How to Convert YouTube Audio to Text | Best Transcript Generator

Are you looking for a way to convert YouTube audio to text? Discover step-by-step methods to transcribe YouTube audio to text and explore practical YouTube transcript generators and tips for accurate transcriptions.

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Melissa Lee

Updated on May 01, 2025

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Converting YouTube audio to text is essential for creating subtitles, repurposing content, and enhancing accessibility. Whether you're a student, marketer, or creator, this guide covers the best tools and methods to transcribe YouTube audio and video effortlessly and efficiently.

Why Transcribe YouTube Audio to Text

Transcribing audio to text YouTube offers numerous benefits, making it a valuable process for content creators and viewers.

  • Enhanced accessibility: Meet the needs of audiences who prefer to read rather than listen, and make content easily accessible to people who are deaf or hard of hearing.
  • Repurpose content: Create blog posts, articles, or social media snippets to increase the value of content.
  • Support learning: Help users quickly browse text information, making it easier for language learners to learn.
  • Simplified content management: Generating highly accurate text helps easily modify and target specific content of the text.

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Transcribe YouTube Video Audio to Text with Built-in Tool

Ideal for quick reference or simple extraction, but lacks advanced features like exporting to different formats or editing.

YouTube itself offers a built-in YouTube audio-to-text converter that allows users to extract transcripts directly from many videos. This will display the transcript on the right side of the video player. You can toggle timestamps on or off according to your preference.

Pros Cons
  • Free and no need for external software.
  • Instant access to get the transcript for many YouTube videos.
  • Cannot directly edit and need to drag the mouse to copy the transcripts.
  • Not all videos have transcripts available.
  • Accuracy depends on the original auto-caption quality.

Steps to use YouTube to transcribe audio with YouTube built-in tool:

Step 1. Open the YouTube video you want to transcribe.

Step 2. Click on the ...more icon below the video title.

youtube more button

Step 3. Click on the Show Transcript button.

youtube show transcript

Step 4. You can also click Toggle timestamps to show timelines.

youtube audio to text

Best Way to Convert YouTube Audio to Text via EaseUS Screen Recorder

Ideal for creators and professionals needing reliable, editable text for further use.

For a more versatile and powerful option, EaseUS RecExperts offers an excellent solution to effortlessly convert YouTube audio and video to text. This recorder and YouTube audio converter to text tool supports transcription from any source without restrictions, including YouTube Shorts, music, podcasts, and more. Besides, as a powerful screen recorder, it can record audio from YouTube on Mac and Windows.

Pros Cons
  • Support for over 20 languages.
  • Save transcripts as editable and searchable .txt files.
  • Support converting any local video or audio files to text.
  • The conversion process is slow for long files.

Guide on how to convert YouTube audio to text with EaseUS screen recorder:

Step 1. Launch EaseUS RecExperts and enter the list of recordings in the lower left corner of the UI.

enter recordings list

Step 2. Choose the video you want to convert and then right click on the video. Then click on Edit and AI Assistant.

right click and choose ai assistant

Step 3. Choose the language according to your own needs. Or you can change the default file location as you like. Then click on Start.

choose language

Step 4. It will automatically help you convert the video to text. You just need to wait a few seconds, as the time depends on the size of a video file.

it will export the text file

Step 5. After that, you will get a txt file. Open it, you will find that the sound in the video has been accurately translated into text.

get a txt file

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Get Audio Transcription YouTube Extension

For users who prefer browser-based solutions, several Chrome extensions like YouTube To Text can automatically generate transcripts while you watch videos. The audio-to-text converter extension is convenient for frequent transcribers who want to simplify the process without switching apps or websites.

YouTube To Text can generate an accurate YouTube transcript automatically. It supports multiple languages, making it versatile for a global audience. The extension is ad-free and respects your privacy, ensuring a seamless and secure experience.

Features:

  • Extract YouTube audio to text transcription in real-time.
  • Allow easy copying, editing, and exporting of transcripts.
  • Support multiple languages and formats.

Steps on how to get a transcript of YouTube video and audio:

Step 1. Install the extension from the Chrome Web Store.

add youtube to text extension

Step 2. Launch this YouTube To Text extension and click on the Open YouTube for Transcriptions to open a new YouTube window.

open youtube for transcription

Step 3. Open the video you want to transcribe and this extension will automatically convert speech to text. You can view the text output on the right side of the page.

youtube to text

Transcribe YouTube Audio to Text Free Online

There are numerous online YouTube transcript generators designed specifically to extract transcripts from YouTube MP3 quickly and accurately. These tools typically require you to paste the YouTube video URL. They simplify the process of converting YouTube videos to text with minimal effort and provide searchable, editable transcripts in different text formats. Popular options include NoteGPT, Media.io, 360Converter, Veed.io, and so on. Here we take NoteGPT as an example:

NoteGPT YouTube transcript generator makes it easy to convert YouTube to text with timestamps in seconds. It offers highly accurate transcriptions in over 50 languages, and you can easily copy and download the transcript. The Locate transcript to current video frame function lets you check the transcript and video easily.

Note:

  • You can get 15 free quotas per month
  • Depends on the network environment

Steps on YouTube audio to text converter online free with NoteGPT:

Step 1. Visit its official website and paste the YouTube video URL in its toolbar.

Step 2. Click the Generate Transcript to convert text, or you can summarize the text if needed.

notegpt youtube text generator

Convert YouTube Speech to Text Using Google Docs

Google Docs provides a free method to transcribe YouTube audio via its Voice Typing feature. While this method can be easy-to-use, it has some limitations like the accuracy is not very high.

Pros Cons
  • Free and accessible to anyone with a Google account.
  • Allows editing and formatting within Google Docs.
  • Requires a good microphone setup, allowing visit the site.
  • Accuracy depends on audio clarity and speed; not suitable for fast speakers or noisy environments.
  • May be time-consuming as the file is very long

Here's how to transcribe audio to text YouTube via Google Docs:

Step 1. Open a new Google Docs document.

Step 2. Navigate to Tools > Voice typing.

google docs voice typing tool

Step 3. Open the YouTube video in a separate window and play it.

Step 4. Click the microphone icon in Google Docs to start converting audio YouTube to text.

google docs voice typing

Note: If needed, you can adjust the playback speed to 0.5 or 0.75 on YouTube.

Step 5. Google Docs will convert the YouTube audio into text in real-time.

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To Wrap Up

Converting YouTube audio to text can significantly enhance the accessibility and utility of your video content. Whether you use YouTube's built-in transcript feature, Google Docs voice typing, dedicated software like EaseUS Screen Recorder, or an online YouTube voice to text converter, you can generate YouTube transcripts accurately.

These transcripts are searchable, editable, and exportable in different text formats, making them invaluable for content creators, marketers, students, and anyone looking to simplify converting YouTube audio to text.

FAQs on How to Transcribe YouTube Audio to Text

1. How to get YouTube to transcribe video?

You can get a transcript by clicking the "More" icon below the video and selecting "Show transcript" if available. Alternatively, use online tools or software to extract transcripts by pasting the video URL or recording the audio.

2. Is it legal to transcribe YouTube audio?

Transcribing YouTube audio for personal use, research, or repurposing is usually legal, but for commercial or public use, you must respect copyright and get permission or give proper credit.

3. Can ChatGPT transcribe audio?

ChatGPT can't transcribe audio directly, but it can make summary transcripts with other tools. For accurate transcription, use specialized AI services like NoteGPT.

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