Best in Class: Textify Your Vlogs

Have you ever wondered why there is a need to transcribe YouTube videos? Well, let us enlighten you! Turning content from YouTube to text is essential for numerous content creators as it allows them to gain more views. Recent studies have shown that around 33% of the audience watching YouTube videos do not necessarily watch them in English. So, by converting them to text, translation becomes a whole lot easier and subtitles can be generated more efficiently.

In this article, we will explore the procedure through how one can convert a YouTube video to text, and learn about numerous effective online YouTube video to text software.

In this article

01 How to Convert YouTube Video to Texts by Copy/Paste YouTube Transcript

02 Best YouTube Video to Text Converters Online

Part 1: How to Convert YouTube Video to Texts by Copy/Paste YouTube Transcript

When people think “Get the transcript from YouTube” they believe it is going to be a daunting and lengthy procedure. Well, let us tell you that it is certainly not! All you have to do is follow the steps outlined below to transcribe YouTube video to text - that too through the YouTube player itself.

First what you have to do is open YouTube and select any video for which you require the transcript. Once you have selected the video, wait for it to load and then click the three dots located beneath the video, as shown in the image below.

Following that, a menu will appear, just select the “Open Transcript” option and the transcription will open on the top right side of your screen.

Simply select the entire transcript using your mouse, then copy and paste it into a new Word Document or Google Document. If you don’t need the timestamps, you can click the three-dot icon to toggle timestamps off.

By following the steps outlined above, you can convert a YouTube video to text in less than five seconds!

Part 2: Best YouTube Video to Text Converters Online

Aside from the basic method of getting the transcription from YouTube itself, many individuals make use of effective YouTube video to text converter online free. This allows them to get the complete video into text, small parts of the video to text, as well as options to convert the text into multiple languages. Below are some of the best software to convert YouTube video to text online.

1. Inqscribe

This high-quality cross-platform tool allows users to transcribe audio and video files into text . Whether it is a meeting recording or a YouTube video - you can convert them all to text. Making use of this free online software is extremely easy, all one has to do is just upload their file and click the process. Then the system will automatically transcribe the video into a text document for you. The software is uni code so all file formats are supported such as txt, XML, HTML, WebVTT, and more. The only drawback of this online software is that video files that are larger than a certain limit cannot be accepted.

2. Sonix

For individuals who have premium quality audio transcription, a tool by the name of Sonix is the right choice for you. This tool enables users to turn all types of YouTube videos into text. All they have to do is simply download the YouTube video they need to transcribe and then upload it to the online interface. From there, this software uses its comprehensive text reader to convert the video to text. This platform supports more than 40 different language choice inputs and outputs. Users are allowed to transcribe up to five videos for free, then they must pay a subscription fee.

3. Otter

This video-to-text converter works best in real-time. Simply play the audio of a YouTube video and let Otter do its magic. In real-time it will convert audio into text. Moreover, if you would like to only convert some parts of the audio to text, that is possible with this tool as well.

All you need to do is play the audio accordingly and the text will automatically generate itself. The AVI (Ambient Voice Intelligence) of this tool allows it to accurately understand what the audio is saying to transcribe the video. While many do find this tool handy, learning how to use it can be a tiny bit tedious and confusing.

Note: Currently, Otter doesn’t support uploading YouTube video link, you may need to download the YouTube video first and then upload it from desktop.

4. oTranscribe

This online transcription tool is extremely easy and convenient to use - and it is entirely free! All you need to do is head on over to its homepage and drop a link to the YouTube video that you would like to transcribe. Then from there, you can access the video and text all at the same time, without having to switch between videos.

The best part is that you can record and translate text according to your need, cut and miss parts that you do not require. This tool supports all file formats which just adds to convince. The only challenge is that it will only accept videos and translate them into English.

5. Go Transcribe

If you are looking to convert any sort of video format to text, then Go Transcribe might just be the tool that you require. This tool makes use of the latest voice technology to convert videos to text - and gives you the output in the form of an SRT, PDF, or DOC, which are all editable. All you need to do is upload the video in one of the formats below,

• 3PG
• FLV
• AVI
• MOV
• MPG
• MPEG

Then simply click the processing options and your video will be generated into a text file within minutes. However, this software may require a subscription fee.

files. Moreover, the output format is PDF which individuals cannot edit unless they convert the PDF to a TXT file online using different software.

6. Trint

Turn your speech to text through magic - or in other words, through state-of-the-art technology. Trint is an online transcription tool that allows individuals to turn video files into text. People can download and upload numerous video files at once and turn them into text documents.

This is an extremely handy tool to have considering it comes with numerous options such as editing the text, only inducing certain parts of the video in the text, and so much more. This tool only has one shortcoming, it only accepts English language videos.

7. Happy Scribe

If you are wondering how, you will convert YouTube video to text, then we have just the answer for you. Make use of Happy Scribe to automatically transcribe all sorts of audio and video into comprehensive and readable text. You can get numerous features and options in this tool such as advanced grammatical functions as well as timestamps.

If your videos are in different languages, do not worry because Happy Scribe has more than 60 language formats. However, to make use of added features, individuals will need to pay for the tool and upgrade to the pro version.

8. 360Converter

360Converter, as its name suggests is a video to text converter which individuals can use online and offline. All you need to do is download and then upload the YouTube video that you would like to transcribe and the tool will automatically generate the text for you. The supported video formats include 3GP, MP4, MOV, AVI, and many more. This tool uses advanced technology to get accurate language and grammatical transcriptions, so everything is word to word - the exact same as the video. While this tool is extremely user-friendly, many state that it takes a while to process videos to text.

Key Takeaways!

Technology has come a long way which is why we now have numerous options available online to help us convert YouTube videos to text in less than 5-10 minutes. All you have to do is upload the file and let the tool do its magic! You can transcribe in different languages, segments, and so much more now!

KwiCut

Transform Long Videos into Short Ones Instantly

Turn long videos into viral clips. Effortlessly transform lengthy videos into engaging, shareable clips.

Get Started Now

Download For Free

02 Best YouTube Video to Text Converters Online

Part 1: How to Convert YouTube Video to Texts by Copy/Paste YouTube Transcript

When people think “Get the transcript from YouTube” they believe it is going to be a daunting and lengthy procedure. Well, let us tell you that it is certainly not! All you have to do is follow the steps outlined below to transcribe YouTube video to text - that too through the YouTube player itself.

First what you have to do is open YouTube and select any video for which you require the transcript. Once you have selected the video, wait for it to load and then click the three dots located beneath the video, as shown in the image below.

Following that, a menu will appear, just select the “Open Transcript” option and the transcription will open on the top right side of your screen.

Simply select the entire transcript using your mouse, then copy and paste it into a new Word Document or Google Document. If you don’t need the timestamps, you can click the three-dot icon to toggle timestamps off.

By following the steps outlined above, you can convert a YouTube video to text in less than five seconds!

Part 2: Best YouTube Video to Text Converters Online

Aside from the basic method of getting the transcription from YouTube itself, many individuals make use of effective YouTube video to text converter online free. This allows them to get the complete video into text, small parts of the video to text, as well as options to convert the text into multiple languages. Below are some of the best software to convert YouTube video to text online.

1. Inqscribe

This high-quality cross-platform tool allows users to transcribe audio and video files into text . Whether it is a meeting recording or a YouTube video - you can convert them all to text. Making use of this free online software is extremely easy, all one has to do is just upload their file and click the process. Then the system will automatically transcribe the video into a text document for you. The software is uni code so all file formats are supported such as txt, XML, HTML, WebVTT, and more. The only drawback of this online software is that video files that are larger than a certain limit cannot be accepted.

2. Sonix

For individuals who have premium quality audio transcription, a tool by the name of Sonix is the right choice for you. This tool enables users to turn all types of YouTube videos into text. All they have to do is simply download the YouTube video they need to transcribe and then upload it to the online interface. From there, this software uses its comprehensive text reader to convert the video to text. This platform supports more than 40 different language choice inputs and outputs. Users are allowed to transcribe up to five videos for free, then they must pay a subscription fee.

3. Otter

This video-to-text converter works best in real-time. Simply play the audio of a YouTube video and let Otter do its magic. In real-time it will convert audio into text. Moreover, if you would like to only convert some parts of the audio to text, that is possible with this tool as well.

All you need to do is play the audio accordingly and the text will automatically generate itself. The AVI (Ambient Voice Intelligence) of this tool allows it to accurately understand what the audio is saying to transcribe the video. While many do find this tool handy, learning how to use it can be a tiny bit tedious and confusing.

Note: Currently, Otter doesn’t support uploading YouTube video link, you may need to download the YouTube video first and then upload it from desktop.

4. oTranscribe

This online transcription tool is extremely easy and convenient to use - and it is entirely free! All you need to do is head on over to its homepage and drop a link to the YouTube video that you would like to transcribe. Then from there, you can access the video and text all at the same time, without having to switch between videos.

The best part is that you can record and translate text according to your need, cut and miss parts that you do not require. This tool supports all file formats which just adds to convince. The only challenge is that it will only accept videos and translate them into English.

5. Go Transcribe

If you are looking to convert any sort of video format to text, then Go Transcribe might just be the tool that you require. This tool makes use of the latest voice technology to convert videos to text - and gives you the output in the form of an SRT, PDF, or DOC, which are all editable. All you need to do is upload the video in one of the formats below,

• 3PG
• FLV
• AVI
• MOV
• MPG
• MPEG

Then simply click the processing options and your video will be generated into a text file within minutes. However, this software may require a subscription fee.

files. Moreover, the output format is PDF which individuals cannot edit unless they convert the PDF to a TXT file online using different software.

6. Trint

Turn your speech to text through magic - or in other words, through state-of-the-art technology. Trint is an online transcription tool that allows individuals to turn video files into text. People can download and upload numerous video files at once and turn them into text documents.

This is an extremely handy tool to have considering it comes with numerous options such as editing the text, only inducing certain parts of the video in the text, and so much more. This tool only has one shortcoming, it only accepts English language videos.

7. Happy Scribe

If you are wondering how, you will convert YouTube video to text, then we have just the answer for you. Make use of Happy Scribe to automatically transcribe all sorts of audio and video into comprehensive and readable text. You can get numerous features and options in this tool such as advanced grammatical functions as well as timestamps.

If your videos are in different languages, do not worry because Happy Scribe has more than 60 language formats. However, to make use of added features, individuals will need to pay for the tool and upgrade to the pro version.

8. 360Converter

360Converter, as its name suggests is a video to text converter which individuals can use online and offline. All you need to do is download and then upload the YouTube video that you would like to transcribe and the tool will automatically generate the text for you. The supported video formats include 3GP, MP4, MOV, AVI, and many more. This tool uses advanced technology to get accurate language and grammatical transcriptions, so everything is word to word - the exact same as the video. While this tool is extremely user-friendly, many state that it takes a while to process videos to text.

Key Takeaways!

Technology has come a long way which is why we now have numerous options available online to help us convert YouTube videos to text in less than 5-10 minutes. All you have to do is upload the file and let the tool do its magic! You can transcribe in different languages, segments, and so much more now!

KwiCut

Transform Long Videos into Short Ones Instantly

Turn long videos into viral clips. Effortlessly transform lengthy videos into engaging, shareable clips.

Get Started Now

Download For Free

02 Best YouTube Video to Text Converters Online

Part 1: How to Convert YouTube Video to Texts by Copy/Paste YouTube Transcript

When people think “Get the transcript from YouTube” they believe it is going to be a daunting and lengthy procedure. Well, let us tell you that it is certainly not! All you have to do is follow the steps outlined below to transcribe YouTube video to text - that too through the YouTube player itself.

First what you have to do is open YouTube and select any video for which you require the transcript. Once you have selected the video, wait for it to load and then click the three dots located beneath the video, as shown in the image below.

Following that, a menu will appear, just select the “Open Transcript” option and the transcription will open on the top right side of your screen.

Simply select the entire transcript using your mouse, then copy and paste it into a new Word Document or Google Document. If you don’t need the timestamps, you can click the three-dot icon to toggle timestamps off.

By following the steps outlined above, you can convert a YouTube video to text in less than five seconds!

Part 2: Best YouTube Video to Text Converters Online

Aside from the basic method of getting the transcription from YouTube itself, many individuals make use of effective YouTube video to text converter online free. This allows them to get the complete video into text, small parts of the video to text, as well as options to convert the text into multiple languages. Below are some of the best software to convert YouTube video to text online.

1. Inqscribe

This high-quality cross-platform tool allows users to transcribe audio and video files into text . Whether it is a meeting recording or a YouTube video - you can convert them all to text. Making use of this free online software is extremely easy, all one has to do is just upload their file and click the process. Then the system will automatically transcribe the video into a text document for you. The software is uni code so all file formats are supported such as txt, XML, HTML, WebVTT, and more. The only drawback of this online software is that video files that are larger than a certain limit cannot be accepted.

2. Sonix

For individuals who have premium quality audio transcription, a tool by the name of Sonix is the right choice for you. This tool enables users to turn all types of YouTube videos into text. All they have to do is simply download the YouTube video they need to transcribe and then upload it to the online interface. From there, this software uses its comprehensive text reader to convert the video to text. This platform supports more than 40 different language choice inputs and outputs. Users are allowed to transcribe up to five videos for free, then they must pay a subscription fee.

3. Otter

This video-to-text converter works best in real-time. Simply play the audio of a YouTube video and let Otter do its magic. In real-time it will convert audio into text. Moreover, if you would like to only convert some parts of the audio to text, that is possible with this tool as well.

All you need to do is play the audio accordingly and the text will automatically generate itself. The AVI (Ambient Voice Intelligence) of this tool allows it to accurately understand what the audio is saying to transcribe the video. While many do find this tool handy, learning how to use it can be a tiny bit tedious and confusing.

Note: Currently, Otter doesn’t support uploading YouTube video link, you may need to download the YouTube video first and then upload it from desktop.

4. oTranscribe

This online transcription tool is extremely easy and convenient to use - and it is entirely free! All you need to do is head on over to its homepage and drop a link to the YouTube video that you would like to transcribe. Then from there, you can access the video and text all at the same time, without having to switch between videos.

The best part is that you can record and translate text according to your need, cut and miss parts that you do not require. This tool supports all file formats which just adds to convince. The only challenge is that it will only accept videos and translate them into English.

5. Go Transcribe

If you are looking to convert any sort of video format to text, then Go Transcribe might just be the tool that you require. This tool makes use of the latest voice technology to convert videos to text - and gives you the output in the form of an SRT, PDF, or DOC, which are all editable. All you need to do is upload the video in one of the formats below,

• 3PG
• FLV
• AVI
• MOV
• MPG
• MPEG

Then simply click the processing options and your video will be generated into a text file within minutes. However, this software may require a subscription fee.

files. Moreover, the output format is PDF which individuals cannot edit unless they convert the PDF to a TXT file online using different software.

6. Trint

Turn your speech to text through magic - or in other words, through state-of-the-art technology. Trint is an online transcription tool that allows individuals to turn video files into text. People can download and upload numerous video files at once and turn them into text documents.

This is an extremely handy tool to have considering it comes with numerous options such as editing the text, only inducing certain parts of the video in the text, and so much more. This tool only has one shortcoming, it only accepts English language videos.

7. Happy Scribe

If you are wondering how, you will convert YouTube video to text, then we have just the answer for you. Make use of Happy Scribe to automatically transcribe all sorts of audio and video into comprehensive and readable text. You can get numerous features and options in this tool such as advanced grammatical functions as well as timestamps.

If your videos are in different languages, do not worry because Happy Scribe has more than 60 language formats. However, to make use of added features, individuals will need to pay for the tool and upgrade to the pro version.

8. 360Converter

360Converter, as its name suggests is a video to text converter which individuals can use online and offline. All you need to do is download and then upload the YouTube video that you would like to transcribe and the tool will automatically generate the text for you. The supported video formats include 3GP, MP4, MOV, AVI, and many more. This tool uses advanced technology to get accurate language and grammatical transcriptions, so everything is word to word - the exact same as the video. While this tool is extremely user-friendly, many state that it takes a while to process videos to text.

Key Takeaways!

Technology has come a long way which is why we now have numerous options available online to help us convert YouTube videos to text in less than 5-10 minutes. All you have to do is upload the file and let the tool do its magic! You can transcribe in different languages, segments, and so much more now!

KwiCut

Transform Long Videos into Short Ones Instantly

Turn long videos into viral clips. Effortlessly transform lengthy videos into engaging, shareable clips.

Get Started Now

Download For Free

02 Best YouTube Video to Text Converters Online

Part 1: How to Convert YouTube Video to Texts by Copy/Paste YouTube Transcript

When people think “Get the transcript from YouTube” they believe it is going to be a daunting and lengthy procedure. Well, let us tell you that it is certainly not! All you have to do is follow the steps outlined below to transcribe YouTube video to text - that too through the YouTube player itself.

First what you have to do is open YouTube and select any video for which you require the transcript. Once you have selected the video, wait for it to load and then click the three dots located beneath the video, as shown in the image below.

Following that, a menu will appear, just select the “Open Transcript” option and the transcription will open on the top right side of your screen.

Simply select the entire transcript using your mouse, then copy and paste it into a new Word Document or Google Document. If you don’t need the timestamps, you can click the three-dot icon to toggle timestamps off.

By following the steps outlined above, you can convert a YouTube video to text in less than five seconds!

Part 2: Best YouTube Video to Text Converters Online

Aside from the basic method of getting the transcription from YouTube itself, many individuals make use of effective YouTube video to text converter online free. This allows them to get the complete video into text, small parts of the video to text, as well as options to convert the text into multiple languages. Below are some of the best software to convert YouTube video to text online.

1. Inqscribe

This high-quality cross-platform tool allows users to transcribe audio and video files into text . Whether it is a meeting recording or a YouTube video - you can convert them all to text. Making use of this free online software is extremely easy, all one has to do is just upload their file and click the process. Then the system will automatically transcribe the video into a text document for you. The software is uni code so all file formats are supported such as txt, XML, HTML, WebVTT, and more. The only drawback of this online software is that video files that are larger than a certain limit cannot be accepted.

2. Sonix

For individuals who have premium quality audio transcription, a tool by the name of Sonix is the right choice for you. This tool enables users to turn all types of YouTube videos into text. All they have to do is simply download the YouTube video they need to transcribe and then upload it to the online interface. From there, this software uses its comprehensive text reader to convert the video to text. This platform supports more than 40 different language choice inputs and outputs. Users are allowed to transcribe up to five videos for free, then they must pay a subscription fee.

3. Otter

This video-to-text converter works best in real-time. Simply play the audio of a YouTube video and let Otter do its magic. In real-time it will convert audio into text. Moreover, if you would like to only convert some parts of the audio to text, that is possible with this tool as well.

All you need to do is play the audio accordingly and the text will automatically generate itself. The AVI (Ambient Voice Intelligence) of this tool allows it to accurately understand what the audio is saying to transcribe the video. While many do find this tool handy, learning how to use it can be a tiny bit tedious and confusing.

Note: Currently, Otter doesn’t support uploading YouTube video link, you may need to download the YouTube video first and then upload it from desktop.

4. oTranscribe

This online transcription tool is extremely easy and convenient to use - and it is entirely free! All you need to do is head on over to its homepage and drop a link to the YouTube video that you would like to transcribe. Then from there, you can access the video and text all at the same time, without having to switch between videos.

The best part is that you can record and translate text according to your need, cut and miss parts that you do not require. This tool supports all file formats which just adds to convince. The only challenge is that it will only accept videos and translate them into English.

5. Go Transcribe

If you are looking to convert any sort of video format to text, then Go Transcribe might just be the tool that you require. This tool makes use of the latest voice technology to convert videos to text - and gives you the output in the form of an SRT, PDF, or DOC, which are all editable. All you need to do is upload the video in one of the formats below,

• 3PG
• FLV
• AVI
• MOV
• MPG
• MPEG

Then simply click the processing options and your video will be generated into a text file within minutes. However, this software may require a subscription fee.

files. Moreover, the output format is PDF which individuals cannot edit unless they convert the PDF to a TXT file online using different software.

6. Trint

Turn your speech to text through magic - or in other words, through state-of-the-art technology. Trint is an online transcription tool that allows individuals to turn video files into text. People can download and upload numerous video files at once and turn them into text documents.

This is an extremely handy tool to have considering it comes with numerous options such as editing the text, only inducing certain parts of the video in the text, and so much more. This tool only has one shortcoming, it only accepts English language videos.

7. Happy Scribe

If you are wondering how, you will convert YouTube video to text, then we have just the answer for you. Make use of Happy Scribe to automatically transcribe all sorts of audio and video into comprehensive and readable text. You can get numerous features and options in this tool such as advanced grammatical functions as well as timestamps.

If your videos are in different languages, do not worry because Happy Scribe has more than 60 language formats. However, to make use of added features, individuals will need to pay for the tool and upgrade to the pro version.

8. 360Converter

360Converter, as its name suggests is a video to text converter which individuals can use online and offline. All you need to do is download and then upload the YouTube video that you would like to transcribe and the tool will automatically generate the text for you. The supported video formats include 3GP, MP4, MOV, AVI, and many more. This tool uses advanced technology to get accurate language and grammatical transcriptions, so everything is word to word - the exact same as the video. While this tool is extremely user-friendly, many state that it takes a while to process videos to text.

Key Takeaways!

Technology has come a long way which is why we now have numerous options available online to help us convert YouTube videos to text in less than 5-10 minutes. All you have to do is upload the file and let the tool do its magic! You can transcribe in different languages, segments, and so much more now!

KwiCut

Transform Long Videos into Short Ones Instantly

Turn long videos into viral clips. Effortlessly transform lengthy videos into engaging, shareable clips.

Get Started Now

Download For Free

Effortless YouTube Video to Text Conversion at No Cost

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: