Can I transcribe a video from a URL without downloading it?
Yes. Paste the public link; WhoScribe fetches the audio and transcribes it.
Turn a video link into text
Paste the link into WhoScribe. It fetches the audio itself and returns a timestamped transcript, so you never download the video. It works with public links from YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, SoundCloud and Google Drive. Recordings can be up to 10 hours long, in 90+ languages. Without an account you can read the first 5 minutes of one file a day; a free account shows the first 15 minutes of each file, 3 files a day.
Which links work
| Platform | What works | What does not |
|---|---|---|
| YouTube | Public videos, long videos, videos without captions | Private, members-only and age-restricted videos |
| TikTok | Public videos, from the share link or the browser address | Videos from private accounts |
| Public Reels and video posts | Posts from private accounts | |
| Public videos and Reels | Posts you need to log in to see | |
| SoundCloud | Public tracks | Private tracks |
| Google Drive | Files shared as "Anyone with the link" | Files shared only with specific people |
| Any other site | Download the recording and upload the file (MP3, MP4, M4A, WAV, MOV, WebM and more) |
Key facts
| Fact | WhoScribe |
|---|---|
| Longest recording | 10 hours |
| Languages | 90+ spoken languages |
| Free | No account: the first 5 minutes, one file a day. Free account: the first 15 minutes of each file, 3 files a day |
| Whole file | $5 per file, paid once, the same price at any length up to 10 hours; or Unlimited at $20 a month or $120 a year (files up to 10 hours and 10 GB, 50 at once) |
| Exports | TXT on the free plan; TXT, SRT, VTT, DOCX and PDF on Unlimited or on a file you unlocked |
How it works
- Copy the address. The share link or the browser address both work.
- Paste it into WhoScribe. Pick the spoken language if you know it.
- Read the transcript. Each line is timestamped; click it to hear that moment.
- Export or ask. Copy the text, export a file, or ask AI Chat for a summary, chapters or a blog post.
Why the link usually beats downloading
Downloading a video only to upload it again costs time and storage, and many platforms make it hard. WhoScribe fetches only the audio track, so nothing lands on your phone or computer.
If the link does not work
Open the link in a private browser window. If it asks you to log in, the video is not public and cannot be fetched; download it from your own account and upload the file instead. A livestream can be transcribed once it has ended and the recording is published.
FAQ
Questions before you upload
Which sites are supported?
YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, SoundCloud and Google Drive. For anything else, download the recording and upload the file.
Does a YouTube video need captions?
No. The audio itself is transcribed.
How long can the recording be?
Up to 10 hours.
Is it free?
You can read the first 5 minutes of one file a day without an account, or the first 15 minutes of each file with a free account. The whole file is $5 per file, paid once, the same price at any length up to 10 hours, or included in Unlimited ($20 a month or $120 a year).
Can it tell speakers apart?
Yes. Speaker separation is part of Unlimited: each part of the transcript is labelled with who is speaking.
Transcribe a YouTube video
Paste the link. The first 5 minutes are free without an account, 15 with a free account. The whole file is $5, a one-time payment. With a free account, a file of 30 minutes or less is free in full. The 15-minute window applies to longer files.
Paste a YouTube linkFacts about other services come from each vendor's own page, checked on Nov 4, 2026. Prices change, so follow the source link to see their current page.
