YouTube link → searchable document

YouTube Transcript Generator

Paste a YouTube URL and turn the spoken content into a transcript you can search, summarize, translate, annotate, and export.

Start with a link

Bring a video into PlainScribe

Account required

Your link stays filled in after authentication. You confirm the job before any credits are used.

0.25 credits per video

Up to 4 hours

Failed jobs are refunded

Search every spoken word
Generate summaries and notes
Translate the transcript
Export text and subtitles

One source, several outputs

More useful than a wall of copied captions

YouTube's built-in transcript is useful when you only need to read along. PlainScribe turns the video into a working document—organized alongside your uploaded recordings and ready for the next step.

  • Find names, claims, and quotes without scrubbing through the video
  • Create a concise summary or develop structured notes
  • Translate the transcript and export translated text
  • Download reusable TXT, Markdown, CSV, SRT, and VTT files

A finished YouTube transcript

Searchable · timestamped · exportable

Ready
TranscriptTranslateSummaryNotes
Search transcript…
01:14
02:33
03:52
TXTMDCSVSRTVTT

How it works

From link to useful document

01

Paste the YouTube URL

Enter a standard video, Shorts, youtu.be, or live replay link on this page.

02

Confirm in your dashboard

Sign in or create an account. Your link arrives prefilled, and you decide when to start.

03

Work with the transcript

Search, summarize, take notes, translate, or download the format you need.

Built for real follow-up work

What people do after transcription

Frequently asked questions

How do I transcribe a YouTube video from its link?

Paste the YouTube URL above, create or sign in to your PlainScribe account, and confirm the job in your transcription dashboard. PlainScribe adds the video to your queue and returns a searchable, timestamped transcript when processing finishes.

Is the YouTube transcript generator free?

The landing page is public, but transcription requires a PlainScribe account and 0.25 credits per video. New accounts include starter credits, and a failed YouTube job is automatically refunded.

How long can a YouTube video be?

PlainScribe accepts supported YouTube videos up to 4 hours long. Standard watch URLs, youtu.be links, Shorts links, and live replay URLs are recognized.

What can I do with the finished transcript?

Search the transcript, adjust paragraph length, show speaker labels when available, create a summary, write or enhance notes, translate the text, and export TXT, Markdown, CSV, SRT, or VTT files.

Does this replace YouTube’s built-in transcript?

If you only need to read a captioned video, YouTube’s built-in transcript may be enough. PlainScribe is useful when you want a reusable document, search, summaries, notes, translation, or downloadable transcript and subtitle formats in one workspace.

Have a YouTube link ready?

Paste it above. We'll carry it into your dashboard so you can confirm and start the transcription.

Start with a YouTube URL