Subtitle files, not just text on a screen
Most transcript sites let you read captions but not keep them. If you are editing video, publishing to the web, or archiving content, you don't need text in a browser tab; you need a proper subtitle file with timings. This tool downloads exactly that, from any public YouTube video, for free.
Pick the format for the job
SubRip (.srt) is the format almost everything accepts: Premiere Pro, DaVinci Resolve, Final Cut, CapCut, VLC, and nearly every captioning workflow. WebVTT (.vtt) is what HTML5 video and modern web players expect, ready to reference from a <track> tag. Plain text (.txt) comes in two flavors: clean paragraphs for reading and notes, or timestamped lines for reference. All of them export with one click from the Download menu.
Timings you can trust
The downloaded files preserve the cue timings exactly as YouTube serves them, with start and end times clamped so cues never overlap. Drop the .srt onto your editing timeline and the lines land where the words are spoken; publish the .vtt with your web video and the captions stay in sync.
Every language, both kinds of captions
Videos often carry more than one caption track: subtitles the creator uploaded, translations, and YouTube's auto-generated captions. The language picker lists them all, and whichever one you are viewing is the one that downloads. Auto-generated tracks are labeled "(auto)" so you always know the source, and the optional punctuation cleanup can make them read like proper sentences before you export.
Why creators use this before re-uploading
Re-posting a video to another platform without captions throws away accessibility and reach. Downloading the SRT from the original YouTube upload takes seconds and travels with the video wherever it goes next: courses, social platforms, media libraries, or a client hand-off.
Just need the words without the files? The YouTube to text converter gives you clean, copyable paragraphs, and the home page covers everything else the tool does.
Downloading YouTube subtitles: common questions
How do I download subtitles from a YouTube video?
Paste the video link into the box above, open the Download menu over the transcript, and pick a format: SubRip (.srt), WebVTT (.vtt), or plain text (.txt, with or without timestamps). The file saves instantly; there is no sign-up and no watermark.
What is the difference between SRT and VTT?
Both are subtitle files. SRT is the older, near-universal format that video editors and media players expect. VTT is the web-native format used by HTML5 video and most modern platforms. If you are unsure, SRT is the safe choice for editing software and VTT for websites.
Will the downloaded subtitles stay in sync with the video?
Yes. The SRT and VTT files keep the exact cue timings from YouTube’s caption data, so each line appears and disappears at the same moment it does on YouTube.
Can I download auto-generated subtitles?
Yes. Both uploaded and auto-generated caption tracks can be downloaded, in any language the video has. Auto-generated tracks are marked “(auto)” in the language picker, and you can tidy their punctuation with the “Fix punctuation” option before downloading.