YouTube to Text
Convert YouTube Videos to Text from a Link
Paste a public YouTube video or Shorts link to import an accessible caption track as searchable, export-ready text—no video download required.
- 01Paste a Public Video Link
- 02Choose a Caption Language
- 03Search, Copy, or Export
60 free minutes after signup · No credit card required · No video download needed
Create a transcript
Add a supported link or upload a recording to get searchable text.
After import
What You Get After Importing Captions
Each imported video becomes a readable, searchable transcript page in your private PodText workspace.
Title and Thumbnail Filled In
Paste the link and PodText brings in the video title and thumbnail for you.
Captions Grouped into Readable Passages
Short caption fragments are merged into timestamped passages that read like paragraphs.
Search the Whole Transcript
Find a name, idea, or topic inside a long video without scrubbing through it.
AI Summary, Chapters, Key Points, and Quotes
Generated from the imported text once the caption import completes.
Pick the Output That Fits the Job
Use the same imported captions in whichever form your next step needs.
| Output | Use it for | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Markdown | Research notes and study material | Keeps passage structure, ready for your notes app |
| TXT | Plain-text cleanup and rewriting | The most portable format |
| SRT / VTT | Continuing a subtitle workflow | Timed text you can bring into other video tools |
| Copy the text | Quotes and excerpts | Copy the full text, then keep the passage you need |
| AI summary and key points | Deciding whether to watch the full video | Generated after the import completes |
- Markdown
- Research notes and study material
- Keeps passage structure, ready for your notes app
- TXT
- Plain-text cleanup and rewriting
- The most portable format
- SRT / VTT
- Continuing a subtitle workflow
- Timed text you can bring into other video tools
- Copy the text
- Quotes and excerpts
- Copy the full text, then keep the passage you need
- AI summary and key points
- Deciding whether to watch the full video
- Generated after the import completes
Caption availability
Which Videos Can Be Imported
PodText imports only the caption tracks YouTube already exposes, so availability depends on the video.
Can be imported
- Public YouTube videos with accessible captions
- Public Shorts with accessible captions
- Creator-uploaded caption tracks
- YouTube-generated caption tracks
Cannot be imported
- Videos with no accessible caption track
- Private, unavailable, or access-restricted videos
- Audio re-transcription as a fallback for missing captions
Before import, choose from seven caption languages. What you get still depends on the captions available for that video.
No captions, but you have the video file?Upload it with Video to Text
Frequently Asked Questions
Check a YouTube Video for Accessible Captions
Paste a public video or Shorts link, choose a preferred caption language, and check whether captions can be imported.