YouTube Subtitle Downloader

Download subtitles and auto-generated captions from any YouTube video as SRT, VTT or TXT. Paste a link, pick a language and download the file, free and with no sign-up.

No sign-up
SRT, VTT and TXT
Auto-generated captions
All languages on the video

Free, no sign-up. Works with videos, Shorts and unlisted links.

How to download subtitles from YouTube

Three steps in any browser, with no extension to install and no account to create.

Copy the video link

Open the video on YouTube and copy its address, or tap Share and Copy link in the app. Shorts links work too.
Paste it and get subtitles

Paste the link above and click Get subtitles. You'll see every subtitle language the video has, with a preview.
Pick a format and download

Choose SRT, VTT or TXT and click Download, or copy the text straight to your clipboard.

Download YouTube captions: creator subtitles and auto-generated

This YouTube caption downloader lists both kinds of captions a video can have, so you can pick the most accurate one.

Creator subtitles

Written or uploaded by the channel, sometimes in several languages. They are usually the most accurate, with punctuation and correct names.

Auto-generated captions

Created by YouTube's speech recognition in the language spoken in the video. Most videos with speech have them, but they have little punctuation.

Every language on the video

If the creator added subtitles in Spanish, French or any other language, each one shows up in the list and downloads separately.

SRT, VTT or TXT: which subtitle format to download

All three come from the same captions; they just suit different jobs.

Format	Best for	Works with
SRT	Video editing, re-uploading captions, offline players	Premiere Pro, DaVinci Resolve, VLC, YouTube Studio
VTT	Web pages and HTML5 video players	Browsers, Vimeo, most online video platforms
TXT	Reading, notes, quotes and AI assistants	Any text editor, Word, Google Docs, ChatGPT

Saving YouTube to SRT keeps every line's start and end time, so the subtitles stay in sync with the video. TXT drops the timestamps and joins the lines into paragraphs.

No subtitles on the video? Create them with AI

Some videos have no captions at all, and auto-generated ones can be rough. Our AI transcribes the video's audio into accurate, punctuated text in 100+ languages, then exports SRT subtitles or a full transcript.

Transcribe a YouTube video Or translate YouTube subtitles

YouTube Subtitle Downloader FAQ

How do I download subtitles from a YouTube video?

Copy the video's link, paste it into the box at the top of this page and click Get subtitles. Pick a language and a format (SRT, VTT or TXT), then click Download. You don't need an account.

Is the YouTube subtitle downloader free?

Yes. Downloading subtitles is free, with no sign-up and no watermark. To keep it fast for everyone, each visitor can look up a limited number of new videos per hour.

Can I download auto-generated captions?

Yes. When the creator hasn't added subtitles, YouTube usually generates captions with speech recognition. They appear in the list as auto-generated and download like any other track. Auto-generated captions have little punctuation and can misspell names.

Which subtitle formats can I download?

SRT works in most video players and editors and can be uploaded back to YouTube. VTT (WebVTT) is the format web video players use. TXT is the plain text without timestamps, ready to read or paste into a document.

Why does it say the video has no subtitles?

Some videos have neither creator subtitles nor auto-generated captions, for example music without speech, very new uploads, or videos where captions were turned off. You can still create subtitles by transcribing the video's audio with AI.

Can I download YouTube subtitles in another language?

You can download every language the video has subtitles in. For a language the video doesn't have, the YouTube Subtitle Translator transcribes the video and translates the subtitles into 100+ languages.

Does it work with YouTube Shorts and unlisted videos?

Yes. Paste a Shorts link or an unlisted video's link like any other. Private, members-only and age-restricted videos can't be read, and playlists aren't supported, so paste one video at a time.

Can I use the subtitles in a video editor or upload them to YouTube?

Yes. SRT files open in Premiere Pro, DaVinci Resolve, VLC and most other editors and players, and you can upload them in YouTube Studio under Subtitles.

Do I need to install anything?

No. The downloader works in any browser on Windows, Mac, iPhone and Android, with no extension or app to install.

Is it legal to download YouTube subtitles?

Saving captions for personal use, such as studying, accessibility or reading along, is generally fine. Subtitles belong to the video's creator, so ask for permission before republishing them.

Subtitles come from the captions published on YouTube. TranscribeText is not affiliated with YouTube or Google.