WithTranscript.ai
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When a YouTube video has no captions

Updated Part of YouTube transcript

WithTranscript builds transcripts from a video's YouTube captions, so a video without captions can't be transcribed today; you'll see "This video has no captions we can build a transcript from." The common exception is a new upload or a stream that just ended, where YouTube's automatic captions often arrive later, so try again in a few hours. Part of getting a YouTube transcript.

How to check

On YouTube, open the video's description and look for Show transcript, or look for the CC button in the player. If neither is there, the video has no captions, and no captions-based tool will find a transcript.

Why a video has no captions

  • It's new. Automatic captions take time to appear after upload, and after a livestream ends.
  • The creator turned them off or never uploaded any, and YouTube didn't generate them.
  • YouTube couldn't caption it, for example when there's mostly music, very poor audio, or a language its automatic captions don't cover.

What you can do

  • For a new upload or a recent stream, request it again in a few hours.
  • Check whether the same talk is on YouTube elsewhere, such as a conference channel or a re-upload with captions.
  • Browse what's already in the library: lectures and podcasts open with their transcript straight away.

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