How to Download YouTube Subtitles as SRT (2026)
A subtitle file is timed text the video already has. The useful question is whether a method gives you a real SRT or WebVTT file, keeps the timestamps, and saves you from copying the transcript by hand.
| Method | File you get | Timestamps | Install needed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cliplyn | SRT or WebVTT, as YouTube returns it | Yes | No |
| YouTube's transcript panel | On-screen text, not a file | Only while the panel is open | No |
| yt-dlp | SRT when you ask for SRT | Yes | Yes (command line) |
| Copy and paste | Plain text | No | No |
1. Cliplyn
Paste a public YouTube link, press Extract, pick one of the languages YouTube lists, and press Download subtitles. You get the caption file that video already has: SRT or WebVTT, whichever the platform returns. A video with English and Spanish shows those two and nothing else. Cliplyn does not create, auto-generate, translate, or convert the file. Subtitle downloads are not counted in the 3 free video downloads a day. The video itself still has to be 30 minutes or shorter, and the temporary file is deleted after 1 hour.
2. YouTube's transcript panel
On a video that has captions, open the description and then Show transcript. You can read along, but YouTube does not give you an SRT file from that panel. Closing the page loses the text.
3. yt-dlp
yt-dlp is an open-source command-line program. It can write the existing subtitles and ask for SRT specifically, which is the reliable route when you need the .srt extension and you are saving more than one video. You have to install it and use a terminal. It still cannot invent captions a video does not have.
4. Copy and paste
Selecting the transcript text and pasting it into a document keeps the words and drops the timestamps, so a player cannot sync it. Fine for a quote, useless as subtitles.
Which one to use
For one video in the browser, use Cliplyn and keep the SRT or WebVTT it returns. Both are timed text; VLC and most editors open either. If a workflow rejects WebVTT and you need a guaranteed .srt, use yt-dlp. Only save captions you have the right to use.
Try it: Cliplyn YouTube Subtitle Downloader, or the YouTube & TikTok video downloader for full videos.