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How to Transcribe a YouTube Video

To transcribe a YouTube video, copy the video URL and paste it into LiteScribe. It downloads the audio, transcribes it with timestamps and speaker labels, and adds an AI summary and topic tags. No manual download or file conversion is needed, and it works in 100+ languages.

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How it works

  1. 1

    Copy the YouTube link

    Open the video on YouTube and copy its URL. Videos, Shorts, and live stream recordings all work.

  2. 2

    Paste it into LiteScribe

    Paste the link into the upload screen. LiteScribe downloads the audio, extracts it, and starts transcribing automatically.

  3. 3

    Get a clean transcript

    Your transcript arrives with timestamps, speaker labels, an AI summary, and topic tags so you can scan and search it quickly.

  4. 4

    Repurpose the content

    Export to TXT, SRT for captions, DOCX, PDF, or PPTX, or ask AI to turn the video into a blog outline or key takeaways.

When the recording should stay on your machine

Some recordings are not worth uploading anywhere, whatever the tool promises. For a saved file, the LiteScribe desktop app offers meeting notes with no extra participant in the room, running the speech model and the AI summary locally so the recording never leaves your computer. The web and mobile apps transcribe in the cloud, so this is a desktop-only path. See how Local Mode works for what runs where.

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Paste the YouTube URL into LiteScribe and it transcribes the video automatically. LiteScribe includes 120 free transcription minutes every month with no credit card required, so short and medium videos can be transcribed at no cost.

No. LiteScribe downloads the audio and transcribes it for you. You only paste the link, and you never need to download or convert anything yourself.

Yes. Export your transcript as an SRT subtitle file to use directly in video editors or to upload as captions on YouTube. Timestamps are included automatically.

Yes. LiteScribe handles long videos, including lectures, podcasts, and live stream recordings. Very long videos simply take a bit more time to process.

Yes. With 100+ languages and automatic language detection, LiteScribe transcribes YouTube videos in nearly any major language without manual configuration.

More transcription guides

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Vimeo Videos

Paste a Vimeo link and get a clean, timestamped transcript with captions, an AI summary, and topic tags.

Podcasts

Convert any podcast episode into accurate, searchable text with speaker labels and chapters.

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Ready to get started?

Start transcribing for free today. 120 minutes every month, no credit card required.

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