Use case 04 · YouTube to Markdown
YouTube transcript to Markdown.
A video is hard to quote, search or hand to a language model. Paste the YouTube link and output.md writes the transcript out as Markdown: one file, the words that were said, ready to edit.
Free account, 10 markdown + 10 AI credits included. No credit card needed.
Today
- Opening the transcript panel and copying it line by line.
- A captions file full of timestamps you then have to strip.
- A talk you can only re-watch when you need one sentence.
With output.md
- The spoken text as a Markdown file, under an H1.
- Something you can search, quote and download as .md.
- A source you can turn into an outline or an article afterwards, if you want.
Step by step
How it works, in 4 steps.
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01
Copy the video link
You do
Use a normal watch URL, a youtu.be link, a Short or an embed URL. One video per conversion. Playlists and channel pages are not a single transcript.
You get
A link the YouTube field can read.
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02
Convert the transcript
You do
In the app, choose YouTube and paste the link. The video needs a transcript on YouTube. Auto-generated captions count. If captions are turned off, there is nothing to fetch.
You get
The spoken text as Markdown. The title becomes the H1. One markdown credit per video.
TipYou get the words, not a timestamped caption track. Timestamps are not kept.
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03
Make it readable
You do
Open the editor. Cut the “thanks for watching”, and add a heading where the topic changes. The raw transcript is one block of speech.
You get
A document you can skim, instead of a wall of captions.
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04
Download the .md file
You do
Copy it, download the file, or export the project as a ZIP. The article and outline tools are optional and sit on top of this file.
You get
A plain transcript you own, separate from the video.
Why it works
What you get out of it.
The words, without the player
Search and quote the talk without scrubbing a timeline.
No caption file to clean
The transcript arrives as text. You are not parsing a .vtt.
Optional next step
Leave it as a transcript, or generate an outline or a blog draft from the same file. That second step is a separate AI credit.
What it costs
1 markdown credit per video.
A free account includes 10 markdown credits. An outline or a blog draft from the transcript costs AI credits on top.
Packs are one-time top-ups — no subscription. See all packs.
Questions
Before you start.
How do I turn a YouTube transcript into Markdown?
Paste the video URL in the YouTube field, convert it, tidy the text if you want, and download the .md file.
Does the video need captions?
Yes. It needs a transcript on YouTube, and auto-generated captions count. Videos with captions disabled cannot be converted.
Are timestamps included?
No. The file is the spoken text under a heading, not a timed caption track.
Can I convert a playlist or a whole channel?
Each conversion is one video URL. Paste the videos you want, one at a time.
Can I transcribe a file that is not on YouTube?
This path reads YouTube. For a local recording, upload a transcript you already have as PDF or Word.
Try it on your own material.
Paste a link or upload a file, and see the Markdown before you decide anything else.