Once a transcript is ready you can copy it or save it as a file. This guide explains the three options, what each one contains, and what YoutubeIQ does not export.
The three ways to take a transcript with you
| Option | What you get | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Copy | Text on your clipboard, matching the view you are in | Pasting into an email, a document or a chat |
| .txt | A plain text file, matching the view you are in | Any text editor, analysis tools, archiving |
| .md | A Markdown file with the title, source link and linked timestamps | Notes apps and anywhere you want to keep the link to each moment |
What “matching the view you are in” means
In Full Text, Copy and .txt give you the transcript as one block of running text. In Timestamps, they give you one line per segment, each starting with its time in brackets, like [1:05] Today we are going to….
What the Markdown file adds
The .md file is always the timestamped version, and it carries context with it: the video title as a heading, a link to the source video, the video's length, and a note that the text was transcribed by AI. Each timestamp is a link that opens the video at that moment, so you can come back and check a line later.
How to download
- Transcribe the video.
- Pick the view you want in the toolbar: Full Text or Timestamps.
- Press Copy to put it on your clipboard, or .txt or .md to save a file. Your browser saves it to its usual downloads location as
transcript-followed by the video's ID.
What is not available
- Subtitle files (SRT, VTT). Segments are 15 to 30 words long and the timestamps are approximate, which is not precise enough to display as on-screen captions.
- PDF or Word files. Paste the text or open the Markdown file in a word processor if you need those.
- Speaker names or sound descriptions. The transcript is the words only.
- The AI summary. The summary and key points on the page are not included in the downloads. Copy them from the page if you want them.
Before you reuse a transcript
The words in a video belong to its creator. A transcript for your own study, notes or research is a different thing from republishing it. If you plan to publish text from someone else's video, check the video's licence or ask permission, and keep the link back to the source. The blog has a longer look at turning videos into original writing.
If you keep the transcript, remember it is AI-written. Fix anything that matters before you rely on it, and if you share it, say where it came from. The Markdown file already does this for you.
Frequently asked questions
- Can I download subtitles (SRT or VTT)?
- Not at the moment. YoutubeIQ exports text and Markdown. The timestamps are approximate and the segments are long, so they are not suited to be used as subtitle timing.
- Are the timestamps included in the .txt file?
- Only if you download it from the Timestamps view. From the Full Text view the file is the running text with no timestamps. The Markdown file always includes them.
- Does the download include the video?
- No. Only the words spoken in it, as text. YoutubeIQ never downloads the video itself.