How to Download YouTube Subtitles as TXT (Plain Text for Reading)
TXT is the simplest subtitle format: just the words, no timestamps, no styling, no header. When you download YouTube subtitles for reading on a phone, taking notes, copying into a blog post, or feeding into a language-learning workflow, TXT is the right choice. This guide walks through the download, what the file looks like, and what you can do with it.
Why TXT
TXT has three properties that make it the right format for text-oriented use:
- No timestamps. Just the words. Easy to read, easy to search.
- No formatting. Universally readable in any text editor, on any device, in any tool.
- Compact. Stripped-down file size — typically 30-50% smaller than SRT/VTT.
The trade-off: TXT loses the timing. If you need to play the subtitles against the video, use SRT or VTT instead.
For the format comparison, see SRT vs VTT vs TXT.
Quick answer
- Open YouTube Caption Downloader.
- Paste the YouTube URL.
- Pick a subtitle track (manual if available).
- Choose TXT as the output format.
- Click download.
You now have a clean text file of the video’s words.
What the file looks like
A TXT file from YouTube has the caption text with paragraph breaks between cues:
Welcome to the channel.
Today we're talking about captions.
Captions are useful for accessibility, editing, and studying.
No timestamps, no indices, no formatting. Just the dialogue and any caption text the track contains.
What you can do with the downloaded TXT
Read it on your phone
Open the TXT file in any text app, e-reader, or note-taking app. The clean text is easy on the eyes and saves battery vs video playback.
Take notes alongside
Open the TXT in one window and your notes app in another. You can search within the transcript as you watch the video.
Copy into a blog post
The transcript-to-blog workflow starts with a TXT file. See turning YouTube captions into blog posts for the full process.
Feed into language learning
For studying a foreign language with the shadowing method, TXT works well as the source text. See language learning with YouTube captions.
Quote in research
A TXT file is the cleanest format for direct quotes. Easy to cite, easy to verify against the original audio.
Feed into an AI summary tool
LLMs and AI tools handle TXT best. Strip the formatting, feed the clean text, get a useful summary or analysis.
How to get TXT from SRT/VTT
If you have an SRT or VTT file and need TXT:
SRT → TXT
sed -e '/^$/d' -e '/^[0-9]*$/d' -e '/-->/d' input.srt > output.txt
This strips indices, timestamps, and blank lines, leaving just the caption text.
VTT → TXT
# First strip the WEBVTT header
sed '/^WEBVTT/d' input.vtt | sed -e '/^$/d' -e '/-->/d' > output.txt
Or use the downloader to save directly as TXT.
Limitations
TXT is not appropriate when:
- You need to play subtitles against the video. Use SRT or VTT.
- You need styling cues. TXT carries none.
- You need sound description. TXT can carry it if the source track had it, but you lose the timing context.
For these use cases, see SRT vs VTT vs TXT.
FAQ
Can I download YouTube subtitles as plain text? Yes. Use YouTube Caption Downloader and pick TXT.
What’s the difference between TXT and SRT? TXT has no timestamps. SRT has timestamps for video playback.
Can I convert SRT to TXT? Yes. Strip timestamps and indices with a regex or text editor.
Can I use TXT for video editing? No — TXT has no timing. Use SRT for editing.
Can I use TXT for language learning? Yes — TXT is one of the best formats for vocabulary extraction and reading practice.
Methodology
We tested the TXT workflow on 30 videos using YouTube Caption Downloader, comparing the output to YouTube’s on-page transcript view.
Conclusion
TXT is the right format for reading and text-oriented work. Download from YouTube, open in any editor, use as needed. For format choice when you need timing or styling, see SRT vs VTT vs TXT.
About the author: The YouTube Caption Downloader Team maintains the free subtitle downloader at youtube-caption-downloader.com.
Last updated: 2026-10-09
Sources: - YouTube Help: Subtitles and captions
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