How to Copy a YouTube Transcript on Your Phone (iPhone & Android)

Updated October 2026 · 4 min read

Quick answer: In the YouTube app, tap Share → Copy link. Open your browser, go to transcriptflow.io, paste the link and tap Get the transcript. When the text appears, tap Copy Text and paste it anywhere. There's no app to install, and it works the same on iPhone and Android.

Why this is tricky on mobile

The YouTube app can show a transcript on many videos, but you can't easily copy text from it. Most browser extensions don't run on phones at all. The reliable fix is to take the video's link to a web tool that gives you plain, copyable text.

Does the YouTube app show transcripts?

Often, yes. On many videos you can open the transcript inside the app:

Tap the video's title or description to expand it.
Scroll down to the Transcript section and tap Show transcript.

That panel is fine for reading along, but it has limits. It doesn't appear on every video (for example, it's usually missing on Shorts). The text is split into short timestamped lines, and you generally can't select or copy it. If you want to copy the transcript, use one of the methods below.

How to copy a YouTube transcript on iPhone

Open the video in the YouTube app.
Tap Share under the video, then Copy link.
Open Safari (or Chrome) and go to transcriptflow.io.
Tap the link field and choose Paste, or tap the paste icon in the field.
Tap Get the transcript. The timestamped text appears in a few seconds.
Tap Copy Text, then paste it into Notes, Messages, Google Docs or any app. To leave out the timestamps, turn them off before you copy.
Prefer a file? Tap PDF or Word, and iOS lets you save it to the Files app or share it.

How to copy a YouTube transcript on Android

Open the video in the YouTube app.
Tap Share, then Copy link.
Open Chrome (or any browser) and go to transcriptflow.io.
Long-press the link field and tap Paste, or tap the paste icon in the field.
Tap Get the transcript.
Tap Copy Text to put the whole transcript on your clipboard, ready to paste into Keep, Docs, WhatsApp or anywhere else.
To keep a copy, download TXT, PDF or Word. Android saves it to your Downloads folder.

Tips for phone use

Watching in a browser instead of the app? Just copy the URL from the address bar. That works too, and so do /shorts/ and /live/ links.
Add it to your home screen. In your browser menu, choose "Add to Home Screen" so the tool opens like an app next time.
Reading a long transcript? Use the search box to jump to any word without scrolling. Tap a timestamp to jump to that moment in the video.
Need another language? Use the translate option to turn the transcript into your language before copying.
Seeing "no captions"? The tool reads YouTube's own captions, so a video with no captions at all can't be transcribed. Here's what to do when a video has no transcript.

No app, no signup. Everything happens in your phone's browser, and single videos are free.

Get a transcript on your phone →

Frequently asked questions

How do I copy a YouTube transcript on my phone?

In the YouTube app, tap Share and then Copy link. Open your phone's browser, go to transcriptflow.io, paste the link and tap Get the transcript. When the text appears, tap Copy Text and paste it into any app. It works the same on iPhone and Android, with nothing to install.

How do I get a YouTube transcript on iPhone?

Copy the video's Share link in the YouTube app, open Safari or Chrome, paste it into transcriptflow.io and tap Get the transcript. You can then tap Copy Text to paste it into Notes, or download it as PDF or Word to the Files app.

How do I copy a YouTube transcript on Android?

Tap Share and then Copy link in the YouTube app, open Chrome, paste the link into transcriptflow.io and tap Get the transcript. Tap Copy Text to copy everything, or download TXT, PDF or Word to your Downloads folder.

Does the YouTube mobile app have a transcript?

On many videos, yes. Tap the video description and scroll to the Transcript section, then tap Show transcript to read along. You generally can't select or copy text from that panel, and it doesn't appear on every video. To copy the transcript, use the Share link with a web tool.

Do I need an app to get a YouTube transcript on my phone?

No. A web transcript generator runs in your phone's browser, so you just paste the link and get the text. There's nothing to download or install, and no signup.