Is there a truly free YouTube video to text converter?

Yes. EzTranscript converts YouTube videos to text with a daily free limit per IP, no sign-up, and no credit card. YouTube's own built-in transcript panel is also free, though it lacks export options.

Do I need to download the video first?

No. Paste the YouTube URL directly and the audio is processed server-side. You never need to download, convert, or store the video on your device.

What's the maximum video length I can convert?

There's no strict length cap. Longer videos take proportionally longer to process. A 30-minute video typically finishes within a couple of minutes.

Can I convert YouTube Shorts to text?

Yes. Shorts use standard YouTube URLs and work exactly like any other video — paste the link and get the text.

What format does the text come in?

You get plain text on the page, which you can copy. You can also export as TXT (no timestamps), SRT (timestamps for video editors), or VTT (timestamps for web players).