Explore These Seven Sources for YouTube Sound Effects for 2024

Explore These Seven Sources for YouTube Sound Effects for 2024

Joseph Lv13

Explore These Seven Sources for YouTube Sound Effects

7 Places to Find Royalty Free Sound Effects for YouTube Videos

author avatar

Richard Bennett

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Sound effects can add a lot of excitement to your videos. Sometimes they are even used for comedic effect. For example, you might use a fake slap sound in a slapstick comedy sketch. Other times sound effects can be more subtle. You might want to add city noises to the background of your video to help set your scene, or a droning sound to build suspense. A lot of the most popular free sound effects are related to the genres of science fiction or action.

Part 1: Three Types of Sound Effects

1. Without License

When you want to download sound effects for YouTube, the licensed ones cannot be used, but there are a few that do not hold a license and can be easily downloaded from the website. The quality might be poor to some extent, but you may use the sound effects without a license in any product or video.

2. Creative Commons License

The sound effects under the CC license need to be checked for their type. There are some vlog sound effects that can be used for personal projects free but not for commercial ones. There are a few sound effects that might just require attribution or credit to the creator and cannot be modified in any way.

3. Royalty-free license

You may download sound effects for YouTube by purchasing the licensed sound effects that a professional offers. When you purchase it, you will get high-quality sound, and you may use it on one or more projects, irrespective of personal or commercial types.

Where can you get free sound effects and edit audios at the same time? Just try Filmora for free!

Download Win Version Download Mac Version

Part 2: Royalty-Free Sound Effects for Your YouTube Videos

This article will introduce you to the six best sites to find royalty-free sound effects and explain their terms of use.

1.YouTube Audio Library – Free!

sound effects on youtube

Besides royalty-free music, the YouTube Audio Library also has sound effects that you can download for free. The sound effects in YouTube’s library are organized into categories. You can select a category, i.e ‘sci-fi’, from the drop-down menu next to the search bar and browse through just the types of sounds you are interested in. You can also favorite sounds you like so you can find them again easily.

The sound effects you download from YouTube’s library can be used as many times as you like and in as many different projects. Monetizing your videos will not impact your ability to use these sound effects either. Some other sources of sound effects have different rules about monetizing or using sound effects in multiple projects.

2.Freesound – Free!

freesound

Freesound.org is a huge database of royalty-free sound effects and other audio files. All downloads are free, but there are conditions for using some of the sounds on Freesound. There are three different Creative Commons licenses uses on Freesound and which one applies to the sound effect you want depends on the user who posted it.

The three licenses used on Freesound are Zero, Attribution, and Attribution-Noncommercial.

Zero (cc0): you can do anything you want with these sound effects except claim that you created them. You can make money off of them and you do not have to credit the original creator.

Attribution (by): you should credit the creator of the sound. Usually, this means adding a ‘Sound effect by Username on Freesound’ line in the description of your video. So long as you credit the artists you can do anything with these sounds, even monetize the videos you use them in.

Attribution-Noncommercial (by –nc): you must credit the creators of these sound effects and you cannot make money off of them. This means that you cannot monetize a video in which you used these sound effects.

Freesound is a social site where you can talk to the creators of the sounds you want to download. If you are planning to monetize a video that uses an Attribution-Noncommercial sound effect you can always ask the artist for permission.

I’ve also found a YouTube video that explains the Creative Commons in detail. You can watch it below.

3.AudioJungle - $1 and Up

audiojungle

AudioJungle.net has a wide selection of royalty-free sound effects available for prices as low as $1. Sound effects costing more than $10 tend to either be longer or include whole sets of sounds. You can filter the sounds on AudioJungle by category, tags, and price while you browse.

There are two different licenses you can purchase on AudioJungle, SFX Single Use, and SFX Multi-Use. The prices displayed are all for the Single Use license. The Multi-Use license costs more.

The main difference between the two licenses on AudioJungle is how many projects you can use your sound effect in. If you purchase a sound under a Single-Use license you can only use it in one project. You can use it as many times as you want within that project, and you can even make money off of that project, but you cannot use it again in a second project unless you repurchase it. While it is more expensive, the Multi-Use license gives you unlimited use of your download.

If you decide to use sound effects from any of these sites then please make sure to read their more detailed legal information.

4.Free Sound Effects

Free Sound Effects

The Free Sound Effects lets you access free as well as licensed sound effects. If you want to download sound effects for YouTube videos, the legally licensed soundtracks with high-quality effects can be selected from the Pro Sound Effects sections. These are royalty-free sound effects.

It requires a one-time fee and you get access to use the sound effects as many times you want for your projects. But, if you are not really serious and just creating videos out of fun, you may also try the free sound effects like animals, applause, cars, etc. to ensure good vlog sound effects that can give life to your vlog.

5.Soundsnap

Soundsnap

Whether you wish to spice up your games videos or make the notification alerts hilarious, the Soundsnap app lets you download some of the most amazing sound effects. It is the best platform to search and also share the free vlog sound effects or loops legally. Soundsnap offers original sound effects created by the users and not the edited or mixed sounds that you find in usual commercial libraries. It features above 200,000 loops and sound effects created by expert and knowledgeable music producers and sound engineers.

6.PacDV Free Sound Effects

PacDV Free Sound Effects

Now, you may create vlog sound effects from this royalty-free library of sounds produced by film students, multimedia developers, sound designers, music producers, etc. On the PacDV Free Sound Effects site, you can find free sound clips that have been used in a number of films, television programs, and videos.

You may definitely enjoy downloading sound effects for YouTube from this site completely free but cannot sell it or re-license it to anyone for your benefit. It must be used by you for your video only. The sound clips must not be put on site for download or link to other sound files.

Part 3: Get Free Sound Effects for YouTube Video in Filmora

If you’re using the Filmora video editor to produce YouTube videos, then you have a free sound effect library already. You can find them in the Audio library (shown below).

 Filmora9 Audio Library

There are currently 25 different sound effects available, varying from animal, machine, people, sci-fi, and ambiance. After adding the sound effect to the timeline, you can change the speed to make the sound sounds fun.

Download Filmora9 Win Version Download Filmora9 Mac Version

author avatar

Richard Bennett

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

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Sound effects can add a lot of excitement to your videos. Sometimes they are even used for comedic effect. For example, you might use a fake slap sound in a slapstick comedy sketch. Other times sound effects can be more subtle. You might want to add city noises to the background of your video to help set your scene, or a droning sound to build suspense. A lot of the most popular free sound effects are related to the genres of science fiction or action.

Part 1: Three Types of Sound Effects

1. Without License

When you want to download sound effects for YouTube, the licensed ones cannot be used, but there are a few that do not hold a license and can be easily downloaded from the website. The quality might be poor to some extent, but you may use the sound effects without a license in any product or video.

2. Creative Commons License

The sound effects under the CC license need to be checked for their type. There are some vlog sound effects that can be used for personal projects free but not for commercial ones. There are a few sound effects that might just require attribution or credit to the creator and cannot be modified in any way.

3. Royalty-free license

You may download sound effects for YouTube by purchasing the licensed sound effects that a professional offers. When you purchase it, you will get high-quality sound, and you may use it on one or more projects, irrespective of personal or commercial types.

Where can you get free sound effects and edit audios at the same time? Just try Filmora for free!

Download Win Version Download Mac Version

Part 2: Royalty-Free Sound Effects for Your YouTube Videos

This article will introduce you to the six best sites to find royalty-free sound effects and explain their terms of use.

1.YouTube Audio Library – Free!

sound effects on youtube

Besides royalty-free music, the YouTube Audio Library also has sound effects that you can download for free. The sound effects in YouTube’s library are organized into categories. You can select a category, i.e ‘sci-fi’, from the drop-down menu next to the search bar and browse through just the types of sounds you are interested in. You can also favorite sounds you like so you can find them again easily.

The sound effects you download from YouTube’s library can be used as many times as you like and in as many different projects. Monetizing your videos will not impact your ability to use these sound effects either. Some other sources of sound effects have different rules about monetizing or using sound effects in multiple projects.

2.Freesound – Free!

freesound

Freesound.org is a huge database of royalty-free sound effects and other audio files. All downloads are free, but there are conditions for using some of the sounds on Freesound. There are three different Creative Commons licenses uses on Freesound and which one applies to the sound effect you want depends on the user who posted it.

The three licenses used on Freesound are Zero, Attribution, and Attribution-Noncommercial.

Zero (cc0): you can do anything you want with these sound effects except claim that you created them. You can make money off of them and you do not have to credit the original creator.

Attribution (by): you should credit the creator of the sound. Usually, this means adding a ‘Sound effect by Username on Freesound’ line in the description of your video. So long as you credit the artists you can do anything with these sounds, even monetize the videos you use them in.

Attribution-Noncommercial (by –nc): you must credit the creators of these sound effects and you cannot make money off of them. This means that you cannot monetize a video in which you used these sound effects.

Freesound is a social site where you can talk to the creators of the sounds you want to download. If you are planning to monetize a video that uses an Attribution-Noncommercial sound effect you can always ask the artist for permission.

I’ve also found a YouTube video that explains the Creative Commons in detail. You can watch it below.

3.AudioJungle - $1 and Up

audiojungle

AudioJungle.net has a wide selection of royalty-free sound effects available for prices as low as $1. Sound effects costing more than $10 tend to either be longer or include whole sets of sounds. You can filter the sounds on AudioJungle by category, tags, and price while you browse.

There are two different licenses you can purchase on AudioJungle, SFX Single Use, and SFX Multi-Use. The prices displayed are all for the Single Use license. The Multi-Use license costs more.

The main difference between the two licenses on AudioJungle is how many projects you can use your sound effect in. If you purchase a sound under a Single-Use license you can only use it in one project. You can use it as many times as you want within that project, and you can even make money off of that project, but you cannot use it again in a second project unless you repurchase it. While it is more expensive, the Multi-Use license gives you unlimited use of your download.

If you decide to use sound effects from any of these sites then please make sure to read their more detailed legal information.

4.Free Sound Effects

Free Sound Effects

The Free Sound Effects lets you access free as well as licensed sound effects. If you want to download sound effects for YouTube videos, the legally licensed soundtracks with high-quality effects can be selected from the Pro Sound Effects sections. These are royalty-free sound effects.

It requires a one-time fee and you get access to use the sound effects as many times you want for your projects. But, if you are not really serious and just creating videos out of fun, you may also try the free sound effects like animals, applause, cars, etc. to ensure good vlog sound effects that can give life to your vlog.

5.Soundsnap

Soundsnap

Whether you wish to spice up your games videos or make the notification alerts hilarious, the Soundsnap app lets you download some of the most amazing sound effects. It is the best platform to search and also share the free vlog sound effects or loops legally. Soundsnap offers original sound effects created by the users and not the edited or mixed sounds that you find in usual commercial libraries. It features above 200,000 loops and sound effects created by expert and knowledgeable music producers and sound engineers.

6.PacDV Free Sound Effects

PacDV Free Sound Effects

Now, you may create vlog sound effects from this royalty-free library of sounds produced by film students, multimedia developers, sound designers, music producers, etc. On the PacDV Free Sound Effects site, you can find free sound clips that have been used in a number of films, television programs, and videos.

You may definitely enjoy downloading sound effects for YouTube from this site completely free but cannot sell it or re-license it to anyone for your benefit. It must be used by you for your video only. The sound clips must not be put on site for download or link to other sound files.

Part 3: Get Free Sound Effects for YouTube Video in Filmora

If you’re using the Filmora video editor to produce YouTube videos, then you have a free sound effect library already. You can find them in the Audio library (shown below).

 Filmora9 Audio Library

There are currently 25 different sound effects available, varying from animal, machine, people, sci-fi, and ambiance. After adding the sound effect to the timeline, you can change the speed to make the sound sounds fun.

Download Filmora9 Win Version Download Filmora9 Mac Version

author avatar

Richard Bennett

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

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Sound effects can add a lot of excitement to your videos. Sometimes they are even used for comedic effect. For example, you might use a fake slap sound in a slapstick comedy sketch. Other times sound effects can be more subtle. You might want to add city noises to the background of your video to help set your scene, or a droning sound to build suspense. A lot of the most popular free sound effects are related to the genres of science fiction or action.

Part 1: Three Types of Sound Effects

1. Without License

When you want to download sound effects for YouTube, the licensed ones cannot be used, but there are a few that do not hold a license and can be easily downloaded from the website. The quality might be poor to some extent, but you may use the sound effects without a license in any product or video.

2. Creative Commons License

The sound effects under the CC license need to be checked for their type. There are some vlog sound effects that can be used for personal projects free but not for commercial ones. There are a few sound effects that might just require attribution or credit to the creator and cannot be modified in any way.

3. Royalty-free license

You may download sound effects for YouTube by purchasing the licensed sound effects that a professional offers. When you purchase it, you will get high-quality sound, and you may use it on one or more projects, irrespective of personal or commercial types.

Where can you get free sound effects and edit audios at the same time? Just try Filmora for free!

Download Win Version Download Mac Version

Part 2: Royalty-Free Sound Effects for Your YouTube Videos

This article will introduce you to the six best sites to find royalty-free sound effects and explain their terms of use.

1.YouTube Audio Library – Free!

sound effects on youtube

Besides royalty-free music, the YouTube Audio Library also has sound effects that you can download for free. The sound effects in YouTube’s library are organized into categories. You can select a category, i.e ‘sci-fi’, from the drop-down menu next to the search bar and browse through just the types of sounds you are interested in. You can also favorite sounds you like so you can find them again easily.

The sound effects you download from YouTube’s library can be used as many times as you like and in as many different projects. Monetizing your videos will not impact your ability to use these sound effects either. Some other sources of sound effects have different rules about monetizing or using sound effects in multiple projects.

2.Freesound – Free!

freesound

Freesound.org is a huge database of royalty-free sound effects and other audio files. All downloads are free, but there are conditions for using some of the sounds on Freesound. There are three different Creative Commons licenses uses on Freesound and which one applies to the sound effect you want depends on the user who posted it.

The three licenses used on Freesound are Zero, Attribution, and Attribution-Noncommercial.

Zero (cc0): you can do anything you want with these sound effects except claim that you created them. You can make money off of them and you do not have to credit the original creator.

Attribution (by): you should credit the creator of the sound. Usually, this means adding a ‘Sound effect by Username on Freesound’ line in the description of your video. So long as you credit the artists you can do anything with these sounds, even monetize the videos you use them in.

Attribution-Noncommercial (by –nc): you must credit the creators of these sound effects and you cannot make money off of them. This means that you cannot monetize a video in which you used these sound effects.

Freesound is a social site where you can talk to the creators of the sounds you want to download. If you are planning to monetize a video that uses an Attribution-Noncommercial sound effect you can always ask the artist for permission.

I’ve also found a YouTube video that explains the Creative Commons in detail. You can watch it below.

3.AudioJungle - $1 and Up

audiojungle

AudioJungle.net has a wide selection of royalty-free sound effects available for prices as low as $1. Sound effects costing more than $10 tend to either be longer or include whole sets of sounds. You can filter the sounds on AudioJungle by category, tags, and price while you browse.

There are two different licenses you can purchase on AudioJungle, SFX Single Use, and SFX Multi-Use. The prices displayed are all for the Single Use license. The Multi-Use license costs more.

The main difference between the two licenses on AudioJungle is how many projects you can use your sound effect in. If you purchase a sound under a Single-Use license you can only use it in one project. You can use it as many times as you want within that project, and you can even make money off of that project, but you cannot use it again in a second project unless you repurchase it. While it is more expensive, the Multi-Use license gives you unlimited use of your download.

If you decide to use sound effects from any of these sites then please make sure to read their more detailed legal information.

4.Free Sound Effects

Free Sound Effects

The Free Sound Effects lets you access free as well as licensed sound effects. If you want to download sound effects for YouTube videos, the legally licensed soundtracks with high-quality effects can be selected from the Pro Sound Effects sections. These are royalty-free sound effects.

It requires a one-time fee and you get access to use the sound effects as many times you want for your projects. But, if you are not really serious and just creating videos out of fun, you may also try the free sound effects like animals, applause, cars, etc. to ensure good vlog sound effects that can give life to your vlog.

5.Soundsnap

Soundsnap

Whether you wish to spice up your games videos or make the notification alerts hilarious, the Soundsnap app lets you download some of the most amazing sound effects. It is the best platform to search and also share the free vlog sound effects or loops legally. Soundsnap offers original sound effects created by the users and not the edited or mixed sounds that you find in usual commercial libraries. It features above 200,000 loops and sound effects created by expert and knowledgeable music producers and sound engineers.

6.PacDV Free Sound Effects

PacDV Free Sound Effects

Now, you may create vlog sound effects from this royalty-free library of sounds produced by film students, multimedia developers, sound designers, music producers, etc. On the PacDV Free Sound Effects site, you can find free sound clips that have been used in a number of films, television programs, and videos.

You may definitely enjoy downloading sound effects for YouTube from this site completely free but cannot sell it or re-license it to anyone for your benefit. It must be used by you for your video only. The sound clips must not be put on site for download or link to other sound files.

Part 3: Get Free Sound Effects for YouTube Video in Filmora

If you’re using the Filmora video editor to produce YouTube videos, then you have a free sound effect library already. You can find them in the Audio library (shown below).

 Filmora9 Audio Library

There are currently 25 different sound effects available, varying from animal, machine, people, sci-fi, and ambiance. After adding the sound effect to the timeline, you can change the speed to make the sound sounds fun.

Download Filmora9 Win Version Download Filmora9 Mac Version

author avatar

Richard Bennett

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

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Sound effects can add a lot of excitement to your videos. Sometimes they are even used for comedic effect. For example, you might use a fake slap sound in a slapstick comedy sketch. Other times sound effects can be more subtle. You might want to add city noises to the background of your video to help set your scene, or a droning sound to build suspense. A lot of the most popular free sound effects are related to the genres of science fiction or action.

Part 1: Three Types of Sound Effects

1. Without License

When you want to download sound effects for YouTube, the licensed ones cannot be used, but there are a few that do not hold a license and can be easily downloaded from the website. The quality might be poor to some extent, but you may use the sound effects without a license in any product or video.

2. Creative Commons License

The sound effects under the CC license need to be checked for their type. There are some vlog sound effects that can be used for personal projects free but not for commercial ones. There are a few sound effects that might just require attribution or credit to the creator and cannot be modified in any way.

3. Royalty-free license

You may download sound effects for YouTube by purchasing the licensed sound effects that a professional offers. When you purchase it, you will get high-quality sound, and you may use it on one or more projects, irrespective of personal or commercial types.

Where can you get free sound effects and edit audios at the same time? Just try Filmora for free!

Download Win Version Download Mac Version

Part 2: Royalty-Free Sound Effects for Your YouTube Videos

This article will introduce you to the six best sites to find royalty-free sound effects and explain their terms of use.

1.YouTube Audio Library – Free!

sound effects on youtube

Besides royalty-free music, the YouTube Audio Library also has sound effects that you can download for free. The sound effects in YouTube’s library are organized into categories. You can select a category, i.e ‘sci-fi’, from the drop-down menu next to the search bar and browse through just the types of sounds you are interested in. You can also favorite sounds you like so you can find them again easily.

The sound effects you download from YouTube’s library can be used as many times as you like and in as many different projects. Monetizing your videos will not impact your ability to use these sound effects either. Some other sources of sound effects have different rules about monetizing or using sound effects in multiple projects.

2.Freesound – Free!

freesound

Freesound.org is a huge database of royalty-free sound effects and other audio files. All downloads are free, but there are conditions for using some of the sounds on Freesound. There are three different Creative Commons licenses uses on Freesound and which one applies to the sound effect you want depends on the user who posted it.

The three licenses used on Freesound are Zero, Attribution, and Attribution-Noncommercial.

Zero (cc0): you can do anything you want with these sound effects except claim that you created them. You can make money off of them and you do not have to credit the original creator.

Attribution (by): you should credit the creator of the sound. Usually, this means adding a ‘Sound effect by Username on Freesound’ line in the description of your video. So long as you credit the artists you can do anything with these sounds, even monetize the videos you use them in.

Attribution-Noncommercial (by –nc): you must credit the creators of these sound effects and you cannot make money off of them. This means that you cannot monetize a video in which you used these sound effects.

Freesound is a social site where you can talk to the creators of the sounds you want to download. If you are planning to monetize a video that uses an Attribution-Noncommercial sound effect you can always ask the artist for permission.

I’ve also found a YouTube video that explains the Creative Commons in detail. You can watch it below.

3.AudioJungle - $1 and Up

audiojungle

AudioJungle.net has a wide selection of royalty-free sound effects available for prices as low as $1. Sound effects costing more than $10 tend to either be longer or include whole sets of sounds. You can filter the sounds on AudioJungle by category, tags, and price while you browse.

There are two different licenses you can purchase on AudioJungle, SFX Single Use, and SFX Multi-Use. The prices displayed are all for the Single Use license. The Multi-Use license costs more.

The main difference between the two licenses on AudioJungle is how many projects you can use your sound effect in. If you purchase a sound under a Single-Use license you can only use it in one project. You can use it as many times as you want within that project, and you can even make money off of that project, but you cannot use it again in a second project unless you repurchase it. While it is more expensive, the Multi-Use license gives you unlimited use of your download.

If you decide to use sound effects from any of these sites then please make sure to read their more detailed legal information.

4.Free Sound Effects

Free Sound Effects

The Free Sound Effects lets you access free as well as licensed sound effects. If you want to download sound effects for YouTube videos, the legally licensed soundtracks with high-quality effects can be selected from the Pro Sound Effects sections. These are royalty-free sound effects.

It requires a one-time fee and you get access to use the sound effects as many times you want for your projects. But, if you are not really serious and just creating videos out of fun, you may also try the free sound effects like animals, applause, cars, etc. to ensure good vlog sound effects that can give life to your vlog.

5.Soundsnap

Soundsnap

Whether you wish to spice up your games videos or make the notification alerts hilarious, the Soundsnap app lets you download some of the most amazing sound effects. It is the best platform to search and also share the free vlog sound effects or loops legally. Soundsnap offers original sound effects created by the users and not the edited or mixed sounds that you find in usual commercial libraries. It features above 200,000 loops and sound effects created by expert and knowledgeable music producers and sound engineers.

6.PacDV Free Sound Effects

PacDV Free Sound Effects

Now, you may create vlog sound effects from this royalty-free library of sounds produced by film students, multimedia developers, sound designers, music producers, etc. On the PacDV Free Sound Effects site, you can find free sound clips that have been used in a number of films, television programs, and videos.

You may definitely enjoy downloading sound effects for YouTube from this site completely free but cannot sell it or re-license it to anyone for your benefit. It must be used by you for your video only. The sound clips must not be put on site for download or link to other sound files.

Part 3: Get Free Sound Effects for YouTube Video in Filmora

If you’re using the Filmora video editor to produce YouTube videos, then you have a free sound effect library already. You can find them in the Audio library (shown below).

 Filmora9 Audio Library

There are currently 25 different sound effects available, varying from animal, machine, people, sci-fi, and ambiance. After adding the sound effect to the timeline, you can change the speed to make the sound sounds fun.

Download Filmora9 Win Version Download Filmora9 Mac Version

author avatar

Richard Bennett

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

Follow @Richard Bennett

Simplify Your Life with These Tips on Free YouTube Transcription

How to Transcribe a YouTube Video for FREE

author avatar

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: 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.

Upload YouTube videos

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.

Select Language on YouTube

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.

YouTube 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.

YouTube videos transcription

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.

Kapwing Auto Generate Subtitles

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.

Kapwing Auto Generate Subtitles

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.

Kapwing Auto Generate Subtitles

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.

Kapwing Auto Generate Subtitles

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

Edit YouTube subtitles

  • 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.

author avatar

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: 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.

Upload YouTube videos

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.

Select Language on YouTube

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.

YouTube 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.

YouTube videos transcription

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.

Kapwing Auto Generate Subtitles

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.

Kapwing Auto Generate Subtitles

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.

Kapwing Auto Generate Subtitles

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.

Kapwing Auto Generate Subtitles

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

Edit YouTube subtitles

  • 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.

author avatar

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: 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.

Upload YouTube videos

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.

Select Language on YouTube

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.

YouTube 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.

YouTube videos transcription

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.

Kapwing Auto Generate Subtitles

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.

Kapwing Auto Generate Subtitles

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.

Kapwing Auto Generate Subtitles

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.

Kapwing Auto Generate Subtitles

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

Edit YouTube subtitles

  • 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.

author avatar

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: 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.

Upload YouTube videos

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.

Select Language on YouTube

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.

YouTube 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.

YouTube videos transcription

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.

Kapwing Auto Generate Subtitles

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.

Kapwing Auto Generate Subtitles

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.

Kapwing Auto Generate Subtitles

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.

Kapwing Auto Generate Subtitles

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

Edit YouTube subtitles

  • 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.

author avatar

Richard Bennett

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

Follow @Richard Bennett

  • Title: Explore These Seven Sources for YouTube Sound Effects for 2024
  • Author: Joseph
  • Created at : 2024-05-31 13:43:00
  • Updated at : 2024-06-01 13:43:00
  • Link: https://youtube-stream.techidaily.com/explore-these-seven-sources-for-youtube-sound-effects-for-2024/
  • License: This work is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0.
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Explore These Seven Sources for YouTube Sound Effects for 2024