For a public video, the most reliable subtitle-only method is yt-dlp:
yt-dlp --skip-download --write-subs --write-auto-subs --sub-langs en --sub-format srt --convert-subs srt "VIDEO_URL"Replace en with a language code shown by yt-dlp --list-subs "VIDEO_URL". The command requests available manual and automatic captions, skips the video download, and converts a supported source format to SRT.
Choose the method that matches your situation
| Situation | Best method | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| You own the video | YouTube Studio | Official caption-track download and editing controls |
| You need captions from someone else’s public video | yt-dlp |
Scriptable subtitle extraction without downloading video or audio |
| You only need to read or copy the words | YouTube’s Show transcript | Viewer transcript and navigation, not a documented universal SRT export |
| No usable caption track exists | Speech-to-text transcription | A new transcript made from audio, not YouTube’s original subtitles |
Do not use any method to bypass private, paid, members-only, deleted, age-restricted or otherwise unauthorized access. Downloading a file does not grant permission to republish or redistribute it.
Download captions from your own video in YouTube Studio
- Sign in to YouTube Studio.
- Choose Subtitles in the left menu.
- Select the video and then the caption language.
- Open the caption track’s options menu.
- Choose Download subtitles, then save or edit the file.
This owner workflow is documented by YouTube at its caption-download help page. The downloaded extension depends on the track and format choices; do not assume every Studio download is labeled .srt.
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Install yt-dlp
Use the project’s official installation instructions and releases rather than an unknown “subtitle downloader” website.
Windows
winget install yt-dlpYou can also use the official Windows executable from the latest releases page.
macOS
brew install yt-dlp
brew upgrade yt-dlpLinux and Android
Linux release binaries and distribution methods are listed in the official installation guide. Android users can run yt-dlp through Termux; the same guide covers that advanced setup. FFmpeg may be useful for some conversions.
Check which subtitle tracks exist
yt-dlp --list-subs "VIDEO_URL"Copy the exact language code shown in the output. A video may list manually uploaded captions, automatic captions, regional tags such as en-US, translated tracks, or no retrievable subtitles. A track visible in the player can still be unavailable to the tool because of access restrictions, rate limiting or a temporary extractor problem.
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Download a manually uploaded track
yt-dlp --skip-download --write-subs --sub-langs en --sub-format srt --convert-subs srt "VIDEO_URL"--skip-downloadskips the video download entirely.--write-subsrequests manually supplied subtitles.--sub-langs enselects English; substitute the exact code from--list-subs.--sub-format srtprefers SRT.--convert-subs srtconverts a supported source format to SRT.
These options and language-selection rules are defined in the current yt-dlp command-line options.
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Download automatic captions
yt-dlp --skip-download --write-auto-subs --sub-langs en --sub-format srt --convert-subs srt "VIDEO_URL"To try both creator-provided and machine-generated tracks:
yt-dlp --skip-download --write-subs --write-auto-subs --sub-langs en --sub-format srt --convert-subs srt "VIDEO_URL"Automatic captions are machine-generated drafts. Check names, numbers, technical terms, overlapping speech, punctuation, profanity and music descriptions before quoting, publishing or using them for accessibility. Automatically translated captions add another layer of uncertainty.
Download every language or regional variants
All available languages
yt-dlp --skip-download --write-subs --write-auto-subs --sub-langs all --sub-format srt --convert-subs srt "VIDEO_URL"all can create many files, including automatic and translated tracks. Request one exact code when you need a single subtitle file.
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yt-dlp --skip-download --write-subs --write-auto-subs --sub-langs "en.*" --sub-format srt --convert-subs srt "VIDEO_URL"The en.* pattern can match tags beginning with en, so more than one file may be produced. The same option syntax supports exclusions such as all,-live_chat.
Choose an output filename and folder
yt-dlp --skip-download --write-subs --write-auto-subs --sub-langs en --sub-format srt --convert-subs srt -o "%(title)s.%(ext)s" "VIDEO_URL"To put files in a dedicated directory:
yt-dlp --skip-download --write-subs --write-auto-subs --sub-langs en --sub-format srt --convert-subs srt -o "subtitles/%(title)s.%(ext)s" "VIDEO_URL"The final name can include a language suffix. Exact naming depends on extractor metadata and the output template; do not expect a literal filename such as captions.srt.
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When the result is VTT instead of SRT
WebVTT is a valid timed subtitle format, but it is not interchangeable with SRT. First retry with:
yt-dlp --skip-download --write-subs --sub-langs en --sub-format srt --convert-subs srt "VIDEO_URL"If conversion is unavailable, keep the .vtt file and convert it with a reputable subtitle editor. Renaming .vtt to .srt does not convert its header and timestamp syntax. YouTube describes supported formats at its caption-format guide.
Understand the SRT file
SubRip is plain UTF-8 text organized into numbered caption blocks:
1
00:00:00,599 --> 00:00:04,160
Hello, and welcome.
2
00:00:04,160 --> 00:00:06,770
Today we are discussing subtitles.Each block contains a sequence number, start and end timecodes, caption text and a blank line. Basic SRT does not preserve advanced styling or positioning in the same way as richer caption formats.
Need plain transcript text instead?
SRT is inherently timestamped. Download the SRT, then use a subtitle editor or text-processing script to remove sequence numbers and timecode lines. The resulting document is plain text, not an SRT, and should be proofread.
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Troubleshoot common failures
No subtitles found
- Run
--list-subsand use the exact code it reports. - Add
--write-auto-subsif only automatic captions exist. - Confirm the video is public and available to your account and region.
- Update the tool, then retry:
yt-dlp -U
yt-dlp --list-subs "VIDEO_URL"
yt-dlp --skip-download --write-subs --write-auto-subs --sub-langs "EXACT_CODE" --sub-format srt --convert-subs srt "VIDEO_URL"For official update paths, see the installation documentation. YouTube changes can temporarily break an older extractor, and rate limiting can also interfere.
The file is empty or lacks dialogue
The selected track may be metadata-only, incorrectly identified, unavailable in the requested language, or unable to recognize the speech. Compare it with YouTube’s displayed captions and try another listed track.
Several files appeared
This is expected with all or en.*. Use one exact language code for a single output.
There is no caption track
A downloader cannot retrieve subtitles that do not exist or cannot be accessed. Create a new speech-to-text transcript instead, and label it as a transcription rather than an original YouTube caption file.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Viewer transcript versus downloadable subtitle file
For a public video, YouTube’s documented viewer feature is Show transcript: open the video, expand the description and select Show transcript. It is intended for reading and navigation, as described at YouTube’s transcript help page. It is not documented as a universal viewer-facing SRT download control.
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- This USB drive provides plug and play simplicity with the included 18 inch USB 3.0 cable
- The available storage capacity may vary.
Advanced developer option: YouTube Data API
The YouTube Data API captions.download method can return SRT or VTT for an authorized caption resource. It is designed for applications managing caption resources they are permitted to access, not arbitrary public-video downloading; insufficient permissions can produce HTTP 403 Forbidden.
Phone-only workflows
YouTube’s transcript feature is practical for reading on a phone. A dependable SRT workflow is generally easier on a desktop because yt-dlp is command-line based. Android users can use Termux with the documented setup, while iPhone and Android browsers should not be assumed to save every caption track directly as .srt.
Rights and responsible use
Keep downloaded captions for uses you are authorized to make. Respect the creator’s copyright, privacy, accessibility work, platform rules and any licensing terms. Do not use subtitle extraction to defeat authentication, paywalls, geographic controls or other access restrictions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I download subtitles without downloading the video?
Yes. Use --skip-download with --write-subs or --write-auto-subs.
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Often, if a retrievable caption track exists, yt-dlp can request it. Availability depends on the video, language, access and current extractor support.
How do I select another language?
Run yt-dlp --list-subs "VIDEO_URL", then put the exact reported code in --sub-langs.
Can I download captions from a private video?
Do not assume so. Use only an authorized owner or account workflow and comply with the video’s access terms.
Is YouTube’s transcript the same as an SRT?
No. A transcript is readable text; SRT is a timed file containing numbered caption blocks and timecodes.
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