YouTube Subtitle Extractor
Extract subtitles and captions from any YouTube video. Download as SRT, TXT, or copy to clipboard. No signup required.
3 free extractions per day — no signup required
Extract subtitles in three steps
Paste the YouTube URL
Copy the URL of any YouTube video and paste it into the input field. TubeScript accepts standard YouTube links, shortened youtu.be links, and playlist URLs.
Extract the captions
Click "Get Transcript" and TubeScript will extract the video's existing subtitles or generate them using AI transcription. Processing takes 30 to 90 seconds for most videos.
Download or copy
Download the extracted subtitles as an SRT file for video editing, a TXT file for reading, or copy the text directly to your clipboard for immediate use.
Subtitle formats
SRT — SubRip Text
The industry-standard subtitle format with precise start and end timestamps for each line. Import directly into video editors like Premiere Pro, Final Cut Pro, or DaVinci Resolve. Compatible with media players like VLC for offline playback with captions.
TXT — Plain Text with Timestamps
A clean text file with the full subtitle content and optional timestamps. Ideal for reading, note-taking, research, and importing into documents or translation workflows. Opens in any text editor on any platform.
Plain Text — Clipboard Copy
Copy the extracted subtitles directly to your clipboard as plain text. Paste into any application — Google Docs, Notion, email, or a translation tool. Fastest option when you need the text immediately.
Why extract YouTube subtitles?
Translation
Extract subtitles to translate video content into other languages. Having the text in a file makes it easy to use professional translation tools or work with translators who need the source text.
Accessibility
Many YouTube videos lack proper captions. Extracting or generating subtitles makes content accessible to deaf and hard-of-hearing viewers, and to anyone watching in a quiet environment.
Content creation
Use extracted subtitles as the foundation for blog posts, articles, social media content, and newsletters. The subtitle text gives you the raw material to repurpose video content across formats.
SEO and searchability
Adding subtitle text to your website or video descriptions improves search engine visibility. Search engines cannot watch videos, but they can index the text from subtitles.
Language learning
Language learners extract subtitles to study vocabulary, sentence structure, and pronunciation in context. Having the text alongside the video is one of the most effective methods for language acquisition.
Auto-captions vs. manual captions
YouTube generates auto-captions using speech recognition for most videos. These captions are convenient but often inaccurate — they miss punctuation, confuse similar-sounding words, and struggle with accents, technical terminology, and multiple speakers. Auto-captions are a rough approximation, not a reliable transcript.
Manual captions are written or reviewed by the video creator. They are significantly more accurate but are only available on a small percentage of YouTube videos. Most creators do not take the time to add manual captions.
TubeScript's AI transcription produces results that are far more accurate than YouTube's auto-captions. The AI handles punctuation, speaker changes, technical vocabulary, and background noise. When manual captions are available, TubeScript extracts those. When they are not, TubeScript generates subtitles that read like they were written by a human.
Who uses a subtitle extractor?
Translators extract subtitle files to translate video content into other languages. Working with an SRT file preserves the timing information, so the translated subtitles sync with the video without manual adjustment.
Accessibility advocates generate subtitles for videos that lack proper captions, ensuring content is available to deaf and hard-of-hearing viewers, and to anyone who prefers reading to listening.
Content creators extract subtitles to repurpose video content into written formats. A podcast transcript becomes a blog post. A tutorial's captions become a step-by-step guide. A keynote becomes a newsletter.
Language learners study subtitles alongside the video to improve comprehension, learn new vocabulary, and understand natural speech patterns in their target language.
Frequently asked questions
How do I extract subtitles from a YouTube video?
Paste any YouTube video URL into the input field above and click "Get Transcript." TubeScript will extract the available subtitles or generate them using AI transcription. You can then copy the subtitles or download them as SRT or TXT files.
Does this work on videos without subtitles?
Yes. If a video does not have manual or auto-generated captions, TubeScript uses AI-powered audio transcription to generate subtitles directly from the video's audio track. It works on every YouTube video.
What subtitle formats can I download?
TubeScript supports SRT (SubRip Text) files with precise timestamps, TXT files with plain text and optional timestamps, and clipboard copy for quick pasting. SRT files are compatible with all major video editors and media players.
What is the difference between auto-captions and manual captions?
Manual captions are written or reviewed by the video creator and tend to be more accurate. Auto-captions are generated by YouTube's speech recognition and often contain errors, missing punctuation, and misheard words. TubeScript's AI transcription produces results that are significantly more accurate than YouTube's auto-captions.
Can I extract subtitles in other languages?
Yes. If the video has captions in multiple languages, TubeScript will extract them. For videos without captions, the AI transcribes the spoken language directly. TubeScript supports English, Spanish, French, German, Japanese, Korean, and many other languages.
Extract subtitles now
Paste any YouTube URL below and extract subtitles as SRT, TXT, or plain text.