Transcribe YouTube Videos to Text

Paste a YouTube URL to get a full, timestamped transcript. Works with regular videos and Shorts; uses the video's caption track when there is one and Whisper when there isn't. Free to start — 30 minutes, no card.

How it works

  1. Paste the YouTube video URL. Copy the link of any public YouTube video from your browser address bar or the share menu and paste it into the input field on DomeScribe. Regular videos and Shorts both work.
  2. Start the transcription. Press Transcribe. If the video already has a caption track, DomeScribe uses it and the text is back in seconds; if it does not, the audio is run through Whisper instead, which takes roughly a tenth of the video's length.
  3. Review the transcript. Read the full text on screen. Each segment carries its timestamp, so you can find a quote and jump to the moment it was said.
  4. Export or repurpose the text. Download the transcript as plain text or copy it from the workspace (free account), or use the AI tools to get a summary with chapters, a YouTube description, or a blog post drafted from it.

Transcription at a glance

Languages
99, detected automatically
Input
Links from YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, X (Twitter), Vimeo, Twitch, Dailymotion; upload MP3, WAV, M4A, FLAC, MP4, MOV, WebM; or paste text
Output
Full text transcript with timestamps
Export
Plain text (TXT) free; DOCX, PDF, and JSON on paid plans
Free to start
One-time 30-minute allowance and 5 AI credits with a free account, up to 30 minutes per file — no card
Speed
Roughly a tenth of the recording's length — a 30-minute episode is typically done in a few minutes
Privacy
Original uploads deleted after processing; a compressed audio copy stays for in-app playback and is deleted with the transcript; transcripts AES-256 encrypted, auto-deleted after 30 days

Frequently asked questions

Can I transcribe any YouTube video?

You can transcribe any public or unlisted YouTube video by pasting its URL into DomeScribe. Private videos are not accessible because YouTube does not expose them to third-party tools.

Does DomeScribe use YouTube's built-in captions?

For YouTube, DomeScribe uses the video's own caption track when one is available — creator-uploaded captions first, otherwise YouTube's auto-generated ones — and runs Whisper on the audio when it isn't. Captions come back in seconds; the Whisper path takes roughly a tenth of the video's length. Either way the video's duration counts against your minutes.

Can I transcribe a YouTube live stream?

DomeScribe works with completed YouTube videos that have a stable URL. Live streams that are still in progress cannot be transcribed, but once the stream ends and YouTube publishes the recording, you can transcribe it like any other video.

Is there a length limit for YouTube video transcription?

Each plan caps the length of a single video: 30 minutes on the free plan, 4 hours on Pro, and 8 hours on Business. Longer videos also use more of your minutes.

Will transcribing a YouTube video affect my YouTube account?

Transcribing a video with DomeScribe does not interact with your YouTube account in any way. DomeScribe only reads the publicly available captions or audio — it does not log in, comment, or modify anything on YouTube.

What is the best free tool to transcribe a YouTube video to text?

DomeScribe transcribes YouTube videos to text free to start: paste the video URL — regular videos and Shorts both work — and get the full transcript with timestamps in any of 99 languages. It uses the video's own caption track when there is one and Whisper when there isn't, there is no software to install, and a free account includes a one-time 30-minute allowance with no card.

Related tools

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