also allows manual transcription and uploading of an existing *.srt file

Cons

• The auto-transcribed text might lack accuracy as the task is done by the speech-to-text tools that work in the background

You can follow the step-by-step instructions to transcribe a YouTube video and download the transcription file using Kapwing:

Step 1: Add YouTube Video

Copy the URL of YouTube video you want to transcribe, go to https://www.kapwing.com/subtitles , paste the URL in the Paste a URL field, wait while Kapwing fetches the content of the video, and opens the Add subtitles to Video page.

Step 2: Transcribe the Video

Click Auto-generate from the right window, and follow the on-screen instructions to transcribe YouTube video to text.

Step 3: Download the Transcription File

Click Download SRT from the left pane, and follow the instructions from there to download the transcription file in *.srt format.

Pros

• Kapwing is free to use
• The auto-transcription process is quick and less tedious
• Kapwing also allows manual transcription and uploading of an existing *.srt file

Cons

• The auto-transcribed text might lack accuracy as the task is done by the speech-to-text tools that work in the background

Part 3: Benefits of Transcribing YouTube Videos

You may need video transcriptions for several reasons, such as analyzing the summary of the entire speech in the video, extracting a single phrase or quote that was spoken in the clip, or making the video helpful even for those suffering from hearing impairment. When you transcribe a YouTube video, the transcript can be useful in many ways. Some of the most common benefits of transcribing a video include:

• Search Engine Optimization

When you add subtitles, the text can appear in Google search results when someone types a similar phrase in the search box. This helps get more views to your videos, thus giving your channel popularity, and you, monetary gains in the long run.

• Accent

If the speaker in the video is from a different region and is using an accent that you are not much comfortable with, you can turn on the subtitles and read the dialogs along with the video.

• Repurposing on Blogs

If you own a blog that you have embedded your video to, the transcription could be used to add text to it so the target audience can get a fair idea of what the video is all about. This is useful because many people prefer reading over watching.

YouTube Video Transcription FAQs

1. How to Transcribe YouTube Video to Text

Usually the transcription files have *.srt extension that are globally accepted and supported by almost all media players. However, there might be instances when you want to have the subtitles in plain text.

That said, to convert an SRT file to TXT, you can:

• Right-click the SRT file
• Go to Rename
• Replace srt with txt and press Enter
• Click OK on the confirmation box that appears next to convert SRT to TXT

After this, you can simply double-click the file, and read and modify the transcribed content as needed.

2. How to Edit and Upload Edited Transcript to YouTube

If you made any modifications to the transcript that was automatically generated by YouTube or any other third-party transcription tool, you can follow the steps given below to upload the new file to the YouTube video:

• Go to YouTube Studio and then to the Channel subtitles page as explained earlier
• Expand the Languages column of the target video
• Click the Options icon that appears under the Subtitles column when you hover mouse on to it
• Click Edit on Classic Studio
• On the next page, click Edit from the top-right corner

• Click to open the Actions drop-down list from the upper-left corner
• Click Upload a file
  • Follow the on-screen instructions from there to upload the modified transcription file
  • Click Save Changes from the top-right corner of the page when done

Conclusion

If you are looking for a quick and easy way of adding subtitles to your videos, letting YouTube transcribe for you could be a good approach. However, because these auto-generated transcriptions are created by machine learning algorithms, their accuracy cannot be counted on. Therefore, the best way to get the job done accurately is, let YouTube auto-transcribe your video, download the transcription file, make the necessary changes to it, and then upload the file back to the video.

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

If you want to transcribe your videos to make the dialogs and speeches available in text format, you can use YouTube Transcribe feature that the streaming site offers for free. In this article, I’ll share with you a couple of methods to transcribe a YouTube video for free.

• Part 1: Transcribe YouTube Video Automatically for Free [2 Ways]
• Part 2: Transcribe YouTube Video to Text Online with Third-Party Service
• Part 3: Benefits of Transcribing YouTube Videos
• Part 4: YouTube Video Transcription FAQs

Part 1: How to Transcribe YouTube Video Automatically for Free [2 Ways]

Besides the basic video editing features on the YouTube platform, you can now quickly transcribe YouTube videos to the text as well. The good thing is, you can either use the automatic transcription feature that YouTube offers, or upload it manually while adjusting the timing as you go further.

Below are the two methods to transcribe your YouTube videos for free:

Method 1: Use the Automated Transcription Service on YouTube

As the name suggests, YouTube automatic transcription service works automatically. This means you don’t even have to click the ‘Transcribe’ button anymore to transcribe a YouTube video, and the website takes care of it on its own. All you need to do is, choose English as the language of the video when setting up subtitles. You can follow the instructions given below to do so:

Step 1 Upload a Video

Sign in to your YouTube account, click your profile picture from the top-right corner, and click YouTube Studio from the menu. Next, click CREATE from the upper-right corner, click Upload videos from the menu, and drag and drop a video from your computer to the Upload videos box that appears next.

Step 2 Select Transcription Language

On the Details page of the next box that appears, scroll down and click MORE OPTIONS, and select English in the Video language drop-down list under the Language, subtitles, and closed captions (CC) section.

Step 3 Publish the Video

Follow the on-screen instructions from this point to publish the video, and wait while YouTube automatically transcribes and adds the close captions to it.

Note: Depending on the duration of the clip, the time YouTube would take to transcribe may vary.

After YouTube has transcribed the video, you can download the transcription file in your preferred format. The instructions are given below explain how you can do so:

1. Get to the Subtitles Window

While on the YouTube Studio page, click Subtitles from the left pane to go to the Channel subtitles page. And then click the video you want to modify.

1. Get to Classic Studio

In the video subtitle page of the target video, hover mouse on the Published Automatic status under the Subtitles column, click the Options icon (with three vertical dots) that appears, and click Edit on Classic Studio.

1. Download Transcription File

Click and open the Actions drop-down list from the top-left corner of the left pane, click your preferred transcription format including .vtt, .srt and .sbv from the list, and save the file on your local hard disk.

Method 2: Get YouTube Transcription when Watching

In addition, if you are watching any other video, you can make YouTube transcribe that for you as well. You can follow the instructions given below to get the YouTube video to text transcription:

Step 1: Play the Video

Go to the video on YouTube and start playing it. Make sure NOT to get to full-screen mode as doing so would hide the option to transcribe the clip.

Step 2: Enable Transcription

Click the More icon (with three horizontal dots) from under the bottom-right corner of the video player, and click Open transcript to see the video transcription in the Transcript pane that appears in the right.

Step 3: Manage Timestamps

Click the Options icon (with three vertical dots) from the top-right corner of the Transcript pane, and click Toggle timestamp to enable or disable the timestamps in the video transcription.

Limitations of Using YouTube Transcribe

Although YouTube’s automatic transcription is a decent feature that saves you a lot of time, since Google uses machine learning algorithms to convert the speech to text, the level of accuracy may vary depending on the accent of the speaker, and the clarity of the audio the video has. Also, even sometime you may not be satisfied with the end-results.

Alternatively, you can use Kapwing to transcribe a YouTube video and download the transcription file with the below step-by-step instructions:

Step 1: Add YouTube Video

Copy the URL of YouTube video you want to transcribe, go to https://www.kapwing.com/subtitles , paste the URL in the Paste a URL field, wait while Kapwing fetches the content of the video, and opens the Add subtitles to Video page.

Step 2: Transcribe the Video

Click Auto-generate from the right window, and follow the on-screen instructions to transcribe YouTube video to text.

Step 3: Download the Transcription File

Click Download SRT from the left pane, and follow the instructions from there to download the transcription file in *.srt format.

Pros

• Kapwing is free to use
• The auto-transcription process is quick and less tedious
• Kapwing also allows manual transcription and uploading of an existing *.srt file

Cons

• The auto-transcribed text might lack accuracy as the task is done by the speech-to-text tools that work in the background

You can follow the step-by-step instructions to transcribe a YouTube video and download the transcription file using Kapwing:

Step 1: Add YouTube Video

Copy the URL of YouTube video you want to transcribe, go to https://www.kapwing.com/subtitles , paste the URL in the Paste a URL field, wait while Kapwing fetches the content of the video, and opens the Add subtitles to Video page.

Step 2: Transcribe the Video

Click Auto-generate from the right window, and follow the on-screen instructions to transcribe YouTube video to text.

Step 3: Download the Transcription File

Click Download SRT from the left pane, and follow the instructions from there to download the transcription file in *.srt format.

Pros

• Kapwing is free to use
• The auto-transcription process is quick and less tedious
• Kapwing also allows manual transcription and uploading of an existing *.srt file

Cons

• The auto-transcribed text might lack accuracy as the task is done by the speech-to-text tools that work in the background

Part 3: Benefits of Transcribing YouTube Videos

You may need video transcriptions for several reasons, such as analyzing the summary of the entire speech in the video, extracting a single phrase or quote that was spoken in the clip, or making the video helpful even for those suffering from hearing impairment. When you transcribe a YouTube video, the transcript can be useful in many ways. Some of the most common benefits of transcribing a video include:

• Search Engine Optimization

When you add subtitles, the text can appear in Google search results when someone types a similar phrase in the search box. This helps get more views to your videos, thus giving your channel popularity, and you, monetary gains in the long run.

• Accent

If the speaker in the video is from a different region and is using an accent that you are not much comfortable with, you can turn on the subtitles and read the dialogs along with the video.

• Repurposing on Blogs

If you own a blog that you have embedded your video to, the transcription could be used to add text to it so the target audience can get a fair idea of what the video is all about. This is useful because many people prefer reading over watching.

YouTube Video Transcription FAQs

1. How to Transcribe YouTube Video to Text

Usually the transcription files have *.srt extension that are globally accepted and supported by almost all media players. However, there might be instances when you want to have the subtitles in plain text.

That said, to convert an SRT file to TXT, you can:

• Right-click the SRT file
• Go to Rename
• Replace srt with txt and press Enter
• Click OK on the confirmation box that appears next to convert SRT to TXT

After this, you can simply double-click the file, and read and modify the transcribed content as needed.

2. How to Edit and Upload Edited Transcript to YouTube

If you made any modifications to the transcript that was automatically generated by YouTube or any other third-party transcription tool, you can follow the steps given below to upload the new file to the YouTube video:

• Go to YouTube Studio and then to the Channel subtitles page as explained earlier
• Expand the Languages column of the target video
• Click the Options icon that appears under the Subtitles column when you hover mouse on to it
• Click Edit on Classic Studio
• On the next page, click Edit from the top-right corner

• Click to open the Actions drop-down list from the upper-left corner
• Click Upload a file
  • Follow the on-screen instructions from there to upload the modified transcription file
  • Click Save Changes from the top-right corner of the page when done

Conclusion

If you are looking for a quick and easy way of adding subtitles to your videos, letting YouTube transcribe for you could be a good approach. However, because these auto-generated transcriptions are created by machine learning algorithms, their accuracy cannot be counted on. Therefore, the best way to get the job done accurately is, let YouTube auto-transcribe your video, download the transcription file, make the necessary changes to it, and then upload the file back to the video.

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

Also read: