YouTube transcription that ships in seconds
Turn any YouTube video into accurate SRT or VTT subtitles, ready to upload. 29+ languages, 95%+ accuracy, no watermarks, no waiting.
YouTube Transcription — Generate SRT & VTT Subtitles in Seconds
Captain Transcribe converts YouTube videos to text and subtitle files in under a minute. Upload your video file, get a fully timed SRT or VTT export, and upload it back to YouTube Studio. Free for the first 3 minutes, no credit card required.
Why creators use Captain Transcribe for YouTube
YouTube's auto-captions are good enough for accessibility but bad for engagement. They miss punctuation, fumble proper names, and break the rhythm of fast speakers. Captain Transcribe gives you a clean, editable transcript that you can refine in the in-browser editor before exporting. The SRT and VTT files you download are fully timed, properly punctuated, and ready for YouTube Studio, Premiere Pro, or DaVinci Resolve.
Built for the YouTube workflow
- Direct SRT and VTT export, no reformatting needed
- Three subtitle styles: Standard for landscape videos, Short for Shorts, Word-by-word for karaoke captions
- Editable timestamps right in the browser
- Custom vocabulary boost for channel-specific terms
- 29+ languages with automatic detection
How to transcribe a YouTube video in 3 steps
- 1Download your video file from YouTube Studio (or upload your raw export before publishing).
- 2Drop the file into Captain Transcribe and pick your output format — SRT for YouTube, VTT for HTML5 players.
- 3Download the subtitle file and upload it back to YouTube Studio under the Subtitles tab.
YouTube transcription FAQ
Can I transcribe a YouTube video directly from a URL?
Not yet. For now, download the video file from YouTube Studio and upload it to Captain Transcribe. Direct URL transcription is on the roadmap.
Does Captain Transcribe work for YouTube Shorts?
Yes. The Short subtitle style is specifically designed for vertical videos and Shorts, with shorter line lengths and faster pacing optimized for mobile viewing.
What's the maximum video length I can transcribe?
Free trial transcribes up to 3 minutes. Paid plans handle videos up to several hours, currently capped at 100 MB per file while we upgrade upload infrastructure. Long YouTube videos are split and reassembled automatically.
Ready to transcribe your first YouTube video?
Free trial, no credit card. 3 minutes on us.