Convert YouTube Sounds to Wider Reach: MP3 for Mac Users

How to Convert YouTube Videos to MP3 Songs on Mac

Richard Bennett

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Ever see a video from YouTube and want to convert to an MP3 of that song for your computer, smartphone or tablet? Want to convert YouTube videos into audios and download them as ringtones, or share them with friends? A YouTube MP3 converter for Mac lets you do those things quickly and easily, without any special computer knowledge.

The major choice you face is whether to use an online YouTube MP3 converter for Mac with high quality, or use a program to convert YouTube videos into MP3s. We’ll take a look at both options and recommend some websites and programs for you to use.

• Part1. Desktop Softwares for Mac to Convert YouTube Videos into MP3s
• Part 2. Online YouTube MP3 Converters for Mac

Part1. Desktop Softwares for Mac to Convert YouTube Videos into MP3s

Just like the online applications, there are many programs to choose from that allow you to convert YouTube videos to MP3s for Mac. We’ll take a closer look at one free option that is great if your needs are limited, and one pay program with complete and superior performance. These are the best recommended YouTube to MP3 converters for Apple Mac OS X:

Youtube Converter 1: MediaHuman’s Free YouTube to MP3 Converter

MediaHuman’s Free YouTube to MP3 Converter offers fast conversions with superior fidelity, for exceptionally clear MP3 files. It works well not only with YouTube, but also Vimeo, Soundcloud, Dailymotion and VEVO.

• Pros: High quality MP3s, can simultaneously process multiple files, export direct to iTunes, simple tag editor for easy organization, supports nearly two dozen languages, Windows, Mac and Linux versions
• Cons: Limited editing options, requires paid upgrade to access all features, requires 40 Mb storage space, limited format support

Youtube Converter 2: Wondershare Filmora for Mac

Wondershare Filmora for Mac is an outstanding YouTube MP3 converter for Mac, with a suite of superior features. This program not only allows you to convert videos to MP3 files, it also allows you to edit and add effects, save to a native music library, and more. If you have more sophisticated needs for saving, converting and editing YouTube videos and MP3s, Wondershare Filmora is a great choice. The very affordable price tag is another attraction.

• Pros: Superior MP3 quality, hundreds of additional editing features, export directly to a variety of social media platforms and services, supports all common formats
• Cons: Pay option and professional capabilities may be unnecessary for novice users

Check a video below to get an overview of this program:

If you are using a windows, check this tutorial instead

CNET reviewed Wondershare Filmora for Mac (Originally Wondershare Video Editor for Mac) and also praised the program extensively: “Wondershare Video Editor provides all the freedom you need to arrange clips and music with a wealth of available filters and transitions. This is a beautiful and capable piece of software.”

Take a close look at your needs and preferences for performance to make the perfect decision about which is the best YouTube MP3 converter for Mac for you.

Part 2. Online YouTube MP3 Converters for Mac

There are several online applications that allow you to convert YouTube videos to MP3s. Two of the best are:

Conversion Method 1: YouTube MP3 (online conversion site)

YouTube MP3 is designed with simplicity in mind: you simply paste the YouTube URL into the field and click the “Convert Video” button and the YouTube MP3 website takes care of the rest. When the conversion is complete, you can download your MP3 file from their servers.

• Pros: No account needed, free-to-use, compatible with all devices and formats
• Cons: Requires fast and reliable online connection, takes 3-4 minutes per video

Conversion Method 2: YouTube in MP3 (online conversion site)

YouTube in MP3 is very similar to the above application, although it offers several appealing extra features. Paste in your URL and click, and the program does the work quickly – your download will be ready in seconds. This service works on computers, smartphones and tablets, in a variety of formats.

• Pros: No account or sign up necessary, free-to-use, offers low-, standard-, and high-quality output, edit MP3s online prior to download
• Cons: Requires a very good online connection, lacks more advanced editing and format features of a YouTube MP3 converter for Mac program

You may also like: How to Convert MKV to MP4 without Losing Quality [Free Converters Provided] >>

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Ever see a video from YouTube and want to convert to an MP3 of that song for your computer, smartphone or tablet? Want to convert YouTube videos into audios and download them as ringtones, or share them with friends? A YouTube MP3 converter for Mac lets you do those things quickly and easily, without any special computer knowledge.

The major choice you face is whether to use an online YouTube MP3 converter for Mac with high quality, or use a program to convert YouTube videos into MP3s. We’ll take a look at both options and recommend some websites and programs for you to use.

• Part1. Desktop Softwares for Mac to Convert YouTube Videos into MP3s
• Part 2. Online YouTube MP3 Converters for Mac

Part1. Desktop Softwares for Mac to Convert YouTube Videos into MP3s

Just like the online applications, there are many programs to choose from that allow you to convert YouTube videos to MP3s for Mac. We’ll take a closer look at one free option that is great if your needs are limited, and one pay program with complete and superior performance. These are the best recommended YouTube to MP3 converters for Apple Mac OS X:

Youtube Converter 1: MediaHuman’s Free YouTube to MP3 Converter

MediaHuman’s Free YouTube to MP3 Converter offers fast conversions with superior fidelity, for exceptionally clear MP3 files. It works well not only with YouTube, but also Vimeo, Soundcloud, Dailymotion and VEVO.

• Pros: High quality MP3s, can simultaneously process multiple files, export direct to iTunes, simple tag editor for easy organization, supports nearly two dozen languages, Windows, Mac and Linux versions
• Cons: Limited editing options, requires paid upgrade to access all features, requires 40 Mb storage space, limited format support

Youtube Converter 2: Wondershare Filmora for Mac

Wondershare Filmora for Mac is an outstanding YouTube MP3 converter for Mac, with a suite of superior features. This program not only allows you to convert videos to MP3 files, it also allows you to edit and add effects, save to a native music library, and more. If you have more sophisticated needs for saving, converting and editing YouTube videos and MP3s, Wondershare Filmora is a great choice. The very affordable price tag is another attraction.

• Pros: Superior MP3 quality, hundreds of additional editing features, export directly to a variety of social media platforms and services, supports all common formats
• Cons: Pay option and professional capabilities may be unnecessary for novice users

Check a video below to get an overview of this program:

If you are using a windows, check this tutorial instead

CNET reviewed Wondershare Filmora for Mac (Originally Wondershare Video Editor for Mac) and also praised the program extensively: “Wondershare Video Editor provides all the freedom you need to arrange clips and music with a wealth of available filters and transitions. This is a beautiful and capable piece of software.”

Take a close look at your needs and preferences for performance to make the perfect decision about which is the best YouTube MP3 converter for Mac for you.

Part 2. Online YouTube MP3 Converters for Mac

There are several online applications that allow you to convert YouTube videos to MP3s. Two of the best are:

Conversion Method 1: YouTube MP3 (online conversion site)

YouTube MP3 is designed with simplicity in mind: you simply paste the YouTube URL into the field and click the “Convert Video” button and the YouTube MP3 website takes care of the rest. When the conversion is complete, you can download your MP3 file from their servers.

• Pros: No account needed, free-to-use, compatible with all devices and formats
• Cons: Requires fast and reliable online connection, takes 3-4 minutes per video

Conversion Method 2: YouTube in MP3 (online conversion site)

YouTube in MP3 is very similar to the above application, although it offers several appealing extra features. Paste in your URL and click, and the program does the work quickly – your download will be ready in seconds. This service works on computers, smartphones and tablets, in a variety of formats.

• Pros: No account or sign up necessary, free-to-use, offers low-, standard-, and high-quality output, edit MP3s online prior to download
• Cons: Requires a very good online connection, lacks more advanced editing and format features of a YouTube MP3 converter for Mac program

You may also like: How to Convert MKV to MP4 without Losing Quality [Free Converters Provided] >>

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Ever see a video from YouTube and want to convert to an MP3 of that song for your computer, smartphone or tablet? Want to convert YouTube videos into audios and download them as ringtones, or share them with friends? A YouTube MP3 converter for Mac lets you do those things quickly and easily, without any special computer knowledge.

The major choice you face is whether to use an online YouTube MP3 converter for Mac with high quality, or use a program to convert YouTube videos into MP3s. We’ll take a look at both options and recommend some websites and programs for you to use.

• Part1. Desktop Softwares for Mac to Convert YouTube Videos into MP3s
• Part 2. Online YouTube MP3 Converters for Mac

Part1. Desktop Softwares for Mac to Convert YouTube Videos into MP3s

Just like the online applications, there are many programs to choose from that allow you to convert YouTube videos to MP3s for Mac. We’ll take a closer look at one free option that is great if your needs are limited, and one pay program with complete and superior performance. These are the best recommended YouTube to MP3 converters for Apple Mac OS X:

Youtube Converter 1: MediaHuman’s Free YouTube to MP3 Converter

MediaHuman’s Free YouTube to MP3 Converter offers fast conversions with superior fidelity, for exceptionally clear MP3 files. It works well not only with YouTube, but also Vimeo, Soundcloud, Dailymotion and VEVO.

• Pros: High quality MP3s, can simultaneously process multiple files, export direct to iTunes, simple tag editor for easy organization, supports nearly two dozen languages, Windows, Mac and Linux versions
• Cons: Limited editing options, requires paid upgrade to access all features, requires 40 Mb storage space, limited format support

Youtube Converter 2: Wondershare Filmora for Mac

Wondershare Filmora for Mac is an outstanding YouTube MP3 converter for Mac, with a suite of superior features. This program not only allows you to convert videos to MP3 files, it also allows you to edit and add effects, save to a native music library, and more. If you have more sophisticated needs for saving, converting and editing YouTube videos and MP3s, Wondershare Filmora is a great choice. The very affordable price tag is another attraction.

• Pros: Superior MP3 quality, hundreds of additional editing features, export directly to a variety of social media platforms and services, supports all common formats
• Cons: Pay option and professional capabilities may be unnecessary for novice users

Check a video below to get an overview of this program:

If you are using a windows, check this tutorial instead

CNET reviewed Wondershare Filmora for Mac (Originally Wondershare Video Editor for Mac) and also praised the program extensively: “Wondershare Video Editor provides all the freedom you need to arrange clips and music with a wealth of available filters and transitions. This is a beautiful and capable piece of software.”

Take a close look at your needs and preferences for performance to make the perfect decision about which is the best YouTube MP3 converter for Mac for you.

Part 2. Online YouTube MP3 Converters for Mac

There are several online applications that allow you to convert YouTube videos to MP3s. Two of the best are:

Conversion Method 1: YouTube MP3 (online conversion site)

YouTube MP3 is designed with simplicity in mind: you simply paste the YouTube URL into the field and click the “Convert Video” button and the YouTube MP3 website takes care of the rest. When the conversion is complete, you can download your MP3 file from their servers.

• Pros: No account needed, free-to-use, compatible with all devices and formats
• Cons: Requires fast and reliable online connection, takes 3-4 minutes per video

Conversion Method 2: YouTube in MP3 (online conversion site)

YouTube in MP3 is very similar to the above application, although it offers several appealing extra features. Paste in your URL and click, and the program does the work quickly – your download will be ready in seconds. This service works on computers, smartphones and tablets, in a variety of formats.

• Pros: No account or sign up necessary, free-to-use, offers low-, standard-, and high-quality output, edit MP3s online prior to download
• Cons: Requires a very good online connection, lacks more advanced editing and format features of a YouTube MP3 converter for Mac program

You may also like: How to Convert MKV to MP4 without Losing Quality [Free Converters Provided] >>

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Ever see a video from YouTube and want to convert to an MP3 of that song for your computer, smartphone or tablet? Want to convert YouTube videos into audios and download them as ringtones, or share them with friends? A YouTube MP3 converter for Mac lets you do those things quickly and easily, without any special computer knowledge.

The major choice you face is whether to use an online YouTube MP3 converter for Mac with high quality, or use a program to convert YouTube videos into MP3s. We’ll take a look at both options and recommend some websites and programs for you to use.

• Part1. Desktop Softwares for Mac to Convert YouTube Videos into MP3s
• Part 2. Online YouTube MP3 Converters for Mac

Part1. Desktop Softwares for Mac to Convert YouTube Videos into MP3s

Just like the online applications, there are many programs to choose from that allow you to convert YouTube videos to MP3s for Mac. We’ll take a closer look at one free option that is great if your needs are limited, and one pay program with complete and superior performance. These are the best recommended YouTube to MP3 converters for Apple Mac OS X:

Youtube Converter 1: MediaHuman’s Free YouTube to MP3 Converter

MediaHuman’s Free YouTube to MP3 Converter offers fast conversions with superior fidelity, for exceptionally clear MP3 files. It works well not only with YouTube, but also Vimeo, Soundcloud, Dailymotion and VEVO.

• Pros: High quality MP3s, can simultaneously process multiple files, export direct to iTunes, simple tag editor for easy organization, supports nearly two dozen languages, Windows, Mac and Linux versions
• Cons: Limited editing options, requires paid upgrade to access all features, requires 40 Mb storage space, limited format support

Youtube Converter 2: Wondershare Filmora for Mac

Wondershare Filmora for Mac is an outstanding YouTube MP3 converter for Mac, with a suite of superior features. This program not only allows you to convert videos to MP3 files, it also allows you to edit and add effects, save to a native music library, and more. If you have more sophisticated needs for saving, converting and editing YouTube videos and MP3s, Wondershare Filmora is a great choice. The very affordable price tag is another attraction.

• Pros: Superior MP3 quality, hundreds of additional editing features, export directly to a variety of social media platforms and services, supports all common formats
• Cons: Pay option and professional capabilities may be unnecessary for novice users

Check a video below to get an overview of this program:

If you are using a windows, check this tutorial instead

CNET reviewed Wondershare Filmora for Mac (Originally Wondershare Video Editor for Mac) and also praised the program extensively: “Wondershare Video Editor provides all the freedom you need to arrange clips and music with a wealth of available filters and transitions. This is a beautiful and capable piece of software.”

Take a close look at your needs and preferences for performance to make the perfect decision about which is the best YouTube MP3 converter for Mac for you.

Part 2. Online YouTube MP3 Converters for Mac

There are several online applications that allow you to convert YouTube videos to MP3s. Two of the best are:

Conversion Method 1: YouTube MP3 (online conversion site)

YouTube MP3 is designed with simplicity in mind: you simply paste the YouTube URL into the field and click the “Convert Video” button and the YouTube MP3 website takes care of the rest. When the conversion is complete, you can download your MP3 file from their servers.

• Pros: No account needed, free-to-use, compatible with all devices and formats
• Cons: Requires fast and reliable online connection, takes 3-4 minutes per video

Conversion Method 2: YouTube in MP3 (online conversion site)

YouTube in MP3 is very similar to the above application, although it offers several appealing extra features. Paste in your URL and click, and the program does the work quickly – your download will be ready in seconds. This service works on computers, smartphones and tablets, in a variety of formats.

• Pros: No account or sign up necessary, free-to-use, offers low-, standard-, and high-quality output, edit MP3s online prior to download
• Cons: Requires a very good online connection, lacks more advanced editing and format features of a YouTube MP3 converter for Mac program

You may also like: How to Convert MKV to MP4 without Losing Quality [Free Converters Provided] >>

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

YouTube Conversion Made Simple – Learn How Without Spending a Dime

How to Transcribe a YouTube Video for FREE

Richard Bennett

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

If you want to transcribe your videos to make the dialogs and speeches available in text format, you can use YouTube Transcribe feature that the streaming site offers for free. In this article, I’ll share with you a couple of methods to transcribe a YouTube video for free.

• Part 1: Transcribe YouTube Video Automatically for Free [2 Ways]
• Part 2: Transcribe YouTube Video to Text Online with Third-Party Service
• Part 3: Benefits of Transcribing YouTube Videos
• Part 4: YouTube Video Transcription FAQs

Part 1: How to Transcribe YouTube Video Automatically for Free [2 Ways]

Besides the basic video editing features on the YouTube platform, you can now quickly transcribe YouTube videos to the text as well. The good thing is, you can either use the automatic transcription feature that YouTube offers, or upload it manually while adjusting the timing as you go further.

Below are the two methods to transcribe your YouTube videos for free:

Method 1: Use the Automated Transcription Service on YouTube

As the name suggests, YouTube automatic transcription service works automatically. This means you don’t even have to click the ‘Transcribe’ button anymore to transcribe a YouTube video, and the website takes care of it on its own. All you need to do is, choose English as the language of the video when setting up subtitles. You can follow the instructions given below to do so:

Step 1 Upload a Video

Sign in to your YouTube account, click your profile picture from the top-right corner, and click YouTube Studio from the menu. Next, click CREATE from the upper-right corner, click Upload videos from the menu, and drag and drop a video from your computer to the Upload videos box that appears next.

Step 2 Select Transcription Language

On the Details page of the next box that appears, scroll down and click MORE OPTIONS, and select English in the Video language drop-down list under the Language, subtitles, and closed captions (CC) section.

Step 3 Publish the Video

Follow the on-screen instructions from this point to publish the video, and wait while YouTube automatically transcribes and adds the close captions to it.

Note: Depending on the duration of the clip, the time YouTube would take to transcribe may vary.

After YouTube has transcribed the video, you can download the transcription file in your preferred format. The instructions are given below explain how you can do so:

1. Get to the Subtitles Window

While on the YouTube Studio page, click Subtitles from the left pane to go to the Channel subtitles page. And then click the video you want to modify.

1. Get to Classic Studio

In the video subtitle page of the target video, hover mouse on the Published Automatic status under the Subtitles column, click the Options icon (with three vertical dots) that appears, and click Edit on Classic Studio.

1. Download Transcription File

Click and open the Actions drop-down list from the top-left corner of the left pane, click your preferred transcription format including .vtt, .srt and .sbv from the list, and save the file on your local hard disk.

Method 2: Get YouTube Transcription when Watching

In addition, if you are watching any other video, you can make YouTube transcribe that for you as well. You can follow the instructions given below to get the YouTube video to text transcription:

Step 1: Play the Video

Go to the video on YouTube and start playing it. Make sure NOT to get to full-screen mode as doing so would hide the option to transcribe the clip.

Step 2: Enable Transcription

Click the More icon (with three horizontal dots) from under the bottom-right corner of the video player, and click Open transcript to see the video transcription in the Transcript pane that appears in the right.

Step 3: Manage Timestamps

Click the Options icon (with three vertical dots) from the top-right corner of the Transcript pane, and click Toggle timestamp to enable or disable the timestamps in the video transcription.

Limitations of Using YouTube Transcribe

Although YouTube’s automatic transcription is a decent feature that saves you a lot of time, since Google uses machine learning algorithms to convert the speech to text, the level of accuracy may vary depending on the accent of the speaker, and the clarity of the audio the video has. Also, even sometime you may not be satisfied with the end-results.

Alternatively, you can use Kapwing to transcribe a YouTube video and download the transcription file with the below step-by-step instructions:

Step 1: Add YouTube Video

Copy the URL of YouTube video you want to transcribe, go to https://www.kapwing.com/subtitles , paste the URL in the Paste a URL field, wait while Kapwing fetches the content of the video, and opens the Add subtitles to Video page.

Step 2: Transcribe the Video

Click Auto-generate from the right window, and follow the on-screen instructions to transcribe YouTube video to text.

Step 3: Download the Transcription File

Click Download SRT from the left pane, and follow the instructions from there to download the transcription file in *.srt format.

Pros

• Kapwing is free to use
• The auto-transcription process is quick and less tedious
• Kapwing also allows manual transcription and uploading of an existing *.srt file

Cons

• The auto-transcribed text might lack accuracy as the task is done by the speech-to-text tools that work in the background

You can follow the step-by-step instructions to transcribe a YouTube video and download the transcription file using Kapwing:

Step 1: Add YouTube Video

Copy the URL of YouTube video you want to transcribe, go to https://www.kapwing.com/subtitles , paste the URL in the Paste a URL field, wait while Kapwing fetches the content of the video, and opens the Add subtitles to Video page.

Step 2: Transcribe the Video

Click Auto-generate from the right window, and follow the on-screen instructions to transcribe YouTube video to text.

Step 3: Download the Transcription File

Click Download SRT from the left pane, and follow the instructions from there to download the transcription file in *.srt format.

Pros

• Kapwing is free to use
• The auto-transcription process is quick and less tedious
• Kapwing also allows manual transcription and uploading of an existing *.srt file

Cons

• The auto-transcribed text might lack accuracy as the task is done by the speech-to-text tools that work in the background

Part 3: Benefits of Transcribing YouTube Videos

You may need video transcriptions for several reasons, such as analyzing the summary of the entire speech in the video, extracting a single phrase or quote that was spoken in the clip, or making the video helpful even for those suffering from hearing impairment. When you transcribe a YouTube video, the transcript can be useful in many ways. Some of the most common benefits of transcribing a video include:

• Search Engine Optimization

When you add subtitles, the text can appear in Google search results when someone types a similar phrase in the search box. This helps get more views to your videos, thus giving your channel popularity, and you, monetary gains in the long run.

• Accent

If the speaker in the video is from a different region and is using an accent that you are not much comfortable with, you can turn on the subtitles and read the dialogs along with the video.

• Repurposing on Blogs

If you own a blog that you have embedded your video to, the transcription could be used to add text to it so the target audience can get a fair idea of what the video is all about. This is useful because many people prefer reading over watching.

YouTube Video Transcription FAQs

1. How to Transcribe YouTube Video to Text

Usually the transcription files have *.srt extension that are globally accepted and supported by almost all media players. However, there might be instances when you want to have the subtitles in plain text.

That said, to convert an SRT file to TXT, you can:

• Right-click the SRT file
• Go to Rename
• Replace srt with txt and press Enter
• Click OK on the confirmation box that appears next to convert SRT to TXT

After this, you can simply double-click the file, and read and modify the transcribed content as needed.

2. How to Edit and Upload Edited Transcript to YouTube

If you made any modifications to the transcript that was automatically generated by YouTube or any other third-party transcription tool, you can follow the steps given below to upload the new file to the YouTube video:

• Go to YouTube Studio and then to the Channel subtitles page as explained earlier
• Expand the Languages column of the target video
• Click the Options icon that appears under the Subtitles column when you hover mouse on to it
• Click Edit on Classic Studio
• On the next page, click Edit from the top-right corner

• Click to open the Actions drop-down list from the upper-left corner
• Click Upload a file
  • Follow the on-screen instructions from there to upload the modified transcription file
  • Click Save Changes from the top-right corner of the page when done

Conclusion

If you are looking for a quick and easy way of adding subtitles to your videos, letting YouTube transcribe for you could be a good approach. However, because these auto-generated transcriptions are created by machine learning algorithms, their accuracy cannot be counted on. Therefore, the best way to get the job done accurately is, let YouTube auto-transcribe your video, download the transcription file, make the necessary changes to it, and then upload the file back to the video.

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

If you want to transcribe your videos to make the dialogs and speeches available in text format, you can use YouTube Transcribe feature that the streaming site offers for free. In this article, I’ll share with you a couple of methods to transcribe a YouTube video for free.

• Part 1: Transcribe YouTube Video Automatically for Free [2 Ways]
• Part 2: Transcribe YouTube Video to Text Online with Third-Party Service
• Part 3: Benefits of Transcribing YouTube Videos
• Part 4: YouTube Video Transcription FAQs

Part 1: How to Transcribe YouTube Video Automatically for Free [2 Ways]

Besides the basic video editing features on the YouTube platform, you can now quickly transcribe YouTube videos to the text as well. The good thing is, you can either use the automatic transcription feature that YouTube offers, or upload it manually while adjusting the timing as you go further.

Below are the two methods to transcribe your YouTube videos for free:

Method 1: Use the Automated Transcription Service on YouTube

As the name suggests, YouTube automatic transcription service works automatically. This means you don’t even have to click the ‘Transcribe’ button anymore to transcribe a YouTube video, and the website takes care of it on its own. All you need to do is, choose English as the language of the video when setting up subtitles. You can follow the instructions given below to do so:

Step 1 Upload a Video

Sign in to your YouTube account, click your profile picture from the top-right corner, and click YouTube Studio from the menu. Next, click CREATE from the upper-right corner, click Upload videos from the menu, and drag and drop a video from your computer to the Upload videos box that appears next.

Step 2 Select Transcription Language

On the Details page of the next box that appears, scroll down and click MORE OPTIONS, and select English in the Video language drop-down list under the Language, subtitles, and closed captions (CC) section.

Step 3 Publish the Video

Follow the on-screen instructions from this point to publish the video, and wait while YouTube automatically transcribes and adds the close captions to it.

Note: Depending on the duration of the clip, the time YouTube would take to transcribe may vary.

After YouTube has transcribed the video, you can download the transcription file in your preferred format. The instructions are given below explain how you can do so:

1. Get to the Subtitles Window

While on the YouTube Studio page, click Subtitles from the left pane to go to the Channel subtitles page. And then click the video you want to modify.

1. Get to Classic Studio

In the video subtitle page of the target video, hover mouse on the Published Automatic status under the Subtitles column, click the Options icon (with three vertical dots) that appears, and click Edit on Classic Studio.

1. Download Transcription File

Click and open the Actions drop-down list from the top-left corner of the left pane, click your preferred transcription format including .vtt, .srt and .sbv from the list, and save the file on your local hard disk.

Method 2: Get YouTube Transcription when Watching

In addition, if you are watching any other video, you can make YouTube transcribe that for you as well. You can follow the instructions given below to get the YouTube video to text transcription:

Step 1: Play the Video

Go to the video on YouTube and start playing it. Make sure NOT to get to full-screen mode as doing so would hide the option to transcribe the clip.

Step 2: Enable Transcription

Click the More icon (with three horizontal dots) from under the bottom-right corner of the video player, and click Open transcript to see the video transcription in the Transcript pane that appears in the right.

Step 3: Manage Timestamps

Click the Options icon (with three vertical dots) from the top-right corner of the Transcript pane, and click Toggle timestamp to enable or disable the timestamps in the video transcription.

Limitations of Using YouTube Transcribe

Although YouTube’s automatic transcription is a decent feature that saves you a lot of time, since Google uses machine learning algorithms to convert the speech to text, the level of accuracy may vary depending on the accent of the speaker, and the clarity of the audio the video has. Also, even sometime you may not be satisfied with the end-results.

Alternatively, you can use Kapwing to transcribe a YouTube video and download the transcription file with the below step-by-step instructions:

Step 1: Add YouTube Video

Copy the URL of YouTube video you want to transcribe, go to https://www.kapwing.com/subtitles , paste the URL in the Paste a URL field, wait while Kapwing fetches the content of the video, and opens the Add subtitles to Video page.

Step 2: Transcribe the Video

Click Auto-generate from the right window, and follow the on-screen instructions to transcribe YouTube video to text.

Step 3: Download the Transcription File

Click Download SRT from the left pane, and follow the instructions from there to download the transcription file in *.srt format.

Pros

• Kapwing is free to use
• The auto-transcription process is quick and less tedious
• Kapwing also allows manual transcription and uploading of an existing *.srt file

Cons

• The auto-transcribed text might lack accuracy as the task is done by the speech-to-text tools that work in the background

You can follow the step-by-step instructions to transcribe a YouTube video and download the transcription file using Kapwing:

Step 1: Add YouTube Video

Copy the URL of YouTube video you want to transcribe, go to https://www.kapwing.com/subtitles , paste the URL in the Paste a URL field, wait while Kapwing fetches the content of the video, and opens the Add subtitles to Video page.

Step 2: Transcribe the Video

Click Auto-generate from the right window, and follow the on-screen instructions to transcribe YouTube video to text.

Step 3: Download the Transcription File

Click Download SRT from the left pane, and follow the instructions from there to download the transcription file in *.srt format.

Pros

• Kapwing is free to use
• The auto-transcription process is quick and less tedious
• Kapwing also allows manual transcription and uploading of an existing *.srt file

Cons

• The auto-transcribed text might lack accuracy as the task is done by the speech-to-text tools that work in the background

Part 3: Benefits of Transcribing YouTube Videos

You may need video transcriptions for several reasons, such as analyzing the summary of the entire speech in the video, extracting a single phrase or quote that was spoken in the clip, or making the video helpful even for those suffering from hearing impairment. When you transcribe a YouTube video, the transcript can be useful in many ways. Some of the most common benefits of transcribing a video include:

• Search Engine Optimization

When you add subtitles, the text can appear in Google search results when someone types a similar phrase in the search box. This helps get more views to your videos, thus giving your channel popularity, and you, monetary gains in the long run.

• Accent

If the speaker in the video is from a different region and is using an accent that you are not much comfortable with, you can turn on the subtitles and read the dialogs along with the video.

• Repurposing on Blogs

If you own a blog that you have embedded your video to, the transcription could be used to add text to it so the target audience can get a fair idea of what the video is all about. This is useful because many people prefer reading over watching.

YouTube Video Transcription FAQs

1. How to Transcribe YouTube Video to Text

Usually the transcription files have *.srt extension that are globally accepted and supported by almost all media players. However, there might be instances when you want to have the subtitles in plain text.

That said, to convert an SRT file to TXT, you can:

• Right-click the SRT file
• Go to Rename
• Replace srt with txt and press Enter
• Click OK on the confirmation box that appears next to convert SRT to TXT

After this, you can simply double-click the file, and read and modify the transcribed content as needed.

2. How to Edit and Upload Edited Transcript to YouTube

If you made any modifications to the transcript that was automatically generated by YouTube or any other third-party transcription tool, you can follow the steps given below to upload the new file to the YouTube video:

• Go to YouTube Studio and then to the Channel subtitles page as explained earlier
• Expand the Languages column of the target video
• Click the Options icon that appears under the Subtitles column when you hover mouse on to it
• Click Edit on Classic Studio
• On the next page, click Edit from the top-right corner

• Click to open the Actions drop-down list from the upper-left corner
• Click Upload a file
  • Follow the on-screen instructions from there to upload the modified transcription file
  • Click Save Changes from the top-right corner of the page when done

Conclusion

If you are looking for a quick and easy way of adding subtitles to your videos, letting YouTube transcribe for you could be a good approach. However, because these auto-generated transcriptions are created by machine learning algorithms, their accuracy cannot be counted on. Therefore, the best way to get the job done accurately is, let YouTube auto-transcribe your video, download the transcription file, make the necessary changes to it, and then upload the file back to the video.

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

If you want to transcribe your videos to make the dialogs and speeches available in text format, you can use YouTube Transcribe feature that the streaming site offers for free. In this article, I’ll share with you a couple of methods to transcribe a YouTube video for free.

• Part 1: Transcribe YouTube Video Automatically for Free [2 Ways]
• Part 2: Transcribe YouTube Video to Text Online with Third-Party Service
• Part 3: Benefits of Transcribing YouTube Videos
• Part 4: YouTube Video Transcription FAQs

Part 1: How to Transcribe YouTube Video Automatically for Free [2 Ways]

Besides the basic video editing features on the YouTube platform, you can now quickly transcribe YouTube videos to the text as well. The good thing is, you can either use the automatic transcription feature that YouTube offers, or upload it manually while adjusting the timing as you go further.

Below are the two methods to transcribe your YouTube videos for free:

Method 1: Use the Automated Transcription Service on YouTube

As the name suggests, YouTube automatic transcription service works automatically. This means you don’t even have to click the ‘Transcribe’ button anymore to transcribe a YouTube video, and the website takes care of it on its own. All you need to do is, choose English as the language of the video when setting up subtitles. You can follow the instructions given below to do so:

Step 1 Upload a Video

Sign in to your YouTube account, click your profile picture from the top-right corner, and click YouTube Studio from the menu. Next, click CREATE from the upper-right corner, click Upload videos from the menu, and drag and drop a video from your computer to the Upload videos box that appears next.

Step 2 Select Transcription Language

On the Details page of the next box that appears, scroll down and click MORE OPTIONS, and select English in the Video language drop-down list under the Language, subtitles, and closed captions (CC) section.

Step 3 Publish the Video

Follow the on-screen instructions from this point to publish the video, and wait while YouTube automatically transcribes and adds the close captions to it.

Note: Depending on the duration of the clip, the time YouTube would take to transcribe may vary.

After YouTube has transcribed the video, you can download the transcription file in your preferred format. The instructions are given below explain how you can do so:

1. Get to the Subtitles Window

While on the YouTube Studio page, click Subtitles from the left pane to go to the Channel subtitles page. And then click the video you want to modify.

1. Get to Classic Studio

In the video subtitle page of the target video, hover mouse on the Published Automatic status under the Subtitles column, click the Options icon (with three vertical dots) that appears, and click Edit on Classic Studio.

1. Download Transcription File

Click and open the Actions drop-down list from the top-left corner of the left pane, click your preferred transcription format including .vtt, .srt and .sbv from the list, and save the file on your local hard disk.

Method 2: Get YouTube Transcription when Watching

In addition, if you are watching any other video, you can make YouTube transcribe that for you as well. You can follow the instructions given below to get the YouTube video to text transcription:

Step 1: Play the Video

Go to the video on YouTube and start playing it. Make sure NOT to get to full-screen mode as doing so would hide the option to transcribe the clip.

Step 2: Enable Transcription

Click the More icon (with three horizontal dots) from under the bottom-right corner of the video player, and click Open transcript to see the video transcription in the Transcript pane that appears in the right.

Step 3: Manage Timestamps

Click the Options icon (with three vertical dots) from the top-right corner of the Transcript pane, and click Toggle timestamp to enable or disable the timestamps in the video transcription.

Limitations of Using YouTube Transcribe

Although YouTube’s automatic transcription is a decent feature that saves you a lot of time, since Google uses machine learning algorithms to convert the speech to text, the level of accuracy may vary depending on the accent of the speaker, and the clarity of the audio the video has. Also, even sometime you may not be satisfied with the end-results.

Alternatively, you can use Kapwing to transcribe a YouTube video and download the transcription file with the below step-by-step instructions:

Step 1: Add YouTube Video

Copy the URL of YouTube video you want to transcribe, go to https://www.kapwing.com/subtitles , paste the URL in the Paste a URL field, wait while Kapwing fetches the content of the video, and opens the Add subtitles to Video page.

Step 2: Transcribe the Video

Click Auto-generate from the right window, and follow the on-screen instructions to transcribe YouTube video to text.

Step 3: Download the Transcription File

Click Download SRT from the left pane, and follow the instructions from there to download the transcription file in *.srt format.

Pros

• Kapwing is free to use
• The auto-transcription process is quick and less tedious
• Kapwing also allows manual transcription and uploading of an existing *.srt file

Cons

• The auto-transcribed text might lack accuracy as the task is done by the speech-to-text tools that work in the background

You can follow the step-by-step instructions to transcribe a YouTube video and download the transcription file using Kapwing:

Step 1: Add YouTube Video

Copy the URL of YouTube video you want to transcribe, go to https://www.kapwing.com/subtitles , paste the URL in the Paste a URL field, wait while Kapwing fetches the content of the video, and opens the Add subtitles to Video page.

Step 2: Transcribe the Video

Click Auto-generate from the right window, and follow the on-screen instructions to transcribe YouTube video to text.

Step 3: Download the Transcription File

Click Download SRT from the left pane, and follow the instructions from there to download the transcription file in *.srt format.

Pros

• Kapwing is free to use
• The auto-transcription process is quick and less tedious
• Kapwing also allows manual transcription and uploading of an existing *.srt file

Cons

• The auto-transcribed text might lack accuracy as the task is done by the speech-to-text tools that work in the background

Part 3: Benefits of Transcribing YouTube Videos

You may need video transcriptions for several reasons, such as analyzing the summary of the entire speech in the video, extracting a single phrase or quote that was spoken in the clip, or making the video helpful even for those suffering from hearing impairment. When you transcribe a YouTube video, the transcript can be useful in many ways. Some of the most common benefits of transcribing a video include:

• Search Engine Optimization

When you add subtitles, the text can appear in Google search results when someone types a similar phrase in the search box. This helps get more views to your videos, thus giving your channel popularity, and you, monetary gains in the long run.

• Accent

If the speaker in the video is from a different region and is using an accent that you are not much comfortable with, you can turn on the subtitles and read the dialogs along with the video.

• Repurposing on Blogs

If you own a blog that you have embedded your video to, the transcription could be used to add text to it so the target audience can get a fair idea of what the video is all about. This is useful because many people prefer reading over watching.

YouTube Video Transcription FAQs

1. How to Transcribe YouTube Video to Text

Usually the transcription files have *.srt extension that are globally accepted and supported by almost all media players. However, there might be instances when you want to have the subtitles in plain text.

That said, to convert an SRT file to TXT, you can:

• Right-click the SRT file
• Go to Rename
• Replace srt with txt and press Enter
• Click OK on the confirmation box that appears next to convert SRT to TXT

After this, you can simply double-click the file, and read and modify the transcribed content as needed.

2. How to Edit and Upload Edited Transcript to YouTube

If you made any modifications to the transcript that was automatically generated by YouTube or any other third-party transcription tool, you can follow the steps given below to upload the new file to the YouTube video:

• Go to YouTube Studio and then to the Channel subtitles page as explained earlier
• Expand the Languages column of the target video
• Click the Options icon that appears under the Subtitles column when you hover mouse on to it
• Click Edit on Classic Studio
• On the next page, click Edit from the top-right corner

• Click to open the Actions drop-down list from the upper-left corner
• Click Upload a file
  • Follow the on-screen instructions from there to upload the modified transcription file
  • Click Save Changes from the top-right corner of the page when done

Conclusion

If you are looking for a quick and easy way of adding subtitles to your videos, letting YouTube transcribe for you could be a good approach. However, because these auto-generated transcriptions are created by machine learning algorithms, their accuracy cannot be counted on. Therefore, the best way to get the job done accurately is, let YouTube auto-transcribe your video, download the transcription file, make the necessary changes to it, and then upload the file back to the video.

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

If you want to transcribe your videos to make the dialogs and speeches available in text format, you can use YouTube Transcribe feature that the streaming site offers for free. In this article, I’ll share with you a couple of methods to transcribe a YouTube video for free.

• Part 1: Transcribe YouTube Video Automatically for Free [2 Ways]
• Part 2: Transcribe YouTube Video to Text Online with Third-Party Service
• Part 3: Benefits of Transcribing YouTube Videos
• Part 4: YouTube Video Transcription FAQs

Part 1: How to Transcribe YouTube Video Automatically for Free [2 Ways]

Besides the basic video editing features on the YouTube platform, you can now quickly transcribe YouTube videos to the text as well. The good thing is, you can either use the automatic transcription feature that YouTube offers, or upload it manually while adjusting the timing as you go further.

Below are the two methods to transcribe your YouTube videos for free:

Method 1: Use the Automated Transcription Service on YouTube

As the name suggests, YouTube automatic transcription service works automatically. This means you don’t even have to click the ‘Transcribe’ button anymore to transcribe a YouTube video, and the website takes care of it on its own. All you need to do is, choose English as the language of the video when setting up subtitles. You can follow the instructions given below to do so:

Step 1 Upload a Video

Sign in to your YouTube account, click your profile picture from the top-right corner, and click YouTube Studio from the menu. Next, click CREATE from the upper-right corner, click Upload videos from the menu, and drag and drop a video from your computer to the Upload videos box that appears next.

Step 2 Select Transcription Language

On the Details page of the next box that appears, scroll down and click MORE OPTIONS, and select English in the Video language drop-down list under the Language, subtitles, and closed captions (CC) section.

Step 3 Publish the Video

Follow the on-screen instructions from this point to publish the video, and wait while YouTube automatically transcribes and adds the close captions to it.

Note: Depending on the duration of the clip, the time YouTube would take to transcribe may vary.

After YouTube has transcribed the video, you can download the transcription file in your preferred format. The instructions are given below explain how you can do so:

1. Get to the Subtitles Window

While on the YouTube Studio page, click Subtitles from the left pane to go to the Channel subtitles page. And then click the video you want to modify.

1. Get to Classic Studio

In the video subtitle page of the target video, hover mouse on the Published Automatic status under the Subtitles column, click the Options icon (with three vertical dots) that appears, and click Edit on Classic Studio.

1. Download Transcription File

Click and open the Actions drop-down list from the top-left corner of the left pane, click your preferred transcription format including .vtt, .srt and .sbv from the list, and save the file on your local hard disk.

Method 2: Get YouTube Transcription when Watching

In addition, if you are watching any other video, you can make YouTube transcribe that for you as well. You can follow the instructions given below to get the YouTube video to text transcription:

Step 1: Play the Video

Go to the video on YouTube and start playing it. Make sure NOT to get to full-screen mode as doing so would hide the option to transcribe the clip.

Step 2: Enable Transcription

Click the More icon (with three horizontal dots) from under the bottom-right corner of the video player, and click Open transcript to see the video transcription in the Transcript pane that appears in the right.

Step 3: Manage Timestamps

Click the Options icon (with three vertical dots) from the top-right corner of the Transcript pane, and click Toggle timestamp to enable or disable the timestamps in the video transcription.

Limitations of Using YouTube Transcribe

Although YouTube’s automatic transcription is a decent feature that saves you a lot of time, since Google uses machine learning algorithms to convert the speech to text, the level of accuracy may vary depending on the accent of the speaker, and the clarity of the audio the video has. Also, even sometime you may not be satisfied with the end-results.

Alternatively, you can use Kapwing to transcribe a YouTube video and download the transcription file with the below step-by-step instructions:

Step 1: Add YouTube Video

Copy the URL of YouTube video you want to transcribe, go to https://www.kapwing.com/subtitles , paste the URL in the Paste a URL field, wait while Kapwing fetches the content of the video, and opens the Add subtitles to Video page.

Step 2: Transcribe the Video

Click Auto-generate from the right window, and follow the on-screen instructions to transcribe YouTube video to text.

Step 3: Download the Transcription File

Click Download SRT from the left pane, and follow the instructions from there to download the transcription file in *.srt format.

Pros

• Kapwing is free to use
• The auto-transcription process is quick and less tedious
• Kapwing also allows manual transcription and uploading of an existing *.srt file

Cons

• The auto-transcribed text might lack accuracy as the task is done by the speech-to-text tools that work in the background

You can follow the step-by-step instructions to transcribe a YouTube video and download the transcription file using Kapwing:

Step 1: Add YouTube Video

Copy the URL of YouTube video you want to transcribe, go to https://www.kapwing.com/subtitles , paste the URL in the Paste a URL field, wait while Kapwing fetches the content of the video, and opens the Add subtitles to Video page.

Step 2: Transcribe the Video

Click Auto-generate from the right window, and follow the on-screen instructions to transcribe YouTube video to text.

Step 3: Download the Transcription File

Click Download SRT from the left pane, and follow the instructions from there to download the transcription file in *.srt format.

Pros

• Kapwing is free to use
• The auto-transcription process is quick and less tedious
• Kapwing also allows manual transcription and uploading of an existing *.srt file

Cons

• The auto-transcribed text might lack accuracy as the task is done by the speech-to-text tools that work in the background

Part 3: Benefits of Transcribing YouTube Videos

You may need video transcriptions for several reasons, such as analyzing the summary of the entire speech in the video, extracting a single phrase or quote that was spoken in the clip, or making the video helpful even for those suffering from hearing impairment. When you transcribe a YouTube video, the transcript can be useful in many ways. Some of the most common benefits of transcribing a video include:

• Search Engine Optimization

When you add subtitles, the text can appear in Google search results when someone types a similar phrase in the search box. This helps get more views to your videos, thus giving your channel popularity, and you, monetary gains in the long run.

• Accent

If the speaker in the video is from a different region and is using an accent that you are not much comfortable with, you can turn on the subtitles and read the dialogs along with the video.

• Repurposing on Blogs

If you own a blog that you have embedded your video to, the transcription could be used to add text to it so the target audience can get a fair idea of what the video is all about. This is useful because many people prefer reading over watching.

YouTube Video Transcription FAQs

1. How to Transcribe YouTube Video to Text

Usually the transcription files have *.srt extension that are globally accepted and supported by almost all media players. However, there might be instances when you want to have the subtitles in plain text.

That said, to convert an SRT file to TXT, you can:

• Right-click the SRT file
• Go to Rename
• Replace srt with txt and press Enter
• Click OK on the confirmation box that appears next to convert SRT to TXT

After this, you can simply double-click the file, and read and modify the transcribed content as needed.

2. How to Edit and Upload Edited Transcript to YouTube

If you made any modifications to the transcript that was automatically generated by YouTube or any other third-party transcription tool, you can follow the steps given below to upload the new file to the YouTube video:

• Go to YouTube Studio and then to the Channel subtitles page as explained earlier
• Expand the Languages column of the target video
• Click the Options icon that appears under the Subtitles column when you hover mouse on to it
• Click Edit on Classic Studio
• On the next page, click Edit from the top-right corner

• Click to open the Actions drop-down list from the upper-left corner
• Click Upload a file
  • Follow the on-screen instructions from there to upload the modified transcription file
  • Click Save Changes from the top-right corner of the page when done

Conclusion

If you are looking for a quick and easy way of adding subtitles to your videos, letting YouTube transcribe for you could be a good approach. However, because these auto-generated transcriptions are created by machine learning algorithms, their accuracy cannot be counted on. Therefore, the best way to get the job done accurately is, let YouTube auto-transcribe your video, download the transcription file, make the necessary changes to it, and then upload the file back to the video.

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

Also read: