How to Copy a YouTube Transcript
Paste a YouTube link, then select Copy text to put the whole transcript on your clipboard as plain text, without timestamps. Paste it into notes, a document, or ChatGPT. It's free, with no sign-up and nothing to install.
Copy a YouTube transcript in three steps
- Copy the video link. On a computer, copy it from the address bar. In the YouTube app, tap Share, then Copy link. Use one public video, not a playlist.
- Paste it and choose Get transcript. PasteQuill checks the video's existing captions and shows the transcript on this page.
- Select Copy text. The full transcript goes to your clipboard as plain text. Paste it wherever you need it.
Copy the transcript without timestamps
Copy text leaves out the timestamps and keeps the caption text in order, so you don't have to clean up a column of times after you paste. The timestamps stay on this page: each one opens that moment in the YouTube video, which helps when you need to check a line.
YouTube's own Show transcript panel lists a timestamp next to every line, so selecting text there usually brings the times along. For other ways to view a transcript, see how to get the transcript of a YouTube video.
Where to paste a copied transcript
ChatGPT or another AI assistant
Paste the text with a clear request, such as a summary for a specific reader or a list of the main steps. Our guide to summarizing a YouTube video with ChatGPT has prompts you can copy. Check the answer against the transcript before you rely on it.
Notes and documents
Paste the transcript into your notes app, Google Docs, or Word, and keep the video link at the top. For a method that turns the raw text into organized notes, see how to turn a YouTube video into notes.
On your phone
Copying a long transcript from YouTube's panel on a phone means a lot of scrolling and selecting. Here, Copy text takes the whole thing at once, ready to paste into a message or a notes app.
Need a file instead?
The download buttons beside the result save the same transcript as TXT (plain text) or SRT (timed subtitle cues). If you're after a subtitle file, the YouTube subtitle downloader explains SRT in more detail.
What gets copied, and what doesn't
- Source: the video's existing captions, including auto-generated captions when YouTube makes them available that way.
- Included: the spoken words in the caption track, in order, as plain text.
- Not included: timestamps, on-screen text, slides, charts, or gestures.
- No captions: public videos up to 3 minutes may be offered free AI transcription, which you confirm first.
- How long results last: 24 hours, then submit the video again.
Caption quality depends on the source, so check names, numbers, and quotes against the video before you use them.
FAQ
Is copying a YouTube transcript free?
Yes. Copying a video's existing captions is free and does not require an account. Request limits apply. For public videos without captions, free AI transcription accepts videos up to 3 minutes long, with up to two videos and 20 minutes per UTC day, subject to the service's shared daily capacity.
Does Copy text include timestamps?
No. Copy text puts the full transcript on your clipboard as plain text without timestamps. The timestamps stay on the page, where each one opens that moment in the YouTube video. If you need timing in a file, download SRT.
Can I paste the transcript into ChatGPT?
Yes. Copy the text and paste it into ChatGPT or another AI assistant you use, along with your request. Check its answer against the transcript before you rely on it.
Can I copy transcripts from a playlist or a private video?
No. It accepts one public video link at a time. Playlist links and links that include a list parameter are rejected. Private videos, age- or region-restricted videos, and unavailable captions can prevent it from working.
Want to read the transcript first? Start with the free YouTube transcript generator.