How to Copy YouTube Transcripts on Phone (iOS & Android Workarounds)

Published on October 14, 2025

Getting the full text from a YouTube video can help you quote, study, or repurpose content. On desktop it is easy. On your phone the process is trickier. transcript.you solves this with ease. It fetches the full transcript from any YouTube link and lets you copy, edit, and use it instantly.

Quick Summary: YouTube’s mobile app often blocks text selection. transcript.you fixes that. Paste a link and you get the full transcript without timestamps or ads. You can copy text, extract quotes, or build notes in seconds. If you prefer to do it manually, browser desktop mode and third-party apps are your fallback options.

Why copying transcripts on mobile is harder than on desktop

YouTube’s mobile app shows transcripts but blocks copying. The text appears readable yet can’t be highlighted or copied. The desktop version works fine because browsers allow selection. This difference is why most users look for tools or tricks to grab text on their phones.

Step-by-step: use browser’s desktop mode to copy transcript

1. Open your phone browser such as Safari or Chrome.
2. Tap the menu and choose “Request Desktop Site.”
3. Go to YouTube and open the target video.
4. Tap the three dots (“…” / More) and choose “Show transcript.”
5. Turn off timestamps, long-press on text, drag to select, then tap “Copy.”

This browser method works for both iOS and Android. Still, it can be clumsy on smaller screens and often breaks if YouTube updates its interface. That is where transcript.you offers a smoother path.

How transcript.you handles this with ease

Instead of struggling with browser tricks, you simply paste the YouTube link into transcript.you. The platform automatically fetches the transcript and formats it for copying. It skips timestamps, removes clutter, and shows clean text. You can copy a full section or only part of it. The transcript loads fast, and no manual selection is needed.

* paste your video link * wait a few seconds * copy clean text instantly * use it for notes, posts, or research

A quick inline method for manual users

If you still want to try the manual route, use this: 1) open YouTube in browser desktop mode, 2) tap “Show transcript,” 3) long-press and drag to select text, 4) tap Copy. If that fails, transcript.you will complete the task for you automatically.

Colorful comparison of methods

Ways this helps with copying transcripts easily

What happens when you add a YouTube link later

Once you paste a link in transcript.you, it fetches every word automatically. You can copy sections, extract quotes, or mark timestamps for clips. It even allows further actions like building notes or generating summaries from that same text.

Keep your transcript flow smooth

Stop fighting with mobile selection bugs. transcript.you does the job quickly and cleanly. Copy any YouTube transcript from your phone in seconds and move straight to creating ideas, summaries, or social posts.