How to Download YouTube Subtitles as SRT or TXT (4 Methods)

Downloading subtitles is different from just reading them in your browser. When you want an actual file — to keep offline, import into video editing software, add to another video, or archive permanently — you need a download. Here are four methods that work in 2026, ranging from the instant web approach to advanced command-line tools.

TubeScript is the easiest way to download YouTube subtitles. It works even for videos with no captions, because it uses AI (Gemini 2.5 Flash) to transcribe directly from the audio.

Step-by-step

1. Go to tubescript.cc in any browser.
2. Paste the YouTube URL into the input field.
3. Click "Get Transcript" and wait for the transcript to appear (usually under 90 seconds).
4. Click the Download button and choose TXT or SRT format.

What the SRT file looks like

The SRT format is universally supported by video editors, subtitle tools, and streaming platforms.

yt-dlp is a free, open-source command-line tool for downloading YouTube content, including subtitle files. It downloads the raw subtitle files that exist on the video — it cannot transcribe videos without captions.

The command

Flag explanations

• --write-sub — Download manually uploaded subtitles (if available)
• --write-auto-sub — Download YouTube's auto-generated subtitles
• --sub-lang en — Download English subtitles (use 'es', 'fr', etc. for other languages)
• --skip-download — Download only the subtitles, not the video file

yt-dlp downloads subtitles in .vtt format by default. To convert to SRT, add the flag --convert-subs srt.

4K Video Downloader is a paid desktop application ($15 one-time or subscription) with a graphical interface — no command line required. It runs on Mac and Windows and supports subtitle downloading alongside video.

Steps

1. Open 4K Video Downloader and click "Paste Link."
2. Paste the YouTube URL. The tool will fetch available formats.
3. In the download settings, check "Download Subtitles" and select the language.
4. Choose whether to download the video alongside the subtitles or subtitles only.
5. Click Download. Subtitle files save to your chosen folder.

Like yt-dlp, 4K Video Downloader can only download subtitles that already exist on the video. It does not generate transcripts from audio.

If you are the creator of the video, YouTube Studio lets you download the subtitle file directly:

1. Go to studio.youtube.com and select your video.
2. Click "Subtitles" in the left sidebar.
3. Find the language you want, click the three-dot menu next to it.
4. Select "Download" — you'll get a .srt file.

This is not available for other creators' videos — only your own uploads.

• SRT (SubRip Text) — The most widely supported subtitle format. Use SRT when you need to add subtitles to a video in Premiere Pro, Final Cut Pro, or DaVinci Resolve, when uploading subtitles to streaming platforms (Vimeo, Wistia, etc.), or when adding captions to another video. TubeScript exports SRT.
• TXT (Plain Text) — No timing codes. Use TXT when you want to read the transcript, copy text for blog posts or notes, run word searches, or analyze content. TubeScript exports TXT with timestamps as human-readable labels.
• VTT (WebVTT) — The web standard for HTML5 video players. Use VTT if you're embedding video on a website using a <video> tag with a <track> element. yt-dlp downloads YouTube's subtitles in VTT format by default; you can convert to SRT with the --convert-subs srt flag.