YouTube subtitle downloader
Paste a YouTube or Shorts link and download the captions as an SRT or VTT file, timing included. Works with auto-generated captions.
Just need the plain text without timing? Use the free transcript generator instead.
How it works
- Paste a linkAny public YouTube URL works — Shorts, watch links, and youtu.be links.
- We rebuild the timingThe tool reads the video's caption track and keeps its original timestamps.
- Pick a formatSRT for video editors, VTT for web players — then download or copy the file.
What editors actually do with a downloaded caption track
A subtitle file is timing data, and timing is most of what separates a Short that holds attention from one that doesn't. Importing a viral Short's SRT into your editor shows you the caption rhythm on a timeline: how many words per beat, where the lines break, how tight the captions ride the voiceover. If you're rebuilding that pacing in your own videos, start with our breakdown of YouTube Shorts caption timing — it covers the word-level timing rules that auto-captions get wrong. And if the goal is a full remake rather than a study session, here's how to turn a YouTube URL into a finished Short.
FAQ
Is this YouTube subtitle downloader free?
Yes. Paste a link, pick SRT or VTT, and download the file — no account, no watermark. A fair-use rate limit keeps the tool fast for everyone.
SRT or VTT — which one do I need?
SRT is the safe default: Premiere Pro, DaVinci Resolve, CapCut, and most editors import it directly. VTT is the web-native format, used by HTML5 video players and most embedded players. Same timing data, different syntax — this tool exports both.
Which videos does it work on?
Any public YouTube video with a caption track — Shorts, regular videos, and auto-generated captions all work. Private, age-restricted, or caption-less videos won't return subtitles.
Will the file import into Premiere Pro, CapCut, or DaVinci Resolve?
Yes. The SRT export follows the standard SubRip format (sequence number, HH:MM:SS,mmm timing line, text), which all three import natively as a caption track.
Are the timestamps accurate?
The file uses YouTube's own caption timing. Creator-uploaded captions are usually frame-tight; auto-generated ones are close but can drift a little on fast speech — worth a quick pass in your editor if timing is critical.
Why download subtitles from a Short?
Editors use them to rebuild caption timing in their own style, translators use them as the source track, and creators studying a viral Short use the timing to see exactly how fast the hook moves. ShortRemix automates the remake path: one link in, remake scripts, voiceover, word-timed captions, and a rendered vertical video out.