Transcribe a YouTube video that has no captions
When a YouTube video has no captions, many transcript tools return an error. TubeTranscript first tries the captions, then downloads the audio and transcribes it with Whisper. Paste the link below; there is nothing to switch on. Guests can use AI transcription for up to 5 videos per 24 hours.
How to get a transcript of a video without captions in 3 steps
- Paste the YouTube link above and choose Get transcript.
- If there are no captions, the progress log shows "Downloading audio..." and then "Whisper transcribing...". Keep the page open.
- Copy the text or download TXT, SRT, VTT or JSON.
Example output
The first chunk of a real transcript from the public library: The Only Marketing Strategy That Is Working In 2026 (Neil Patel). The text is shown exactly as stored, including recognition errors. This video has no captions; the text below was produced by AI (Whisper) transcription on the free plan.
People don't search because they want more information. They search because they're trying to feel certain enough to make a decision. And in 2026, that decision is no longer made on one platform. Your customers may discover you want TikTok, research you on Google, verify you on Reddit, and ask chat GBT what they should choose. That means the winning marketing strategy is no longer about ranking in one place. It's about becoming the trusted answer everywhere they look. In this video, I'll show you how Google, social media, and AI are becoming one connected
Why some videos have no transcript
YouTube shows a transcript only when the video has captions: uploaded by the creator, or generated automatically. Automatic captions are not created for every video, for example when the language is not supported, the audio is mostly music or unclear, or captions were turned off.
What TubeTranscript does then. If no captions can be read, the worker downloads the audio and transcribes it with Whisper. This needs the whole audio file, so it takes longer than reading captions.
How long it takes. About 1 minute for a 10-minute video (measured by the site owner, Oct 2026). Free guest tier: up to 5 AI-transcribed videos per 24 hours. This is one measured video; the wait can be longer when many videos are queued.
It still fails for private, removed or restricted videos, live streams that are still running and videos without captions over 30 minutes (2 hours on Pro). See transcript not available? for what to check.
From code. The YouTube transcript API runs the same captions-then-Whisper steps for a script or an automation.
AI transcription limits by plan
| Plan | Videos without captions | Longest video |
|---|---|---|
| Guest (no account) | Up to 5 per 24 hours, within 10 transcripts | 30 minutes |
| Free account | Within 24 transcripts per 24 hours | 30 minutes |
| Pro | Within 1,000 requests per 24 hours | 2 hours |
A video without captions that is longer than its plan's limit is not transcribed with AI.
Limits you should know
- Guests can use AI transcription for up to 5 videos per 24 hours; after that, videos without captions fail until the next day or until you sign in.
- Private, removed and region-restricted videos cannot be processed. Audio transcription is not available for live streams in progress, or for videos longer than 30 minutes on the free plan and 2 hours on Pro.
- AI transcription can mishear names, technical terms and overlapping speakers, and does not identify who is speaking.
- Free and guest transcripts are published to the public library. Pro transcripts stay private to your team.
FAQ
Do I need to turn on AI transcription?
No. It starts automatically when a video has no readable captions.
How many videos without captions can I transcribe for free?
Guests can use AI transcription for up to 5 videos per 24 hours, within the 10-transcript guest allowance.
Which videos cannot be transcribed?
Private, removed or region-restricted videos, live streams still in progress, and videos without captions longer than 30 minutes (2 hours on Pro).
Is an AI transcript as accurate as captions?
It depends on the audio. Check important names, numbers and quotes against the video before you publish them.
By Kenji Saito · Updated