Free Guide: Perfecting Your YouTube Audio-to-Text Conversion

How to Transcribe a YouTube Video for FREE

Richard Bennett

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

If you want to transcribe your videos to make the dialogs and speeches available in text format, you can use YouTube Transcribe feature that the streaming site offers for free. In this article, I’ll share with you a couple of methods to transcribe a YouTube video for free.

• Part 1: Transcribe YouTube Video Automatically for Free [2 Ways]
• Part 2: Transcribe YouTube Video to Text Online with Third-Party Service
• Part 3: Benefits of Transcribing YouTube Videos
• Part 4: YouTube Video Transcription FAQs

Part 1: How to Transcribe YouTube Video Automatically for Free [2 Ways]

Besides the basic video editing features on the YouTube platform, you can now quickly transcribe YouTube videos to the text as well. The good thing is, you can either use the automatic transcription feature that YouTube offers, or upload it manually while adjusting the timing as you go further.

Below are the two methods to transcribe your YouTube videos for free:

Method 1: Use the Automated Transcription Service on YouTube

As the name suggests, YouTube automatic transcription service works automatically. This means you don’t even have to click the ‘Transcribe’ button anymore to transcribe a YouTube video, and the website takes care of it on its own. All you need to do is, choose English as the language of the video when setting up subtitles. You can follow the instructions given below to do so:

Step 1 Upload a Video

Sign in to your YouTube account, click your profile picture from the top-right corner, and click YouTube Studio from the menu. Next, click CREATE from the upper-right corner, click Upload videos from the menu, and drag and drop a video from your computer to the Upload videos box that appears next.

Step 2 Select Transcription Language

On the Details page of the next box that appears, scroll down and click MORE OPTIONS, and select English in the Video language drop-down list under the Language, subtitles, and closed captions (CC) section.

Step 3 Publish the Video

Follow the on-screen instructions from this point to publish the video, and wait while YouTube automatically transcribes and adds the close captions to it.

Note: Depending on the duration of the clip, the time YouTube would take to transcribe may vary.

After YouTube has transcribed the video, you can download the transcription file in your preferred format. The instructions are given below explain how you can do so:

1. Get to the Subtitles Window

While on the YouTube Studio page, click Subtitles from the left pane to go to the Channel subtitles page. And then click the video you want to modify.

1. Get to Classic Studio

In the video subtitle page of the target video, hover mouse on the Published Automatic status under the Subtitles column, click the Options icon (with three vertical dots) that appears, and click Edit on Classic Studio.

1. Download Transcription File

Click and open the Actions drop-down list from the top-left corner of the left pane, click your preferred transcription format including .vtt, .srt and .sbv from the list, and save the file on your local hard disk.

Method 2: Get YouTube Transcription when Watching

In addition, if you are watching any other video, you can make YouTube transcribe that for you as well. You can follow the instructions given below to get the YouTube video to text transcription:

Step 1: Play the Video

Go to the video on YouTube and start playing it. Make sure NOT to get to full-screen mode as doing so would hide the option to transcribe the clip.

Step 2: Enable Transcription

Click the More icon (with three horizontal dots) from under the bottom-right corner of the video player, and click Open transcript to see the video transcription in the Transcript pane that appears in the right.

Step 3: Manage Timestamps

Click the Options icon (with three vertical dots) from the top-right corner of the Transcript pane, and click Toggle timestamp to enable or disable the timestamps in the video transcription.

Limitations of Using YouTube Transcribe

Although YouTube’s automatic transcription is a decent feature that saves you a lot of time, since Google uses machine learning algorithms to convert the speech to text, the level of accuracy may vary depending on the accent of the speaker, and the clarity of the audio the video has. Also, even sometime you may not be satisfied with the end-results.

Alternatively, you can use Kapwing to transcribe a YouTube video and download the transcription file with the below step-by-step instructions:

Step 1: Add YouTube Video

Copy the URL of YouTube video you want to transcribe, go to https://www.kapwing.com/subtitles , paste the URL in the Paste a URL field, wait while Kapwing fetches the content of the video, and opens the Add subtitles to Video page.

Step 2: Transcribe the Video

Click Auto-generate from the right window, and follow the on-screen instructions to transcribe YouTube video to text.

Step 3: Download the Transcription File

Click Download SRT from the left pane, and follow the instructions from there to download the transcription file in *.srt format.

Pros

• Kapwing is free to use
• The auto-transcription process is quick and less tedious
• Kapwing also allows manual transcription and uploading of an existing *.srt file

Cons

• The auto-transcribed text might lack accuracy as the task is done by the speech-to-text tools that work in the background

You can follow the step-by-step instructions to transcribe a YouTube video and download the transcription file using Kapwing:

Step 1: Add YouTube Video

Copy the URL of YouTube video you want to transcribe, go to https://www.kapwing.com/subtitles , paste the URL in the Paste a URL field, wait while Kapwing fetches the content of the video, and opens the Add subtitles to Video page.

Step 2: Transcribe the Video

Click Auto-generate from the right window, and follow the on-screen instructions to transcribe YouTube video to text.

Step 3: Download the Transcription File

Click Download SRT from the left pane, and follow the instructions from there to download the transcription file in *.srt format.

Pros

• Kapwing is free to use
• The auto-transcription process is quick and less tedious
• Kapwing also allows manual transcription and uploading of an existing *.srt file

Cons

• The auto-transcribed text might lack accuracy as the task is done by the speech-to-text tools that work in the background

Part 3: Benefits of Transcribing YouTube Videos

You may need video transcriptions for several reasons, such as analyzing the summary of the entire speech in the video, extracting a single phrase or quote that was spoken in the clip, or making the video helpful even for those suffering from hearing impairment. When you transcribe a YouTube video, the transcript can be useful in many ways. Some of the most common benefits of transcribing a video include:

• Search Engine Optimization

When you add subtitles, the text can appear in Google search results when someone types a similar phrase in the search box. This helps get more views to your videos, thus giving your channel popularity, and you, monetary gains in the long run.

• Accent

If the speaker in the video is from a different region and is using an accent that you are not much comfortable with, you can turn on the subtitles and read the dialogs along with the video.

• Repurposing on Blogs

If you own a blog that you have embedded your video to, the transcription could be used to add text to it so the target audience can get a fair idea of what the video is all about. This is useful because many people prefer reading over watching.

YouTube Video Transcription FAQs

1. How to Transcribe YouTube Video to Text

Usually the transcription files have *.srt extension that are globally accepted and supported by almost all media players. However, there might be instances when you want to have the subtitles in plain text.

That said, to convert an SRT file to TXT, you can:

• Right-click the SRT file
• Go to Rename
• Replace srt with txt and press Enter
• Click OK on the confirmation box that appears next to convert SRT to TXT

After this, you can simply double-click the file, and read and modify the transcribed content as needed.

2. How to Edit and Upload Edited Transcript to YouTube

If you made any modifications to the transcript that was automatically generated by YouTube or any other third-party transcription tool, you can follow the steps given below to upload the new file to the YouTube video:

• Go to YouTube Studio and then to the Channel subtitles page as explained earlier
• Expand the Languages column of the target video
• Click the Options icon that appears under the Subtitles column when you hover mouse on to it
• Click Edit on Classic Studio
• On the next page, click Edit from the top-right corner

• Click to open the Actions drop-down list from the upper-left corner
• Click Upload a file
  • Follow the on-screen instructions from there to upload the modified transcription file
  • Click Save Changes from the top-right corner of the page when done

Conclusion

If you are looking for a quick and easy way of adding subtitles to your videos, letting YouTube transcribe for you could be a good approach. However, because these auto-generated transcriptions are created by machine learning algorithms, their accuracy cannot be counted on. Therefore, the best way to get the job done accurately is, let YouTube auto-transcribe your video, download the transcription file, make the necessary changes to it, and then upload the file back to the video.

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

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Complete Guide to Aspect Ratios About YouTube Videos/Shorts/Ads

Yes, you are right. Social media is the platform that no one can refrain from in the current world of technology, news, events, and friends. One such platform gained so much popularity in the last few years. That is YouTube, a platform that is used worldwide for a multitude of purposes. Such as watching videos, uploading or sharing videos, tutorials, trends, series, coaching, serials, shorts videos, news, events, displaying ads, and lots more. No doubt, the list is endless.

Well, while dealing with YouTube videos, there is one most crucial point to keep in mind. If you have a vision or some thought, you can create a new genre of video under YouTube. And that is the YouTube Aspect Ratio, to have the best visual experience for the users worldwide.

Aspect ratio is simply the width to the height ratio for the screen. But it holds great value to create a difference while displaying YouTube Shorts Videos with proper ratio and size as it is only then that it will get proper attention and get trends.

In this article

01 [Aspect Ratio for YouTube Videos](#Part 1)

02 [YouTube Shorts Aspect Ratio](#Part 2)

03 [Aspect Ratios for YouTube Ads](#Part 3)

04 [Think More about YouTube Aspect Ratio](#Part 4)

Part 1 Aspect Ratio for YouTube Videos

YouTube is the platform that demands perfection, not in terms of the content of the video only, but there are some other aspects that one needs to consider. So, what could be the right approach while dealing with YouTube Video or Photo size? Thinking what could that be? Well, friends, it is the YouTube Video Ratio or, in simple terms, YouTube Aspect Ratio that tells a lot about the visual representation of the video. If YouTube Video dimension size is not as per the required parameter or according to the device screen, it is so. Then YouTube itself makes adjustments to the rest of the video corners filled with either white or grey bar, which is not the right approach for an appropriate user experience. For that, you must be aware of the required width and height of YouTube Video, that is, YouTube Video Aspect Ratio. Below are covered prime devices with their YouTube Aspect Ratio and related information. Go through them to get the basic idea:

Note: YouTube Video Player can adjust the video size automatically to make it fit into the screen. Sometimes, doing so results in a bar’s white or grey/black area along the edges.

● YouTube Aspect Ratio for Desktop/PC Version:

If you are a desktop, PC, or laptop user, the standard YouTube Aspect ratio is 16:9, which is for landscape view. In the case of vertical video with a YouTube Aspect Ratio of 9:16, YouTube will make some adjustments by providing padding to the corner of the video. (That is not the right way for the optimum view as it may result in interfering with the dynamic vision of the YouTube Video.)

● YouTube Video Aspect Ratio for Android devices:

There is an interesting fact about the YouTube Video Ratio for Android devices. Actually, in the case of Android mobile devices, the YouTube app will make an auto adjustment to the video file size and set the video as per the screen space.

● YouTube Video Ratio for iOS Version

Like Android phones, iOS devices such as iPhone, iPad, YouTube App player will also automatically adjust the Video file size to fit the screen. It does not matter whether the video is in Square, horizontal or vertical format; it will auto-adjust the aspect ratio.

Let’s take the example of Vertical Video display in YouTube Screen:

Also, by selecting the Expand option, the video will adjust itself to fill the entire screen.

Part 2 YouTube Shorts Aspect Ratio

The world is moving swiftly, and with day passing, people want to complete their tasks as quickly as possible. The impact is seen in the field of the YouTube Video making process also with the introduction of YouTube Shorts. After following the short video trends of TikTok, this time YouTube appeared with its new feature YouTube Shorts, which allows a user to create a short video that ranges from 15 to 60 seconds. The only need is for a Smartphone and YouTube Application Shorts camera. And then you are good to go. Note that YouTube Shorts videos get searched and watched by people mainly through their phones.

Here also comes the concept of YouTube Shorts Ratio as YouTube Videos primarily follows Vertical format. Following are the requirement for YouTube Shorts Ratio:

Aspect Ratio: Vertical format standard ratio is 9:16 (That fill up the entire screen vertically)

Resolution: To comply with vertical format, the required resolution is 1920X1080 px.

Note: There is also provision for square videos with a 1:1 ratio for YouTube Shorts. But that results in extra white or black padding at the top and bottom areas.

Other possible YouTube Shorts ratios are 4:5, 2:3, 1:2.

Part 3 Aspect Ratios for YouTube Ads

If you want to monetize from your video or Shorts, use YouTube Ads to generate additional income. Or, if you are already in some business and want to grow your business, do it with YouTube Ads.

Now, you might be wondering, what would be the possible YouTube Outro size or YouTube Video Aspect Ratio for YouTube Ads? Check here:

YouTube Video Aspect ratio and Proportions: 19:9 (640X360), 4:3 (480X360)

Aspect Ratio for Desktop Ads: 16:9

Sponsor Card Ads Ratio: 1:1

True View Discovery Ads Ratio: 16:9 or 4:3

Part 4 Think More about YouTube Aspect Ratio

You have been listening about YouTube Screen size or YouTube Aspect Ratio so far many times. Now the biggest question is, how to adjust the Aspect Ratio of YouTube Video or Shorts?

Are you puzzled?

Yeah! Wait, there is the solution. Edit the aspect ratio of your video before uploading it under the YouTube Platform. For that purpose, there is one option named Wondershae Filmora Video Editor That is used to provide you with the Aspect ratio editing and modification option.

Let’s understand how you can do so with Wondershare Filmora that most YouTubers are using to edit and adjust the Aspect Ratio of YouTube Videos.

You need to download and launch the software from the main window. There is a drop-down choice to select the desired aspect ratio for the video.

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There is another option also, after launching the software, upload your project video. Then, under Project settings, change and set the required aspect ratio.

Simple isn’t it. Yes, the process is quite simple. You can easily change YouTube Video size dimensions without any hassle using Wondershare Filmora editor and that quickly. So, get up and record some interesting YouTube videos or Shorts, mix them up with colors, spicy talk, and change the aspect ratio with ease. You are ready to rock the world of YouTube videos with these simple steps, the right approach that most YouTube Videomakers follow worldwide.

Conclusion

● So guys, finally, I hope now you are pretty sure about what is YouTube video ratio, its importance while dealing with videos, shorts, or posting any ads to promote your business. YouTube file size is something that is changing its dimensions as per the user experience and needs. In the last few years, the user base shifted from TV, desktop to phone, laptops, and smart devices. As a result, the aspect ratio also gets changed with time. Thus, having a proper understanding of adjusting the width and height of YouTube Videos to bring the dynamic vision to the video will create a real difference. Also, using Wondershare Filmora will open the door of options to modify your YouTube file size and many editing options along with.

Aspect ratio is simply the width to the height ratio for the screen. But it holds great value to create a difference while displaying YouTube Shorts Videos with proper ratio and size as it is only then that it will get proper attention and get trends.

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