Video to Text

Turn a video into text you can actually use

Upload an MP4, MOV, or WebM — or paste a YouTube link — and Scholarly transcribes the spoken audio into a downloadable transcript file. Plain text for reading and search, or timestamped WebVTT when you need the timings.

MP4, MOV, WebM, MKV, AVIYouTube links.txt or .vtt downloadUp to 60 minutes
Transcribe a video free
Used by 170,000+ learners and professionals worldwide

Quick answer

How do I convert a video to text?

Open Transcribe on the Scholarly home screen, upload the video file or paste a YouTube URL, and choose whether you want plain text or timestamped captions. The transcription runs in the background — you can close the tab — and the finished transcript lands in your library as a file you can read, edit, search, and download.

  • One credit, one source. A transcription costs a single AI Creation Credit no matter how long the video is, and the credit is returned automatically if the job fails.
  • Two output formats. Plain text (.txt) reads like a document. Timestamped captions (.vtt) carry a cue and a start/end time for every line.
  • Sixty minutes per video. That is a real ceiling, not a soft one. Longer recordings are rejected before anything is charged — split them, or record them through AI Meeting Notes instead.

The output is a file, not a viewer. You keep the transcript on your own terms — download it, edit it, feed it to a chat, or attach it to a project.

Updated August 2026

Add the video

Drop in a video file from your computer, or paste a YouTube URL. Scholarly checks the length before anything is charged.

Pick the format

Plain text for reading and search, or timestamped WebVTT captions for a player or a caption editor.

Get the file

The transcription runs in the background and saves to your library as an editable, downloadable file.

What people do with a video transcript

Search a talk you can't scrub

Find the two minutes that matter in a 50-minute recording by searching the text instead of dragging a playhead.

Quote it exactly

Cite what was actually said, word for word, instead of paraphrasing from memory or a half-heard replay.

Feed it to AI

A .txt transcript is the cleanest possible source for chat, notes, flashcards, or a study guide built from the same material.

Keep a written record

Training sessions, client calls, and recorded lectures become documents you can file, share, and re-read.

Video to text

The verbatim spoken content of one video, as a .txt or .vtt file you download and own.

AI Meeting Notes

Records live, keeps the audio alongside the text, and produces structured notes — the right tool for a meeting or lecture as it happens.

Video summarizers

Condense a video into key points. Useful, but they rewrite the material rather than preserving what was said.

Which video files work

MP4, MOV, WebM, MKV, M4V, AVI, and OGV upload directly, and so do plain audio files — MP3, M4A, WAV, AAC, FLAC, OGG, Opus. Scholarly reads the audio track and ignores the picture, so screen recordings, lecture captures, webinar exports, and phone videos all work the same way. A YouTube link is handled differently: Scholarly pulls the video's own transcript rather than downloading the file, which is faster but depends on that video having one.

Plain text or timestamped captions

Choose .txt when the words are the point — reading, searching, quoting, or handing the material to an AI chat. Choose .vtt when the timings matter: WebVTT is the caption format browsers and video players read natively, so the file drops straight into a player, a caption editor, or a subtitle track. Both are ordinary text files. You can open either one in Scholarly's editor, fix a name or a mis-heard term, and download it again.

What this tool does not do

It does not label speakers. The transcript is a single continuous run of what was said, not a who-said-what script — if you need speaker turns, record through AI Meeting Notes instead. It does not translate: the transcript comes back in the language that was spoken. It does not burn captions into a video or export .srt — you get a WebVTT file to use elsewhere. And accuracy tracks the recording, not the model: distance from the microphone, crosstalk, and heavy background noise all degrade the text, so verify any number, name, or technical term you intend to quote.

Keep exploring

Related tools

Other ways to turn spoken material into something you can read and study.

Subtitle generator

The same transcription, framed around producing a .vtt caption track.

Audio to text

Voice memos, interviews, and recordings converted to a transcript.

YouTube transcript

Pull the full transcript of a YouTube video from its URL.

Lecture transcription

A full class captured as searchable, timestamped text.

YouTube to notes

Skip the transcript and get structured notes from the video.

Text-to-Speech

The trip in reverse — turn a document into one MP3.

Frequently Asked Questions

What video formats can I transcribe?

MP4, MOV, WebM, MKV, M4V, AVI, and OGV. Audio-only files work too — MP3, M4A, WAV, AAC, FLAC, OGG, and Opus. Scholarly transcribes the audio track, so a screen recording with no camera is exactly as good a source as a filmed talk.

How long can the video be?

Up to 60 minutes per transcription. The length is checked before you are charged, so an over-length file is rejected rather than half-processed. For something longer, split it into parts and transcribe each one.

What does it cost?

One AI Creation Credit for the whole video, whatever its length. The credit is committed only once the transcript file has been created, and returned automatically if the transcription fails.

Can I transcribe a YouTube video?

Yes — paste the URL instead of uploading a file. Scholarly uses the video's own transcript, so it is quick, but a video with no transcript available (some live streams and private uploads) cannot be processed this way.

Does the transcript separate speakers?

No. This tool produces a continuous transcript of what was said, without speaker labels. If who-said-what matters, use AI Meeting Notes, which records the session and keeps speaker turns.

Can I edit and download the transcript?

Yes. The finished transcript is a normal file in your library — open it in the editor to correct a term, then download the .txt or .vtt whenever you need it.

Do I get .srt subtitle files?

Not currently. The timestamped option is WebVTT (.vtt), which browsers and most modern players read natively. Plenty of free converters will turn a .vtt into .srt if a specific tool requires it.

Turn your next video into text

One credit per video, .txt or .vtt, saved to your library as a file you can edit and download.

Trying your first source? Start Free. Working with new material each week? Premium includes 10 AI Creation Credits a week. Need more capacity? Compare Laureate.

Pricing shown in USD by default. Local currency may be available in app or at checkout.

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Free lectures with a length control are fixed at 2 minutes. Paid plans can set a target up to 45 minutes. Short uses its own short video format.

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What customers say

Scholarly has enhanced the quality of notes and questions I administer to my tutees. Insightful, to the point.

TD Georgas

TD Georgas

Tutor

I have very good experience with Scholarly it summarize me scientific text in hovel academic level with citation. I use this for any therapeutic area . It is great and useful tool.

Diana

Diana

Scholarly user

Scholarly has been a valuable tool for my studies. The AI-generated flashcards and intuitive features make organizing and retaining information much easier.

Briana

Briana

Scholarly user

This app is great for studying for big test. Drop your PDF's in the system and it'll do the trick. You can organize it specifically for your needs.

Kelvin

Kelvin

Scholarly user

Your questions, answered

Is Scholarly free to use?

Yes! The free plan includes core study tools with lifetime allowances: 3 AI Chat messages, 500 autocomplete words, 5 quiz questions, 15 voice minutes, 1 practice exam, one free AI Creation Credit total, and 1 file upload. These allowances do not reset. Upgrade to Premium for 10 AI Creation Credits per week and unlimited uploads.

What uses my free AI Creation Credits?

AI Creation Credits are shared across flashcards, podcasts, videos, slides, AI Documents, Deep Research, and the Transcribe tool. The selected model determines the credit cost. Recording live audio and saving its transcript uses your file upload allowance instead; it does not use AI Creation Credits.

Can I cancel anytime?

Absolutely. There are no contracts or commitments. You can cancel your subscription at any time from your account settings, and you'll keep access until the end of your billing period.

What payment methods do you accept?

We accept all major credit and debit cards through Stripe. Pricing is displayed in USD by default, but local currency is available in the app.

Can I use Scholarly with a class or school?

Yes. For a school or organization-wide rollout, contact us at hello@scholarly.so and we'll help you find the right setup.

What happens when I hit a free plan limit?

You'll see a prompt to upgrade. Your existing work is never lost — limits only apply to new actions. Free-plan allowances are lifetime credits and do not reset. Premium includes 10 AI Creation Credits per week, podcasts up to 60 minutes, video lectures up to 45 minutes, unlimited uploads, chat, autocomplete, quizzes, and exams, plus more daily voice time.