HotCopyYouTube Transcript Generator
Turn any YouTube video into clean, searchable text. Paste the link, get the full transcript with timestamps, then translate, summarize, or export it in the format you need.
Get the transcriptAdd to Chrome
How it works
- Copy the YouTube video URL (watch links, youtu.be share links and Shorts work).
- Paste it into HotCopy and sign in. Captions are pulled when the video has them; videos without captions can be transcribed from the audio.
- Read the transcript with timestamps, translate it, ask for an AI summary, or export it as TXT, SRT, VTT, Word, PDF or Markdown.
What you can do with a YouTube transcript
- Study faster: skim a 2-hour lecture as text and jump to the exact timestamp you need.
- Translate: translate the transcript or subtitle file into 188 languages, keeping timestamps for SRT/VTT.
- Summarize: get key points, chapter outlines and mind maps from long videos.
- Reuse: send the transcript to ChatGPT, Claude or other AI assistants with one click, or turn it into a blog post or notes.
Export formats
| Format | Best for |
|---|---|
| TXT / Markdown | Notes, Notion, Obsidian, pasting into an AI chat |
| SRT / VTT | Subtitle files with timestamps for video editors and players |
| Word / PDF | Sharing, printing, study handouts and archives |
Chrome extension
Prefer to stay on YouTube? The HotCopy Chrome extension (v0.3.4, on the Chrome Web Store) extracts the transcript from the page you are watching and opens it in HotCopy.
FAQ
Is the YouTube transcript generator free?
New accounts get a one-time free allowance of caption and transcription minutes; paid plans add unlimited daily caption extraction and more audio transcription. See the pricing page inside the workspace for current numbers.
What if the video has no captions?
HotCopy can transcribe the audio with speech recognition when no caption track is available. This uses transcription minutes.
Can I download YouTube subtitles as SRT or VTT?
Yes. Export the transcript as SRT or VTT with timestamps, or as TXT, Word, PDF or Markdown.
Can I translate a YouTube transcript?
Yes, into 188 languages. Translated subtitles keep their timestamps when exported as SRT or VTT.
Does it work with YouTube Shorts and long videos?
Yes. Shorts, regular videos and multi-hour lectures or podcasts on YouTube are supported, subject to your plan limits.