Youtube Transcripts

YouTube Transcripts Extraction 🧰

Tool Overview

The YouTube Transcripts Scraper is a streamlined utility designed to efficiently extract transcripts from YouTube videos 🎥. By inputting a video's URL or 1000s URLs🔗, the tool retrieves the full transcript (when available), providing researchers 👨‍🔬, content creators 🎬, and users with convenient access to textual video content 📝. The tool works well with both, long videos and shorts videos.

Update:(09-23-2024)

You can now choose option output for the format to extract transcripts/captions:

• The default output format is captions array with text only
• captions array text with timestamps
• captions in XML only
• captions in XML with timestamps
• captions in one line string text

Update:(09-27-2024)

• Improved speed
• Better error handling

Update:(11-26-2024)

• Intermediate results are not lost. Even when the Actor's run is aborted or stops running or timedout.
• Bug fix

Update:(03-06-2025) added 14 data points to include in the results:

• Channel Handle
• Channel Name
• Channel ID
• Subscriber Count
• Date Text: example feb 2, 2025
• Relative Date Text: example 3 days ago
• Date Published: in ISO format
• Upload Date: in ISO format
• View Count: number of views
• Likes: number of likes
• Comments: number of comments
• Keywords or Tags
• Thumbnail url
• Description

Key Functionality ⭐

• Streamlined User Experience: Transcript retrieval is initiated through the simple input of the YouTube video URL or URLs – easy peasy! 🎉
• Rapid Data Retrieval: The tool swiftly fetches the transcript associated with the provided URL ⚡. No waiting around!
• Clear Text Output: The extracted transcript is presented in a clean, readable plain text format, facilitating immediate use and analysis 👌.
• Works for Shorts Videos: You can also extract transcripts from shorts videos, but you know, most of shorts do not contain transcripts or captions.

How to Use ⚙️

1. URL Input:
   • Identify the target YouTube video 🎥.
   • Copy the video's URL or URLs from the browser address bar.
2. Tool Initiation:
   • Access the YouTube Transcript Scraper tool input page.
   • Paste the copied URL or URLs into the designated input field.
   • Choose your desired captions/transcript output format (Text only, with timestamps...)
   • Retries count: How many times to retry a failed request. default is 3 times.
   • Click Start and sit back.
3. Transcript Retrieval:
   • Wait for extraction to finish.
   • Initiate the extraction process by clicking "Export". ✨
4. Transcript Access:
   • The extracted transcript will be displayed on screen 짠!
   • You can copy the text directly or download it as a .json .html table .xml .xlsx .csv file for future reference 💾.

Illustrative Example

Step-by-Step Guide

1. Video Selection: Locate the desired video on the YouTube platform 🔍.
2. URL Acquisition: Copy the video URL (e.g., https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ).
3. Transcript Extraction: Input the URL into the YouTube Transcript Scraper and click "Start".
4. Transcript Utilization: Proceed to view, copy, or download the retrieved transcript – it's yours! 🎉

Example Output Text Array Structure:

1{
2    "videoId": "dQw4w9WgXcQ",
3    "captions":
4        [
5"\[FILM PROJECTOR ROLLING\]",
6"♪ WAIT ‘TIL I TURN MY LOVE ON ♪",
7"♪ WAIT ‘TIL, WAIT ‘TIL ♪",
8"♪ WAIT ‘TIL I TURN MY LOVE ON ♪",
9"♪ I’M NO CHEAP THRILL ♪",
10"♪ I’M A ROLLERCOASTER RIDE, BABY JUMP ON ♪",
11"♪ COME ON, COME ON ♪",
12"♪ CAUSE BABY IF YOU CAN’T TELL (CAUSE BABY IF YOU CAN’T TELL) ♪",
13"♪ YOU’RE WHAT I WANNA LOVE ON, OHH ♪",
14"♪ THIS DOESN’T HAVE TO BE SOME SORT OF MATHEMATICAL EQUATION ♪",
15"♪ SLIP OFF YOUR JEANS, SLIDE IN THE SHEETS ♪",
16"♪ SCREAMING “YES” IN QUOTATIONS ♪",
17"♪ CLOCK IN, BABY GET TO WORK ♪",
18"♪ NIGHT SHIFT BUT WITH ALL THE PERKS ♪",
19"♪ TIME STAMPING WHEN YOU FELL IN LOVE ♪",
20"♪ TIME CAN’T MESS WITH US ♪",
21"♪ OOOH, OOOH, OOOH ♪",
22"♪ IF YOU THINK ABOUT FALLING ♪",
23"♪ GOT YOU COVERED LIKE GARMENTS ♪",
24"♪ OOOH, OOOH, OOOH ♪",
25"♪ I DESERVE AN APPLAUSE FOR ♪",
26"♪ KEEPING YOU UP LATE ‘TIL YOU",
27"CAN’T SEE STRAIGHT JUST WAIT, WOO! ♪",
28"♪ WAIT ‘TIL I TURN MY LOVE ON ♪",
29"♪ WAIT ‘TIL, WAIT ‘TIL ♪",
30"♪ WAIT ‘TIL I TURN MY LOVE ON (WAIT ‘TIL I TURN MY LOVE ON) ♪",
31"♪ I’M NO CHEAP THRILL ♪",
32"♪ I’M A ROLLER COASTER RIDE, BABY JUMP ON ♪",
33"♪ COME ON COME ON ♪",
34"♪ CAUSE BABY IF YOU CAN’T TELL (CAUSE BABY IF YOU CAN’T TELL) ♪",
35"♪ YOU’RE WHAT I WANNA LOVE ON, OHH! ♪",
36"♪ WAIT ‘TIL I TURN MY LOVE ON (WAIT ‘TIL I TURN MY LOVE ON) ♪",
37"♪ WAIT ‘TIL WAIT TILL ♪",
38"♪ WAIT ‘TIL I TURN MY LOVE ON ♪",
39"♪ YOU’LL GET YOUR THRILL ♪",
40"♪ JUST PROMISE YOU’LL BE PATIENT WITH THE OUTCOME ♪",
41"♪ COME ON ♪",
42"♪ CAUSE BABY IF YOU CAN’T TELL (CAUSE BABY IF YOU CAN’T TELL) ♪",
43"♪ YOU’RE WHAT I WANNA LOVE ON ♪",
44"♪ WHY WE CONVERSING OVER THIS STEAK TARTARE WHEN WE COULD BE ♪",
45"♪ SOMEWHERE OTHER THAN HERE MAKING OUT IN THE BACK OF A CAR ♪",
46"♪ OR IN THE BACK OF A BAR ♪",
47"♪ OR WE COULD MAKE A MEMOIR, YEAH ♪",
48"♪ ON THE BACK WALL OF THE LAST STALL IN THE BATHROOM AT THE BAZAAR ♪",
49"♪ OOOH, OOOH, OOOH ♪",
50"♪ IF YOU THINK ABOUT FALLING ♪",
51"♪ GOT YOU COVERED LIKE GARMENTS ♪",
52"♪ OOOH, OOOH, OOOH ♪",
53"♪ I DESERVE AN APPLAUSE FOR ♪",
54"♪ KEEPING YOU UP LATE ‘TIL YOU",
55"CAN’T SEE STRAIGHT JUST WAIT, WOO! ♪",
56"♪ WAIT ‘TIL I TURN MY LOVE ON ♪",
57"♪ WAIT ‘TIL, WAIT ‘TIL ♪",
58"♪ WAIT ‘TIL I TURN MY LOVE ON (WAIT ‘TIL I TURN MY LOVE ON) ♪",
59"♪ I’M NO CHEAP THRILL ♪",
60"♪ I’M A ROLLER COASTER RIDE, BABY JUMP ON ♪",
61"♪ COME ON COME ON ♪",
62"♪ CAUSE BABY IF YOU CAN’T TELL (CAUSE BABY IF YOU CAN’T TELL) ♪",
63"♪ YOU’RE WHAT I WANNA LOVE ON, OHH! ♪",
64"♪ WAIT ‘TIL I TURN MY LOVE ON (WAIT ‘TIL I TURN MY LOVE ON) ♪",
65"♪ WAIT ‘TIL, WAIT ‘TIL ♪",
66"♪ WAIT ‘TIL I TURN MY LOVE ON (WAIT ‘TIL I TURN MY LOVE ON) ♪",
67"♪ YOU’LL GET YOUR THRILL ♪",
68"♪ JUST PROMISE YOU’LL BE PATIENT WITH THE OUTCOME ♪",
69"♪ COME ON ♪",
70"♪ CAUSE BABY IF YOU CAN’T TELL (CAUSE BABY IF YOU CAN’T TELL) ♪",
71"♪ YOU’RE WHAT I WANNA LOVE ON ♪",
72"♪ WAIT ‘TIL I ♪",
73"♪ OHH YEAH ♪",
74"♪ WAIT ‘TIL I ♪",
75"♪♪♪ \[VOCALIZING\]",
76"♪ BABY IF YOU CAN’T TELL ♪",
77"♪ YOU’RE WHAT I WANNA LOVE ON, OHH! ♪",
78"SILENCE (FRENCH) SILENZIO (ITALIAN)",
79"♪♪♪"
80]
81}

Example Output Text Array with Timestamps Structure:

1{
2"videoId": "mNHNktxbjdk",
3"captions": [
4{
5"start": 0.667,
6"end": 3.17,
7"text": "[FILM PROJECTOR ROLLING]"
8},
9{
10"start": 6.84,
11"end": 8.383,
12"text": "<i>- QU’EST-CE QUE JE VAIS TE\nNOMMER? </i>[FRENCH]"
13},
14{
15"start": 10.052,
16"end": 11.386,
17"text": "<i>JE VAIS TE NOMMER</i>"
18},
19{
20"start": 11.47,
21"end": 13.013,
22"text": "<i>L’AMOUR</i>"
23},
24{
25"start": 13.513,
26"end": 16.225,
27"text": "<i>L’AMOUR TENDRE</i>"
28},
29{
30"start": 16.308,
31"end": 18.185,
32"text": "♪ WAIT ‘TIL I TURN MY LOVE ON ♪"
33},
34{
35"start": 19.144,
36"end": 20.27,
37"text": "♪ WAIT ‘TIL, WAIT ‘TIL ♪"
38},
39{
40"start": 20.354,
41"end": 22.189,
42"text": "♪ WAIT ‘TIL I TURN MY LOVE ON ♪"
43},
44{
45"start": 23.523,
46"end": 24.691,
47"text": "♪ I’M NO CHEAP THRILL ♪"
48},
49{
50"start": 24.775,
51"end": 27.360999999999997,
52"text": "♪ I’M A ROLLERCOASTER RIDE,\nBABY JUMP ON ♪"
53},
54{
55"start": 27.819,
56"end": 28.987,
57"text": "♪ COME ON, COME ON ♪"
58},
59{
60"start": 29.071,
61"end": 31.240000000000002,
62"text": "♪ CAUSE BABY IF YOU CAN’T TELL\n(CAUSE BABY IF YOU CAN’T TELL) ♪"
63},
64{
65"start": 31.24,
66"end": 33.533,
67"text": "♪ YOU’RE WHAT I\nWANNA LOVE ON, OHH ♪"
68},
69{
70"start": 33.617,
71"end": 37.745999999999995,
72"text": "♪ THIS DOESN’T HAVE TO BE SOME\nSORT OF MATHEMATICAL EQUATION ♪"
73},
74{
75"start": 37.829,
76"end": 39.873,
77"text": "♪ SLIP OFF YOUR JEANS,\nSLIDE IN THE SHEETS ♪"
78},
79{
80"start": 39.957,
81"end": 41.875,
82"text": "♪ SCREAMING “YES”\nIN QUOTATIONS ♪"
83},
84{
85"start": 41.959,
86"end": 43.919000000000004,
87"text": "♪ CLOCK IN, BABY GET TO WORK ♪"
88},
89{
90"start": 44.002,
91"end": 46.088,
92"text": "♪ NIGHT SHIFT BUT WITH ALL\nTHE PERKS ♪"
93},
94{
95"start": 46.171,
96"end": 48.048,
97"text": "♪ TIME STAMPING WHEN YOU FELL\nIN LOVE ♪"
98},
99{
100"start": 48.131,
101"end": 49.925,
102"text": "♪ TIME CAN’T MESS WITH US ♪"
103},
104{
105"start": 50.008,
106"end": 52.844,
107"text": "♪ OOOH, OOOH, OOOH ♪"
108},
109{
110"start": 52.928,
111"end": 54.638,
112"text": "♪ IF YOU THINK ABOUT FALLING ♪"
113},
114{
115"start": 54.721,
116"end": 57.181999999999995,
117"text": "♪ GOT YOU COVERED LIKE\nGARMENTS ♪"
118},
119{
120"start": 57.266,
121"end": 61.019,
122"text": "♪ OOOH, OOOH, OOOH ♪"
123},
124{
125"start": 61.103,
126"end": 62.938,
127"text": "♪ I DESERVE AN APPLAUSE FOR ♪"
128},
129{
130"start": 63.021,
131"end": 66.441,
132"text": "♪ KEEPING YOU UP LATE ‘TIL YOU"
133},
134{
135"start": 63.021,
136"end": 66.441,
137"text": "CAN’T SEE STRAIGHT\nJUST WAIT, WOO! ♪"
138},
139{
140"start": 66.525,
141"end": 69.069,
142"text": "♪ WAIT ‘TIL I TURN MY LOVE ON ♪"
143},
144{
145"start": 69.152,
146"end": 70.529,
147"text": "♪ WAIT ‘TIL, WAIT ‘TIL ♪"
148},
149{
150"start": 70.612,
151"end": 73.03099999999999,
152"text": "♪ WAIT ‘TIL I TURN MY LOVE ON\n(WAIT ‘TIL I TURN MY LOVE ON) ♪"
153},
154{
155"start": 73.115,
156"end": 74.366,
157"text": "♪ I’M NO CHEAP THRILL ♪"
158},
159{
160"start": 74.449,
161"end": 77.244,
162"text": "♪ I’M A ROLLER COASTER RIDE,\nBABY JUMP ON ♪"
163},
164{
165"start": 77.327,
166"end": 78.41199999999999,
167"text": "♪ COME ON COME ON ♪"
168},
169{
170"start": 78.495,
171"end": 80.622,
172"text": "♪ CAUSE BABY IF YOU CAN’T TELL\n(CAUSE BABY IF YOU CAN’T TELL) ♪"
173},
174{
175"start": 80.706,
176"end": 83.083,
177"text": "♪ YOU’RE WHAT I WANNA LOVE ON,\nOHH! ♪"
178},
179{
180"start": 83.166,
181"end": 85.669,
182"text": "♪ WAIT ‘TIL I TURN MY LOVE ON\n(WAIT ‘TIL I TURN MY LOVE ON) ♪"
183},
184{
185"start": 85.752,
186"end": 86.71199999999999,
187"text": "♪ WAIT ‘TIL WAIT TILL ♪"
188},
189{
190"start": 86.712,
191"end": 88.797,
192"text": "♪ WAIT ‘TIL I TURN MY LOVE ON ♪"
193},
194{
195"start": 89.923,
196"end": 90.924,
197"text": "♪ YOU’LL GET YOUR THRILL ♪"
198},
199{
200"start": 91.008,
201"end": 93.55199999999999,
202"text": "♪ JUST PROMISE YOU’LL BE PATIENT\nWITH THE OUTCOME ♪"
203},
204{
205"start": 94.136,
206"end": 95.012,
207"text": "♪ COME ON ♪"
208},
209{
210"start": 95.095,
211"end": 97.264,
212"text": "♪ CAUSE BABY IF YOU CAN’T TELL\n(CAUSE BABY IF YOU CAN’T TELL) ♪"
213},
214{
215"start": 97.264,
216"end": 99.01599999999999,
217"text": "♪ YOU’RE WHAT I WANNA LOVE ON ♪"
218},
219{
220"start": 99.391,
221"end": 103.52000000000001,
222"text": "♪ WHY WE CONVERSING OVER THIS\nSTEAK TARTARE WHEN WE COULD BE ♪"
223},
224{
225"start": 103.895,
226"end": 107.149,
227"text": "♪ SOMEWHERE OTHER THAN HERE\nMAKING OUT IN THE BACK OF\nA CAR ♪"
228},
229{
230"start": 107.232,
231"end": 109.359,
232"text": "♪ OR IN THE BACK OF A BAR ♪"
233},
234{
235"start": 109.443,
236"end": 111.90299999999999,
237"text": "♪ OR WE COULD MAKE\nA MEMOIR, YEAH ♪"
238},
239{
240"start": 111.987,
241"end": 115.198,
242"text": "♪ ON THE BACK WALL OF THE LAST\nSTALL IN THE BATHROOM AT\nTHE BAZAAR ♪"
243},
244{
245"start": 115.282,
246"end": 118.827,
247"text": "♪ OOOH, OOOH, OOOH ♪"
248},
249{
250"start": 118.91,
251"end": 120.871,
252"text": "♪ IF YOU THINK ABOUT FALLING ♪"
253},
254{
255"start": 120.954,
256"end": 123.457,
257"text": "♪ GOT YOU COVERED LIKE\nGARMENTS ♪"
258},
259{
260"start": 123.874,
261"end": 127.294,
262"text": "♪ OOOH, OOOH, OOOH ♪"
263},
264{
265"start": 127.377,
266"end": 129.004,
267"text": "♪ I DESERVE AN APPLAUSE FOR ♪"
268},
269{
270"start": 129.087,
271"end": 132.38199999999998,
272"text": "♪ KEEPING YOU UP LATE ‘TIL YOU"
273},
274{
275"start": 129.087,
276"end": 132.38199999999998,
277"text": "CAN’T SEE STRAIGHT\nJUST WAIT, WOO! ♪"
278},
279{
280"start": 132.466,
281"end": 134.30100000000002,
282"text": "♪ WAIT ‘TIL I TURN MY LOVE ON ♪"
283},
284{
285"start": 135.26,
286"end": 136.261,
287"text": "♪ WAIT ‘TIL, WAIT ‘TIL ♪"
288},
289{
290"start": 136.345,
291"end": 139.389,
292"text": "♪ WAIT ‘TIL I TURN MY LOVE ON\n(WAIT ‘TIL I TURN MY LOVE ON) ♪"
293},
294{
295"start": 139.473,
296"end": 140.68200000000002,
297"text": "♪ I’M NO CHEAP THRILL ♪"
298},
299{
300"start": 140.766,
301"end": 142.976,
302"text": "♪ I’M A ROLLER COASTER RIDE,\nBABY JUMP ON ♪"
303},
304{
305"start": 143.435,
306"end": 144.561,
307"text": "♪ COME ON COME ON ♪"
308},
309{
310"start": 144.644,
311"end": 146.81300000000002,
312"text": "♪ CAUSE BABY IF YOU CAN’T TELL\n(CAUSE BABY IF YOU CAN’T TELL) ♪"
313},
314{
315"start": 146.813,
316"end": 149.149,
317"text": "♪ YOU’RE WHAT I WANNA LOVE ON,\nOHH! ♪"
318},
319{
320"start": 149.232,
321"end": 151.86,
322"text": "♪ WAIT ‘TIL I TURN MY LOVE ON\n(WAIT ‘TIL I TURN MY LOVE ON) ♪"
323},
324{
325"start": 151.943,
326"end": 152.98600000000002,
327"text": "♪ WAIT ‘TIL, WAIT ‘TIL ♪"
328},
329{
330"start": 153.07,
331"end": 155.697,
332"text": "♪ WAIT ‘TIL I TURN MY LOVE ON\n(WAIT ‘TIL I TURN MY LOVE ON) ♪"
333},
334{
335"start": 155.781,
336"end": 157.115,
337"text": "♪ YOU’LL GET YOUR THRILL ♪"
338},
339{
340"start": 157.199,
341"end": 159.40900000000002,
342"text": "♪ JUST PROMISE YOU’LL BE PATIENT\nWITH THE OUTCOME ♪"
343},
344{
345"start": 160.744,
346"end": 161.411,
347"text": "♪ COME ON ♪"
348},
349{
350"start": 161.411,
351"end": 163.58,
352"text": "♪ CAUSE BABY IF YOU CAN’T TELL\n(CAUSE BABY IF YOU CAN’T TELL) ♪"
353},
354{
355"start": 163.58,
356"end": 164.99800000000002,
357"text": "♪ YOU’RE WHAT I WANNA LOVE ON ♪"
358},
359{
360"start": 165.332,
361"end": 167,
362"text": "♪ WAIT ‘TIL I ♪"
363},
364{
365"start": 168.502,
366"end": 169.79500000000002,
367"text": "♪ OHH YEAH ♪"
368},
369{
370"start": 169.878,
371"end": 171.588,
372"text": "♪ WAIT ‘TIL I ♪"
373},
374{
375"start": 171.922,
376"end": 178.136,
377"text": "♪♪♪\n[VOCALIZING]"
378},
379{
380"start": 178.22,
381"end": 179.846,
382"text": "♪ BABY IF YOU CAN’T TELL ♪"
383},
384{
385"start": 179.93,
386"end": 182.26500000000001,
387"text": "♪ YOU’RE WHAT I WANNA LOVE ON,\nOHH! ♪"
388},
389{
390"start": 184.309,
391"end": 186.478,
392"text": "SILENCE (FRENCH)\nSILENZIO (ITALIAN)"
393},
394{
395"start": 186.937,
396"end": 188.77200000000002,
397"text": "♪♪♪"
398}
399]

Potential Issues & Resolutions 🛠️

• Youtube scraping Errors: More than before YouTube blocks a lot of requests, if this is the case, increase number of retries in the input page and/or change proxy to Residential.
• Transcript Unavailability: The tool will notify users if a transcript is not available for the specified video 😔.
• URL Errors: Ensure the accuracy and validity of the inputted YouTube URL to avoid retrieval errors – double-check that link! We are making a lot of URL validity check and cleaning to make it suitable for the code to work well, but you never know, please check twice so you don't loose your time.

Support & Assistance 🙋‍♀️

For technical assistance or inquiries, please infome me in the issues tab.

Further Resources ➡️

We encourage you to leverage the YouTube Transcript Scraper for efficient and effective access to valuable video content! 😄