If the YouTube video already has captions
LongScribe can use accessible subtitle tracks to obtain timed text without needing to re-transcribe the audio. Check their accuracy before exporting or publishing.
YOUTUBE VIDEO TO TIMED SRT
YouTube to SRT subtitles
20 transcriptions + 60 min / month
Try without an account
Handles long recordings
No install
Source file kept temporarily, then deleted automatically
THE FINISHED RESULT
A transcript you can actually work with
Search the text, jump back to the exact moment in the video, fix a name, then export the format your workflow needs.
TXTSRTDOCXJSON
Example transcript
Long recordings keep processing in the background.
Search the finished transcript using clickable timestamps.
Export the result as text, subtitles, Word or JSON.
YOUTUBE LINKS AND SHORTS · SRT EXPORT · OCTOBER 11, 2026
How do I convert a YouTube video to SRT?
Paste an accessible public YouTube video or YouTube Shorts URL above. LongScribe checks for usable captions first and can transcribe reachable spoken audio with AI if captions are unavailable. Sign in before starting an exportable job, or claim a completed eligible full guest demo from the same browser when your account has room. Then download a separate .srt subtitle file.
Important: Trying a supported video URL without an account is possible. Saving and downloading SRT/VTT requires an account; source accessibility, recording duration and plan limits still apply. This is not a YouTube video downloader, an automatic translation tool or a way to access private videos.
Follow the four-step guide below to create, review and export the subtitle track. Correcting words does not automatically retime subtitle segments.
If captions are unavailable
The eligible AI fallback transcribes reachable spoken audio into timestamped text. A blocked audio stream, speech-free video or exhausted allowance can prevent an SRT result.
Example of a separate .srt file
1
00:00:02,000 --> 00:00:05,400
The speaker introduces the topic.
2
00:00:06,000 --> 00:00:09,200
The next point starts here.Illustrative SRT format only, not a sample from a real YouTube video or a measured timing benchmark. SubRip uses numbered captions with HH:MM:SS,mmm timing. A .srt file is text, not a new video, and LongScribe does not burn captions into the video.
For a signed-in Free account the regular monthly allowance is 60 transcription minutes across 20 recordings. Eligibility, account quota, per-job limits and YouTube source access remain separate requirements.
Official YouTube help: SRT format and supported subtitle files; upload timed subtitles to YouTube Studio. The exact YouTube Studio controls may change.
When you need a separate YouTube subtitle file
YouTube's transcript view is useful for reading or quoting speech, but editors need the words paired with start and end times. A separate SRT file lets a channel owner add an external timed caption track in YouTube Studio or work on captions in a compatible video editor. It does not modify the YouTube video or transfer its ownership.
Already captioned versus YouTube without captions
For a reachable YouTube video with a usable caption track, LongScribe prefers captions and their timing. For videos lacking captions, an eligible AI fallback can transcribe spoken audio. A blocked audio stream or a recording without speech cannot produce reliable subtitles.
Supported YouTube links, including Shorts
Use a public youtube.com/watch URL, a youtu.be short link or a youtube.com/shorts URL. This is a YouTube-specific SRT workflow. For other supported platforms or saved audio/video uploads, use the general Generate SRT Subtitles page or the main app.
SRT download requires a signed-in account
You can try an eligible public YouTube URL without an account, but a completed transcript must be available to your signed-in account to download SRT or VTT. The normal Free allowance is 60 transcription minutes across 20 recordings per month, with separate source, account and per-job constraints.
Upload a timed subtitle file to YouTube Studio
If you control the video in YouTube Studio, select the video, open its Subtitles area and choose the desired language. Upload the timed .srt file and review before publishing. YouTube supports basic SubRip files in UTF-8; check current YouTube Studio instructions for the precise buttons and options.
SRT compared with VTT and plain YouTube text
SRT has numbered captions and comma-separated millisecond timestamps, such as 00:00:02,000. VTT uses a WEBVTT header and period-separated milliseconds. A plain YouTube transcript is ideal for notes; an SRT file supplies text and timing for external captions. LongScribe exports both SRT and VTT from eligible completed transcripts.
What to verify before publishing YouTube captions
Check speaker names, acronyms, line breaks, timing drift and missed speech against the source video. Word edits do not automatically correct timestamp boundaries. Private, deleted, age-restricted, login-gated or geographically blocked YouTube media may fail without generating an export.
Convert an English YouTube video into an SRT file
For a supported, accessible public English-language YouTube video, paste its watch, youtu.be or Shorts URL into the form above. LongScribe tries usable captions or accessible English speech; it does not promise English translation for non-English video. Sign in before starting a job you intend to save, review the timestamped English text and download its finished .srt sidecar file when eligible. YouTube Studio or your player can import the SRT afterwards. The normal Free account includes 60 minutes across 20 recordings per month, subject to source access and individual recording limits. This does not embed or burn subtitles into a new video.
Fix or convert the downloaded subtitle file
Already have the SRT? Fix subtitle timestamps with a shift or two-point drift correction, or convert SRT to VTT for free. Both tools run locally in your browser and do not process the video again.
Already have subtitle captions?
After downloading SRT, change its format, correct cue structure or shift the timing without starting another transcription.
Frequently asked questions
How can I convert a YouTube video to SRT?
Sign in before starting a saved job, then paste an accessible public YouTube URL. LongScribe prefers usable captions and can transcribe reachable speech when necessary; when the job completes, review timing and download SRT. Eligible full completed guest demos can also be claimed after same-browser login when allowance remains.
Does YouTube to SRT use existing YouTube captions?
Yes. When LongScribe can retrieve usable captions, it prefers that path instead of re-transcribing the audio. Review caption words and timing before publishing the exported SRT.
Can I generate an SRT if the YouTube video has no captions?
For an eligible, accessible video with audible speech, AI fallback can create timed transcript segments. It may fail when the audio is unavailable, protected or outside the account's allowance.
Does YouTube to SRT support YouTube Shorts?
Yes. Supported publicly reachable youtube.com/shorts links use the same captions-first and eligible AI fallback workflow as normal watch URLs.
Can I download a YouTube SRT file without an account?
A signed-in account is needed to download. An eligible full guest demo can be claimed after login in its original browser when allowance remains. Partial previews cannot become full jobs; signing in before starting remains the recommended path.
Can I upload an SRT to my YouTube channel?
If you have access to edit the video in YouTube Studio, upload the basic UTF-8 .srt file as a timed subtitle track in the chosen language, then review it before publishing.
Will LongScribe put subtitles directly inside the video?
No. It exports a separate .srt or .vtt file, not a new MP4 with captions burned in. Use YouTube Studio or a video editor to add them.
Can I edit SRT subtitles or convert them to VTT?
You can correct transcript wording before export, then choose the SRT or VTT download format. Editing words does not automatically retime subtitle boundaries; check sync yourself.
Is YouTube to SRT free?
The normal Free account allowance is 60 transcription minutes across 20 recordings monthly. A free account is required to download SRT; per-job quotas and YouTube access requirements still apply. Not every video can be processed.
Can I convert an English YouTube video into an SRT file?
For a supported, accessible public English-language YouTube video, paste its watch, youtu.be or Shorts URL into the form above. LongScribe tries usable captions or accessible English speech; it does not promise English translation for non-English video. Sign in before starting a job you intend to save, review the timestamped English text and download its finished .srt sidecar file when eligible. YouTube Studio or your player can import the SRT afterwards. The normal Free account includes 60 minutes across 20 recordings per month, subject to source access and individual recording limits. This does not embed or burn subtitles into a new video.