How to download YouTube videos with subtitles

Subtitles aren't just accessibility — they're useful for language learning, reviewing educational content, citing exact fragments, or just watching videos without audio in public places. In this guide I'll show you how to download both the video and its subtitles separately with YTSavr.

Why download subtitles separately?

Common reasons:

Course notes: with text in SRT you can copy-paste
Translation: run subs through Google Translate or ChatGPT
Exact citations: when citing verbatim for a paper
Language learning: read subs in English while listening in English
Toggle-able subs: SRT can be enabled/disabled in the player
Personal accessibility: if you have hearing difficulty

How to download video + subtitles

1. Copy the YouTube link

Share → Copy link, or copy the URL from the browser.

2. Paste it in YTSavr

Go to ytsavr.com, paste the link and tap Search video.

3. Select the subtitles option

Next to video quality options (1080p, 720p, etc.), if the video has subtitles available, you'll see the "Include subtitles" option with a language picker.

Common languages you'll find:

English (most common language on YouTube)
Spanish (if the creator uploaded or YouTube generated them)
Auto-translations to 50+ languages (lower quality)

4. Download

Tap Download. You'll get 2 files:

ytsavr_title.mp4 — the video
ytsavr_title.en.srt — subtitles in SRT

Or a single ZIP with both files inside.

How to use the SRT file

In VLC Media Player

Put the SRT file in the same folder as the MP4, with the same name (only the extension differs)
Open the MP4 with VLC
VLC loads subtitles automatically
If they don't show, go to Subtitle → Subtitle Track → Track 1

On iPhone player

iOS automatically detects SRT files next to MP4. If you open with Files app and subs don't appear, try Infuse or VLC for iOS.

On Android

MX Player and VLC for Android recognize SRT automatically. Place the SRT in the same folder as the MP4.

On PC with Plex / Jellyfin / Kodi

Any media library system recognizes SRT next to the MP4 if they share the same base name. Useful for maintaining a personal video library with subs.

Auto-generated vs. manual subtitles

Auto-generated by YouTube

Available on almost any video with clear voice
80-95% accuracy in English, 70-85% in Spanish
May have errors with slang, strong accents, or technical words
Don't have good punctuation or capitalization

Manual (uploaded by creator)

Much more accurate (written by humans)
Correct punctuation
More complete coverage of details
Available on fewer videos (depends on creator)

If the video has both, download the manual ones.

Auto-translations

YouTube offers auto-translating subtitles to 50+ languages. They are:

Useful for getting the gist of videos in languages you don't speak
Imperfect: translations may have semantic errors
Better for English ↔ Spanish than for exotic languages

If you need professional subtitles for commercial use, consider a human translation service.

Permanently embedding subtitles

If you want subtitles to ALWAYS show on the video (not as a separate track), you can "burn them in" with software:

HandBrake (free)

Open the MP4 in HandBrake
Go to the "Subtitles" tab
Import the SRT
Check "Burned In"
Encode the video

FFmpeg (command line)

For terminal lovers:

ffmpeg -i video.mp4 -vf subtitles=subs.srt video-with-subs.mp4

Frequently asked questions

What format are the subtitles?

We deliver subtitles in SRT format (standard). All modern players like VLC read them without issue.

Does it work with YouTube auto-generated subtitles?

Yes. YouTube generates auto-subtitles for almost any video with clear voice. Those can also be downloaded.

Can I download subtitles in other languages?

Yes, if the creator uploaded subtitles in other languages or YouTube offers auto-translation. You'll see a list of all available languages.

Are subtitles embedded in the video?

By default no. We give you the SRT separately so you decide whether to activate them in your player. To embed permanently, use HandBrake or FFmpeg.