Do All YouTube Videos Have Transcripts?
No. YouTube shows a transcript only when a video has captions, either added by the creator or generated automatically by YouTube. Most videos with clear speech get automatic captions, but some never do. Here's why that happens, how to check a video, and what you can do when there's no transcript.
How YouTube transcripts work
The transcript panel on YouTube is built from the video's captions. If a video has a caption track, YouTube can show it as a transcript next to the video. If it has none, there is no transcript to show, and the Show transcript button doesn't appear.
Captions come from two places. Creators can upload or type their own, and YouTube can generate automatic captions with speech recognition. In the player's settings menu, automatic tracks are marked "(auto-generated)".
Why some YouTube videos don't have a transcript
- The video is new. Automatic captions may not be ready when a video is first uploaded. Processing takes longer when the audio is complex.
- The language isn't supported. Automatic captions cover dozens of languages, but not every language.
- The video is very long. YouTube lists length as one reason automatic captions may not be created.
- The audio is hard to recognize. Poor sound quality, a long silence at the start, or several people or languages overlapping can stop automatic captions from being created.
- There's no speech. Instrumental music, ambient videos and silent clips have nothing to caption.
- The creator removed the captions. Creators can edit or remove captions in YouTube Studio, including automatic ones, and many never add their own.
- It's a live stream. Live automatic captions are English-only and not available on every channel. After the stream ends, YouTube creates new automatic captions for the recording.
YouTube explains the full list in its help article on automatic captions.
Why the Show transcript button is missing
If the video has captions, the button is usually there but easy to miss. On a computer, click ...more under the video to expand the description, then scroll to the end of it. In the YouTube app, tap the description and scroll down. If the button still isn't there, the video almost certainly has no captions.
For step-by-step instructions on every device, see how to get the transcript of a YouTube video.
How to check if a YouTube video has captions
- Look for the CC button in the player. If it's missing or grayed out, the video has no captions.
- Open Settings (the gear icon) and choose Subtitles/CC to see every caption track. Tracks marked "(auto-generated)" come from YouTube's speech recognition.
- Search for videos with captions. On YouTube search results, open Filters and choose Subtitles/CC.
What to do when there's no transcript
| Situation | What you can do |
|---|---|
| Someone else's video has no captions | Use a tool that can transcribe the audio, such as PasteQuill when AI transcription is available. |
| The video was uploaded recently | Check again later. Automatic captions may still be processing. |
| It's your own video | Set the video's language or upload a caption file in YouTube Studio under Subtitles. |
| The creator publishes scripts or show notes | Look in the description or on the creator's website for a written version. |
How to get a transcript when YouTube doesn't have one
Paste the video link into the YouTube transcript generator. PasteQuill checks for captions first. If there are none, public videos up to 3 minutes may be offered free AI transcription, which starts only after you confirm. The result is labeled AI transcription, so you always know where the text came from. Pro extends AI transcription to videos up to 60 minutes. See pricing.
AI transcription can mishear names and technical terms, just like automatic captions. Check anything you quote against the video.
FAQ
Does every YouTube video get automatic captions?
No. YouTube creates automatic captions only for videos in supported languages with speech it can recognize. Poor sound quality, very long videos and overlapping speakers can also stop them from being created, and creators can remove them.
Can I get a transcript of a YouTube video without captions?
Yes, for some videos. PasteQuill can transcribe public videos up to 3 minutes with AI after you confirm. Pro covers videos up to 60 minutes.
Do YouTube Shorts have transcripts?
Some do. A Short has a transcript only if it has captions. Paste the Shorts link into PasteQuill to check; it reads the same captions YouTube uses.
How long does YouTube take to add automatic captions?
YouTube doesn't publish an exact time. Automatic captions may not be ready right after upload, and videos with complex audio take longer to process. If they never appear, the language or audio may not be supported.
Check a video in seconds: paste its link into the free YouTube transcript generator to see whether it has captions and get the text.