How to Open Transcript on YouTube [Step-by-Step Guide]

author icon

Sasha updated on Mar 12, 2025 to AI Article

Learn how to open and download YouTube transcripts easily. Follow our step-by-step guide to access auto-generated captions, fix missing transcript issues, and use YouTube transcript generators for high accuracy.

A YouTube transcript allows you to access the full text of a video, helping you quickly review key highlights and better understand the content. YouTube's built-in auto-transcription feature makes this process seamless. In this guide, we'll walk you through how to open transcripts on YouTube, navigate this feature effectively, and explore alternative YouTube transcript generators for enhanced accuracy and efficiency.

Open Transcript on YouTube on PC

Opening a transcript on YouTube directly on your PC is much easier. YouTube allows its viewers to convert video to a text version of all the words spoken during a video. Generally, any video or audio content—such as vlogs, tutorials, speeches, or podcasts—that contains spoken dialogue can be transcribed using this feature. Let's see how to find and use it:

Step 1. Go Get the YouTube Video

To get started, open youtube.com with your computer browser, find the video you'd like to transcribe and go to its watch page.

go-get-youtube-video.png

Step 2. Check the Video Details

Below the video title, a gray part includes views, published days vid,eo descriptions, etc. Click the "...more" to see more details like timestamps and, chapters, and other related links.

check-video-detail.png

Step 3. Click the Show Transcript Button

Scroll to the bottom of the details, and you will see the "Show transcript" option. Just click the button to generate a transcript. You can see this option if the video creator has enabled the transcript feature. If this option does not show up, you must use a third-party YouTube transcript generator.

click-show-transcript.png

Step 4. Check the Transcript

Then YouTube will pull you back to the top of the page, and next to the video player, you will see a new box with a full transcript.

Step 5. Enjoy the Generated Transcript

The transcript section includes various features such as the timeline, chapters, and text content. Here's how you can use them effectively:

1. To save the transcript, select the desired text by holding the left mouse button, then right-click and select 'Copy' to copy the text along with timestamps.

2. Click on a timestamp to jump directly to that specific part of the video.

3. Use the search tool in the mini search bar to quickly find specific topics or keywords. The transcript will be filtered to display relevant text.

4. If you need the transcript without timestamps, click the three-dot menu in the upper-right corner and click "Toggle timestamps" before copying the text.

5. You can also choose from different languages available below the transcript box.

Step 6. Download YouTube Transcript as Files

Paste the text into a text editor or word processor like Microsoft Word or Google Docs, and save it as a text or doc file.

Open Transcript on Mobile (YouTube App)

The process of getting a transcript on YouTube on mobile is similar to how you do it on a computer.

Step 1. Go to the YouTube app and find the video for which you are going to get the transcript.

Step 2. Click the video to open its watch page, and also click the "...more" option below the video title. Note: This option is tiny and often next to views and the video published on the day.

Step 3. Click "...more" again, scroll down to the bottom, and click the "Show transcript" button.

Step 4. Then, the transcript with timestamps will be presented to you right below the video.

Tip
Not every video has a timeline and chapters in the video. That depends on the content creator's settings.

Troubleshooting YouTube Transcript Issues

1. YouTube Transcript not available

One thing that needs to be noted is that not every YouTube video has a show transcript button. With these types of videos, there are two fixes:

Fix 1. Turn off Ad Blocker

A Reddit user mentions this fix; if you have no idea why you can not get the transcript, you could use a few seconds to verify this solution.

Fix 2. Use a Third-Party YouTube Transcript Generator

The transcripts are unavailable if the show transcript option is missing or grayed out. You might need another YouTube Transcript Generator.

Check more reasons and fixes on this page:

2. Download YouTube Transcript

There are no download options. To save it, copy and paste the transcript to a word processor.

3. Accuracy of the Auto-Generated Transcripts

Auto-generated transcripts are 86% accurate at best, according to studies. Accuracy may be affected by accents, background noise, and other factors. For a more precise transcript, choose a clear video with minimal background noise.

4. Modify the Generated Transcript Errors

If you notice errors in the transcript, you may need to edit and refine them in the downloaded file.

Given these challenges, a third-party YouTube transcript generator may be necessary for fast and highly accurate transcriptions. Long YouTube videos, such as webinars or online courses, can take longer to process and may require more than a few seconds to copy and paste manually. This makes a third-party tool an essential solution. Now, let's explore your best options.

Best YouTube Transcript Generator for Accurate Captions

EaseUS YouTube Transcript Generator allows you to transcribe YouTube to text or download those transcripts as SRT with one click using AI. As the best alternative to YouTube built-in transcript generator, this free online tool can do what the built-in YouTube transcript generator does, but with quick speed and a one-click download option.

Here are some features:

  • Fast and no subscription
  • Supports long videos with AI
  • Allows to download directly
  • Supports multiple languages

Go on checking how to use it to get and download the YouTube transcript with timestamps:

Step 1. Find the YouTube video and copy the video link;

Step 2. Paste the link into the EaseUS YouTube Transcript Generator and click the "Get video transcript;"

Step 3. Click the download button to save this transcript in text or srt.

Final Words

This article gives you detailed ways to open transcripts on YouTube and how to use this feature to quickly navigate a specific part of a video and capture video light and better understanding. We also list some issues and fixes you might encounter when using YouTube's built-in transcript generator. To get high-accuracy transcripts of YouTube videos, try to use EaseUS YouTube Transcript Generator, which is free, speedy, and allows you to download.

Share this on:

FAQs on How to Open Transcript on YouTube

1. How to turn on automatic captions on YouTube?

To turn on the automatic caption on YouTube:
Step 1. Click your profile picture;
Step 2. Click "Settings;"
Step 3. Click "Playback and performance" from the left-hand menu;
Step 4. Check the "Include auto-generated captions (when available).

2. How to control F on YouTube?

After showing the transcript on YouTube, you can use Ctrl + F to navigate to a specific topic quickly.

3. Can I download a YouTube transcript as text?

You can use EaseUS YouTube Transcript Generator to download a YouTube transcript as text or srt files.