Learn How to Download YouTube Captions and Transcripts Quickly and Accurately
How to Download Captions from YouTube Videos
YouTube is one of the most popular platforms for watching and sharing videos online. It has millions of videos on various topics, from entertainment and education to news and sports. Many of these videos have captions, which are text versions of the audio that appear on the screen. Captions can help you understand what is being said in the video, especially if you have hearing difficulties, speak a different language, or want to learn new words.
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But did you know that you can also download captions from YouTube videos and save them as text files on your computer? This can be useful for many reasons, such as offline viewing, studying, note-taking, and research. In this article, we will show you how to download captions from YouTube videos as text files using two simple methods. We will also show you how to use the downloaded captions for different purposes, such as editing, adding, or converting them.
Why You Might Want to Download YouTube Captions
Benefits of downloading captions
Downloading captions from YouTube videos can have many benefits, such as:
Improving your comprehension and retention of the video content
Enhancing your language skills and vocabulary
Creating your own notes or summaries of the video
Quoting or citing the video in your academic or professional work
Sharing the video with others who might not have access to YouTube or the internet
Having a backup copy of the captions in case they are removed or changed by the video creator
Types of captions available on YouTube
There are two types of captions available on YouTube:
Auto-generated captions: These are captions that are automatically created by YouTube using speech recognition technology. They are not always accurate or complete, and they may not include punctuation or capitalization. They are usually indicated by a gray "CC" icon below the video.
Manually created captions: These are captions that are created by the video creator or a third-party service. They are usually more accurate and complete, and they may include punctuation, capitalization, and other formatting. They are usually indicated by a white "CC" icon below the video.
You can download both types of captions from YouTube videos, but you may prefer manually created captions for better quality and readability.
How to Download Captions from YouTube Videos as Text Files
Method 1: Copying transcripts from YouTube
This method involves copying the transcript of the captions from YouTube and pasting it into a text document. This is a quick and easy way to download captions as text files, but it may not preserve the formatting or the timing of the captions. Here are the steps to follow:
Step 1: Navigate to a YouTube video with subtitles
Go to YouTube and find a video that has captions. You can use the filter option to search for videos with subtitles. You can also check if a video has captions by looking for the "CC" icon below the video.
Step 2: Click below the video
Below the video, you will see three dots (...) next to the "Save" button. Click on them to open a menu.
Step 3: Click Open Transcript
In the menu, you will see an option called "Open transcript". Click on it to open a sidebar that shows the transcript of the captions.
How to download YouTube subtitles as text files
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Save YouTube subtitles as PDF or Word documents
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Download YouTube subtitles with timestamps
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Download YouTube subtitles for offline viewing
Download multiple YouTube subtitles at once
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Download YouTube subtitles for free
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Step 4: Click followed by Toggle Timestamps (Optional)
In the sidebar, you will see three dots () at the top right corner. Click on them to open another menu. In the menu, you will see an option called "Toggle timestamps". Click on it to hide or show the timestamps of the captions. You may want to hide them if you don't need them in your text document.
Step 5: Open a new text document
On your computer, open a new text document using a program like Notepad or WordPad. You can also use an online text editor like Google Docs or Microsoft Word Online.
Step 6: Highlight and copy the entire transcript text
In the sidebar, highlight and copy the entire transcript text by using your mouse or keyboard shortcuts. You can also use the "Select all" option in the menu () to select everything at once.
Step 7: Copy and paste the transcript
In your text document, paste the transcript text by using your mouse or keyboard shortcuts. You can also use the "Paste" option in the menu of your text editor.
Step 8: Save the transcript
Save your text document by using your mouse or keyboard shortcuts. You can also use the "Save" option in the menu of your text editor. Give your document a name and choose a location where you want to save it.
Method 2: Using a subtitle downloader
This method involves using a subtitle downloader website that can download captions from YouTube videos in different formats, such as TXT or SRT. This is a more convenient and reliable way to download captions as text files, but it may require an internet connection and some extra steps. Here are the steps to follow:
Step 1: Navigate to a YouTube video with subtitles
Go to YouTube and find a video that has captions. You can use the filter option to search for videos with subtitles. You can also check if a video has captions by looking for the "CC" icon below the video.
Step 2: Copy the video URL
Copy the URL of the video from your browser's address bar. You can also right-click on the video and choose "Copy video URL" from the menu.
Step 3: Go to a subtitle downloader website
Go to a subtitle downloader website that can download captions from YouTube videos, such as DownSub, SaveSubs, or Y2Mate. You can find more websites by searching for "YouTube subtitle downloader" on Google or Bing.
Step 4: Paste the video URL and select the language
Paste the video URL into the input box on the website and click on "Download" or "Search". The website will show you a list of available captions for the video in different languages. Select the language that you want to download and click on it.
Step 5: Download the caption file in TXT or SRT format
The website will show you a preview of the caption file and give you options to download it in different formats, such as TXT or SRT. Choose the format that you prefer and click on "Download" or "Save". The caption file will be downloaded to your computer as a text file.
How to Use the Downloaded Captions for Different Purposes
How to edit captions in a text editor
If you want to edit captions in a text editor, you can open them with any program that can read text files, such as Notepad, WordPad, Google Docs, or Microsoft Word Online. You can then make changes to the text, such as correcting spelling, grammar, punctuation, capitalization, or formatting. You can also add, delete, or rearrange the captions as you wish. However, be careful not to change the meaning or context of the captions, as they should match the audio of the video.
How to add captions to another video or platform
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