How To Transcribe Video To Text With (And Without) YouTube

Danilo Coviello


If you’re not quite familiar with transcribing video to text you’ve probably got quite a few questions about it. And, rightly so.

But don’t worry in this article, we’re going to take a look at the process to transcribe video files or audio files.

So if you have been wondering how to get a transcript of a video, here you go.

We’ll be walking you through the process step-by-step and answer all your questions, so let’s get started!

Why Transcribe Video To Text?

Before we jump into the video to text transcription tutorial, we briefly wanted to touch upon why you might want to transcribe audio or video to text.

While there are several reasons, here’s a list of some of the top ones we could think of:

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  • Podcasters, YouTubers, and Radio broadcasters who want to leverage more organic traffic through SEO.
  • For Journalists who are looking to quickly find notes of long interview content.
  • Educators who want to create notes for a lesson.
  • Calls that might contain valuable information to be read.
  • Interviews/Calls audio that could be turned into articles

The list goes on and on, but you get the point… Transcribing your audio and video to text can be pretty beneficial and there are lots of reasons why you might do so.

But how do you actually get the audio or video transcribed? Do you use transcription software to transcribe a video?

Well, there are a load of different options you could take. But, it mostly depends on your needs. So, take a look below to see which one is best for you.

Transcribe From a Video: Step-By-Step

As mentioned above, when you are transcribing a video file to text, there are three options you can work with.

Firstly, you could transcribe the video to text through YouTube. This option is usually easier, but if your video isn’t online don’t worry, we have a second option as well.

Alternatively, we’ll be walking you through a method completely without an online video sharing tool.

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And last but not least, you can also do a manual transcription which would ensure greater accuracy of your video files.

How to transcribe video content on YouTube

Transcribing videos to text using YouTube is pretty simple. All you need to do to transcribe your video content into a transcript is upload it online.

From here, with a simple click, it will automatically be transcribed within a few minutes’ time.

How precise the transcription is depends on the audio or video quality, background noise, the number of people speaking in the audio and overall understandability of the file. Although this may take more time, you can be sure of the quality with professional services.

For video files that are harder to understand, you might have to consider going with a professional transcription company, as YouTube won’t be able to accurately transcribe the file.

Other than that, the only catch to the YouTube process is that it won’t give you a text file with the transcription. But, don’t worry, we have you covered.

What To Do Instead

Once you have uploaded the video, head over to it, and look at the options below the video. Click on the three dots and you’ll be able to find a menu that opens the entire transcription data. From here, you simply need to take your mouse and copy & paste the entire block of words into another file.

This can be done using notes, Google docs, or a Word file, whatever your preference is.

You can also benefit from a transcription ripper tool which will take the entire transcription from a YouTube URL.

Either way, now you have a complete transcription and can use it for whatever you like.

That being said, transcribing video with YouTube isn’t always the most accurate solution for transcribing anything. But that is to be expected, as it’s free. For the most accurate transcriptions, you’ll always need a human to transcribe your file manually.

If you are looking for a service like this, you can get a free quote from us here.

For Non-YouTube Videos

If your YouTube videos don’t have subtitles available, or you simply can’t access YouTube for whatever reason, you can still apply this 2nd method.

Here, you simply need to head over to Google docs and activate its speech to text feature.

There is a way to make your computer listen to its own microphone. This will be a little different depending on your device. Just research what the case is for your device, and then you’ll be ready to go.

Transcribing video content using this method will sometimes be a little inaccurate, but again a clear audio file can help tremendously. Plus, you’ll also want to make your computer transcribe the file in a quiet environment.

Manual Transcription

Last, but not least, you can also consider doing a manual transcription yourself. This will require the most effort and is the most time-consuming. However, it’s also by far the most accurate compared to any tool you find online.

For this method, you’ll need to sit down in a quiet room, and set yourself up, so that you can type the audio files out as you hear them. Again, make sure to avoid background noise if you want to save time.

We’ve got some super-useful transcript resources and content on our online blog if this is the path you’d like to take, so feel free to click on them.

Plus, when you are doing a manual transcription you can also use several tools that will help you transcribe faster. For example, foot pedals or keyboard shortcuts.

Other Apps & Paid Alternatives

In case you don’t have a computer or would like to use your phone for this process, there are a few cloud apps or software you can use.

Some of them include:

  • Otter
  • Temi
  • Tint

They can also be useful when you are on the go. Additionally, they also often offer free trials or freemium models, so they can be worth a try.

They’re all pretty decent at transcribing. But, don’t expect too much in terms of accuracy, as your video files will not be transcribed by humans.

From our testing, using software such as this didn’t really make too much of a difference compared to YouTube. Both displayed similar levels of accuracy, and work just fine.

Get Your File Professionally Transcribed

If you want to skip this entire hassle, you can use our video transcription service.

All of our transcriptionists are professionals, meaning the transcribed file you receive will be extremely accurate.

This way, you can save time, as you won’t have to do it yourself, and add value, as you’ll receive a high-quality, precise transcription. For more information on our video transcription services, you can click here.

If you are interested in our transcription service, you can request a free quote for your videos within minutes. Upload your video to our contact form or add it and send it by email and one of the people in our team will send you a quote for our services within 60 minutes.

Video Transcription: Frequently Asked Questions

We also wanted to answer some frequently asked questions which you might have too.

How do you manually transcribe quickly?

There are lots of things that impact speed.

But our main advice would be to practice and use the tools available to you. We covered this in a little more detail in How to transcribe faster

How do you transcribe video to text in Google Docs?

There are two ways to transcribe video content, you can use Google docs.

Firstly, you can use their speech to text tool as we have outlined in this article to convert video content to text files using speech recognition. Or, you can also consider just manually writing out the audio text into the blank Google doc file. If you would like to move forward with the latter option, consider reading how to transcribe audio to text.

Should I Go For a Human Transcription?

This depends on the accuracy levels you require for the text. The thing about machine learning, speech recognition, or automated transcription software is that it won’t pause and replay to understand the speaker properly. If you need your text file to be extremely precise as you are using it for professional reasons or something similar, consider professional transcription services.

Sometimes, a file is also too hard to understand to use automatic transcription software or tools, as it will lead to high levels of inaccuracy. If that is the case, you probably need professional transcription services.

How Can I Make Transcription Easier?

The best way to make the transcription of your video files easier is to ensure all the speech is easy to hear without any noise.

This will make the process way easier, as you won’t have to put in as much effort and work as hard at understanding the speaker. Plus, if you are using software or some type of automated tools it will make it much more accurate.

Another way you can make the speaker easier to understand is by using a high-quality microphone so that language can be heard and understood in an easy manner.

How to text a video? If you want to share or send your video text to people, you can send it by text using your call data or upload, add and share it by email within minutes.

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