How to Cite a YouTube Video (Step-by-Step Guide for 2025)

If you want to download subtitles from YouTube videos quickly, you have two main options: manually copy them using YouTube’s built-in transcript feature or use an AI subtitle downloader like VOMO. Both methods let you save text from YouTube videos in minutes, whether you need subtitles for translation, accessibility, or editing purposes.

Subtitles make your videos accessible to everyone, including viewers who are deaf, hard of hearing, or don’t speak your language. That’s why knowing how to extract and manage them efficiently is essential for every creator.

Why Downloading YouTube Subtitles Matters

Without subtitles, a large audience is left behind. Studies show that over 80% of viewers watch videos with captions turned on — not only for accessibility but also to improve understanding in noisy environments or non-native language contexts.

If you create or share videos online, downloading subtitles helps you repurpose your content into blog posts, study materials, or searchable text. It also enables advanced uses like audio to text transcription for podcasts and educational videos.

Method 1: Download YouTube Subtitles Manually (Free Option)

This is the simplest way to extract subtitles directly from YouTube without third-party software. Here’s how:

1. Open YouTubeand go to the video you want.
2. Click thethree-dot menubelow the video player and select“Show transcript.”
3. You’ll see the full transcript displayed beside the video.
4. To include timestamps, click“Toggle timestamps.”You can leave them on if you plan to use the subtitles for editing or syncing.
5. Copythe transcript text (Ctrl/Cmd + C) andpasteit into a text editor like Notepad or TextEdit.

You now have a clean version of the video’s subtitles that can be saved as a .txt file or later formatted into SRT.

🟢 Pro Tip: Keep timestamps if you plan to upload subtitles to other platforms or editing tools—they help synchronize dialogue perfectly.

Method 2: Use VOMO to Download Subtitles Automatically (AI Method)

If you need faster, more accurate results, AI tools like VOMO make downloading subtitles effortless. VOMO’s subtitle downloader can turn any YouTube video into readable, editable text in just a few clicks.

Here’s the process:

1. Copy yourYouTube video URL.
2. Log in to yourVOMO Dashboard.
3. ClickImport Files → Import from Link, and paste your YouTube URL.
4. Wait a few moments while VOMOtranscribes the video automatically.
5. Once it’s ready, find the transcript in yourRecent Recordings.
6. Edit speaker names, correct errors, and highlight text to play matching audio.
7. Click theDownload iconin the top right corner.
8. Choose your preferred export format:SRT(for subtitles) orTXT(for plain text).

This process typically takes less than 2 minutes for a 5-minute video, saving you hours of manual work.

Editing and Formatting Your Downloaded Subtitles

After downloading, you can edit your subtitles for better readability or synchronization:

• Remove unnecessary timestamps for blog republishing.
• Adjust punctuation and line breaks for clarity.
• Rename speakers for interviews or multi-person videos.

This workflow is perfect for creators, educators, or marketers who reuse video transcripts across platforms.

Extra Tip: Convert Video to Text for More Uses

Downloading subtitles is just the start. With AI-powered transcription tools, you can also convert video to text to get full transcripts for accessibility, research, or content repurposing. For example, many VOMO users turn long interviews or webinars into articles and summaries automatically — a feature that saves up to 70% of post-production time.

Common Issues and How to Fix Them

If subtitles won’t download or display properly, try these:

• Make sure the YouTube video has closed captions available.
• Check your internet connection before importing into VOMO.
• Re-copy the correct video URL.
• If timestamps look messy, export inTXT formatfor clean text.

Conclusion

Downloading subtitles from YouTube videos is simple once you know the right tools.
For creators who want control, the manual transcript method works perfectly. For anyone who values speed and accuracy, VOMO’s AI subtitle downloader is the smarter choice.

Whether you’re enhancing accessibility, learning a language, or creating new content, having YouTube subtitles in your hands opens up endless creative possibilities.