如何輕鬆下載 YouTube 字幕

Quick Answer:

You can download YouTube subtitles in two ways:

1. Manually– Open the video, click the three dots, chooseShow transcript,copy the text, and paste it into a text editor.
2. With a subtitle downloader like VOMO (most recommended)– Copy the YouTube URL, paste it into VOMO’s import tool, and export subtitles in TXT or SRT format within minutes.

Based on my long-term hands-on experience, I recommend the second method because if the subtitles are too long, downloading them manually can be very cumbersome. Using an AI tool, however, is much more convenient.

Without subtitles, your videos may not reach their full audience. Subtitles make content accessible to people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or simply don’t speak the video’s original language. As a creator, adding subtitles ensures your work can be understood and appreciated by more viewers.

Over the years, YouTube has made transcripts and subtitles easier to access. But what if you want to save them for editing, translating, or repurposing? In this guide, I’ll show you two simple ways to download YouTube subtitles—manually and with VOMO’s subtitle downloader and AI transcription features.

Method 1. Download YouTube Subtitles Manually

You can refer to the following steps for downloading. We also have a detailed guide on this.

1. Open YouTube and find the video you want.
2. Below the video player, click thethree dots menuand select“Show transcript.”
3. The transcript will appear beside the video. You can also toggle timestamps on or off depending on whether you need them.
4. Highlight the text by dragging your mouse, then copy it (CTRL/CMD + C).
5. Paste the transcript into a text editor such as Notepad (Windows) or TextEdit (Mac).
6. Save the file as.txtfor plain text subtitles.

This method works well if you only need simple text, but it doesn’t provide proper subtitle formatting.

Method 2. Use a YouTube Subtitle Downloader

If you want properly formatted subtitles in SRT or TXT, using a tool like VOMO is faster and more accurate.

1. Copy the URL of the YouTube video you need.
2. Log in to yourVOMO dashboard.
3. Select“Import from Link”and paste the YouTube URL.
4. VOMO will automatically transcribe the video and generate subtitles within minutes.
5. Open the transcript in your dashboard, where you can edit text, adjust speaker labels, or correct errors.
6. Click thedownloadbutton and choose your preferred export format (SRT for subtitles or TXT for plain text).

With VOMO, you don’t just get subtitles—you also receive AI-generated summaries and a chapter outline for easier navigation and repurposing.

FAQs

Can I download subtitles in plain text?
Yes. You can either copy the transcript directly from YouTube (manual method) or export it as a TXT file from VOMO.

How do I download subtitles in SRT format?
The simplest way is to use VOMO. It automatically formats timestamps and sequences into proper SRT files. If you try manually, you’ll need to add sequence numbers, timestamps, and spacing yourself before saving the file with a .srt extension.

What does an SRT file include?

• Subtitle sequence number (starting from 1)
• Start and end timestamps (hours:minutes:seconds,milliseconds)
• Subtitle text (ideally under 40 characters per line)
• A blank line separating each subtitle block

What’s the difference between transcripts and subtitles?

• Transcripts: Plain text versions of the entire audio, often without precise timing.
• Subtitles: Synced, timed text displayed directly over the video, sometimes including sound effects and background audio cues.

What’s the difference between subtitles and captions?

• Subtitles: Primarily used for translation or when viewers don’t understand the spoken language.
• Captions: Focused on accessibility for deaf or hard-of-hearing viewers, often including non-speech elements like music or ambient sound.

Final Thoughts

In summary, you can either manually copy subtitles using YouTube’s built-in transcript tool or rely on a YouTube subtitle downloader like VOMO for a faster, more accurate solution.

Manual copying works for plain text, but VOMO gives you more—98% accurate transcriptions, automatic subtitle formatting, chapter outlines, and AI-generated summaries. If you’re short on time or need subtitles for professional use, VOMO is the easiest way to go.