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YouTube Shorts Transcript
Shorts have captions — YouTube just doesn't show them. Paste a Shorts URL and get the full text.
Works with youtube.com/shorts URLs — extracts manual and auto-generated captions
The same one-paste workflow for full-length videos — captions, AI transcription, or summaries. YouTube Transcript, YouTube Transcriber and YouTube Summary
Built for Shorts URLs
Paste youtube.com/shorts links directly. Regular videos and youtu.be links work too.
Unlocks Hidden Captions
The Shorts player has no Show transcript button. We pull the caption track YouTube already generated.
Clean Text Output
No timestamps, no broken lines — just the spoken words, ready to copy or download as TXT.
Seconds per Short
Shorts are under a minute, so transcripts come back almost instantly.
How It Works
Copy the Shorts link
Tap Share on any Short and copy the link, or grab the youtube.com/shorts URL from your browser.
Paste and run
Drop the URL into RunCLI. We extract the caption track YouTube generated for the video.
Use the text
Copy the clean transcript or download it as TXT — for analysis, rewriting, or your notes.
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Use Cases
Analyze competitor hooks
Pull the scripts of top-performing Shorts in your niche and study the opening hooks, pacing, and CTAs as text.
Repurpose your own Shorts
Extract the script from your published Shorts and reuse it for TikTok, Reels, tweets, or a newsletter.
Build a swipe file
Collect transcripts from Shorts that worked and keep a searchable library of proven short-form copy.
Feed Shorts to ChatGPT
AI chatbots can't watch a Short. Hand them the transcript and ask why it works — or ask for ten variations.
Quote without retyping
Need what was actually said in a Short? Get the exact wording instead of transcribing by ear.
No Data Stored
Transcripts are extracted on the fly. We never store your video data.
No Extension Needed
Works in any browser, desktop or mobile. Nothing to install.
Instant Results
We read the existing caption track instead of transcribing audio, so Shorts come back in seconds.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get a transcript of YouTube Shorts?
Copy the Short's link (tap Share, then Copy link), paste it into RunCLI, and click Run. You'll get the full caption text as clean plain text in seconds — ready to copy or download as TXT.
Why can't I find the transcript button on Shorts?
Because there isn't one. YouTube's regular player has a Show transcript option, but the Shorts interface doesn't include it — even though captions usually exist for the video. RunCLI reads that caption track directly.
Do Shorts even have captions?
Most do. YouTube auto-generates captions for Shorts with speech, and many creators upload their own. If a Short truly has no captions, our YouTube Transcriber can transcribe the audio with AI instead.
What URL formats work?
Paste youtube.com/shorts links straight in. Standard youtube.com/watch URLs and youtu.be short links work too, so one tool covers every video type.
Can I transcribe a batch of Shorts for competitor research?
Yes — each Short costs 3 credits, so analyzing a set of competitor videos stays cheap. Paste them one at a time and build up your swipe file.
Is the output clean enough to reuse?
The transcript is continuous plain text with no timestamps or broken lines. Light editing for punctuation or emphasis is usually all you'd do before repurposing it.
Is it free?
It's free to try with no sign-up needed to start. Signing up adds free credits; after that it's 3 credits per video — no subscription required.