Download YouTube Subtitles & Captions
Extract subtitles from YouTube videos in SRT, VTT, or TXT format for offline use, translation, or video editing.
Method 1: yt-dlp (Best for Multiple Languages)
# Download subtitles only (all languages)
yt-dlp --write-sub --skip-download "VIDEO_URL"
# Download English subtitles
yt-dlp --write-sub --sub-lang en --skip-download "VIDEO_URL"
# Download video + subtitles
yt-dlp --write-sub --sub-lang en "VIDEO_URL"
# Auto-generated subs
yt-dlp --write-auto-sub --sub-lang en "VIDEO_URL"
Method 2: Online Subtitle Downloaders
Popular Tools:
- DownSub.com: Simple interface, multiple languages
- Savesubs.com: Direct download, no registration
- YouTubeTranscript.com: Text format
Steps:
- Copy YouTube video URL
- Paste into subtitle downloader
- Select language
- Choose format (SRT, VTT, TXT)
- Download to your device
Method 3: 4K Video Downloader
- Paste video link
- Click "Download" button dropdown
- Check "Download subtitles"
- Select languages
- Subtitles save with video
Subtitle Formats Explained
| Format | Extension | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| SubRip | .srt | Most compatible |
| WebVTT | .vtt | Web players |
| Plain Text | .txt | Reading/editing |
Available Subtitle Types
Manual Subtitles (CC):
- Created by video uploader or community
- More accurate
- Includes proper punctuation
- May include speaker labels
Auto-Generated Subtitles:
- Created by YouTube's AI
- Available for most videos
- Less accurate (especially with accents)
- No punctuation by default
Use Cases for Downloaded Subtitles
- Language Learning: Study vocabulary and grammar
- Translation: Translate to other languages
- Accessibility: Offline viewing with captions
- Video Editing: Add to your own videos
- Content Creation: Create blog posts from transcripts
- Research: Quote from videos accurately
Editing Subtitles
Use subtitle editors to modify downloaded captions:
- Subtitle Edit: Windows, free and powerful
- Aegisub: Cross-platform, advanced features
- Online editors: SubtitleTools.com, Kapwing
Troubleshooting
No Subtitles Available:
- Video may not have captions
- Try auto-generated subtitles option
- Check if subtitles exist on YouTube first
Wrong Language Downloaded:
- Specify language code (en, es, fr, etc.)
- Use
--list-substo see available languages - Download all then select needed one