YouTube Transcript Exporter

WHAT IT DOES

YouTube Transcript Exporter is a browser extension that automatically scans the current YouTube page for transcript/subtitle elements, closed caption data, and video metadata. It detects video elements by examining the page URL and extracting the 11-character video ID, along with the video title from page metadata. The extension adds a floating export button (📝) next to the video player, providing quick access to transcript export. Clicking the button opens a panel where you can fetch the video transcript, select export format (Plain Text, SRT Subtitles, VTT Subtitles, or JSON), choose language options, add notes about the video, and store transcript history locally. The extension attempts to fetch the transcript from YouTube's caption API, displaying the number of transcript entries loaded. Transcripts can be copied to clipboard or downloaded as files in the selected format. The extension maintains a transcript database per video with export history, notes, and tags. The main panel displays video information, export options, transcript loading status, and export buttons. All data is stored locally in your browser using GM_setValue, ensuring your transcript history and preferences persist across page reloads and browser sessions. This helps researchers, students, content creators, and accessibility users to export YouTube transcripts for content analysis, study notes, subtitling, or accessibility purposes.

WHERE IT RUNS

This extension runs on any YouTube page that displays video content – including YouTube watch pages and any page with YouTube video content. The extension intelligently adapts to different page structures and supports a wide range of common YouTube display patterns. No manual configuration is required per site; the extension automatically detects video elements using the page URL and metadata. This makes it ideal for users who want to export transcripts for content analysis, study notes, or accessibility.

HOW TO USE

Simply install the extension and navigate to any YouTube video page. The extension automatically detects the video and shows an export button (📝) next to the video player. Click the button to open the transcript export panel. The panel shows the video title and ID. Select your preferred export format (Plain Text, SRT, VTT, or JSON) and optionally specify a language code. The extension will automatically load the transcript from YouTube's caption service, showing the number of entries loaded. Click "Export Transcript" to copy the transcript to your clipboard in the selected format, or "Download as File" to save it as a file. A floating button (📄) appears in the bottom-right corner of the page – click this to open the panel from anywhere. Use the notes section to add notes about video content, language, or transcription quality. The panel also shows export history for the current video. Use the "Clear History" button to remove all tracking data when needed.

ONE TECHNICAL SECTION – WHY IT WORKS

The extension uses a combination of YouTube's internal data extraction and caption API access to retrieve transcripts. The video ID is extracted from the page URL using regex pattern matching. The extension searches the page HTML for ytInitialData, which contains caption track information including base URLs for subtitle files. When a language is specified, the extension attempts to match the corresponding caption track. The transcript is fetched via GM_xmlhttpRequest using the base URL from the caption track, then parsed from XML format into structured transcript entries with start time, duration, and text. For videos without automatically detected captions, the extension also attempts to extract manually added transcript segments from the page DOM. The export formats include plain text (concatenated text), SRT (SubRip format with timestamps), VTT (Web Video Text Tracks format), and JSON (structured data). Each format is generated from the parsed transcript entries. A MutationObserver detects dynamic content updates and re-scans only when the video player changes, balancing real-time accuracy with system performance.

THE PANEL – DRAG / PER-SITE POSITION / SNAP / COLLAPSE / RESIZE / ESCAPE

The transcript export panel includes a draggable title bar, allowing you to position it anywhere on screen for convenient access during video viewing. The extension remembers your preferred position per website, so the panel opens in the same location each time you return to that domain. The panel supports snap-to-edge behavior – when dragged near screen edges, it gently snaps into place for a tidy workspace layout. You can collapse the panel down to just its title bar by clicking the collapse button, keeping it accessible without taking up screen space. The transcript loading and export options are contained within a scrollable body, ensuring all content remains accessible even on smaller screens. Pressing the Escape key closes the panel instantly, returning you to your video viewing workflow.

PLEASE NOTE

This extension requires the free BotGentz extension to be installed and enabled, as it relies on BotGentz's userscript injection and GM_* API shims for cross-browser compatibility. Websites frequently update their HTML structures and class names, which may cause transcript detection to break temporarily – we actively maintain the matching patterns and release updates regularly. Not all YouTube videos have transcripts available, and the extension can only export transcripts that are provided by YouTube's caption service. This extension is for informational and educational purposes only; it does not download videos directly. The extension stores all transcript data, notes, and history exclusively in your local browser storage (GM_setValue); no data is ever transmitted to any external server or third party. You are responsible for backing up your transcript history data if you switch browsers or clear your storage. Use this tool responsibly and in accordance with YouTube's Terms of Service.