One-Click Video Link Transcription for YouTube, Bilibili, and More
Paste a YouTube, Bilibili, or other video link and Audio Note downloads and transcribes it locally. Usage, batch links, logins, and copyright.
What link transcription does
You find a video worth keeping: a lecture, a tutorial, an interview. Normally you watch and take notes. Link transcription skips that: paste the link, Audio Note downloads the media, transcribes it locally, and gives you a timestamped, searchable transcript.
Downloads use the open-source yt-dlp engine. The first time you use link transcription, the app asks to install it. Platforms listed in the app include YouTube, Bilibili, Twitter/X, TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and Vimeo. Whether a given link works depends on the platform's rules, the video's permissions, and upstream download support; follow the app's message at the time.
How to use it
- Copy the video link in your browser.
- Choose "Link Transcription" in the Audio Note sidebar.
- Paste the link and wait for the video info to load.
- Pick a format and quality, then start.
- Wait for download and transcription to finish.
The result is the same timestamped transcript you get from file transcription, ready to edit, summarize with AI, or export to Notes. If you only want the file, you can skip transcription.
Batch links
Paste several links, one per line, and click "Start Batch Transcription". Once all links are recognized, choose a format for each, or sync the current settings to all, then start the downloads together.
Settings let you adjust recognition concurrency, download concurrency, download path, and timeouts. Higher concurrency is faster but more likely to hit site rate limits; start with the defaults.
Free vs paid
| Item | Free | Standard | Pro |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single link | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Multiple links at once | No | Yes | Yes |
| Parallel downloads | No | No | Yes |
| Max file size | 1 GB | 10 GB | 10 GB |
| Download speed | Limited | Unlimited | Unlimited |
From the current in-app feature configuration and subject to change; see the pricing page and in-app messages.
Videos that need a login
Members-only or age-restricted videos may fail with a hint about login restrictions. Turn on "Browser Session" in link transcription settings so Audio Note reuses your browser's sign-in:
- It is only used to read the browser session and reuse sign-in; raw cookies are not stored in the app.
- On macOS, grant Audio Note Full Disk Access under System Settings → Privacy & Security.
- Fully quit that browser before retrying. If it still fails, try another browser signed in to the site.
Only use accounts and content you are entitled to access.
Before you download
| Check | Why |
|---|---|
| Do you have the right to process it? | Copyrighted or restricted content cannot be republished freely |
| Is the link publicly accessible? | Private, members-only, or region-locked content may fail |
| Personal notes or publication? | Different rules apply |
| Keep the source link | You will need it to cite and verify |
Where it helps most
Lectures and talks. Conference recordings and public courses. A searchable transcript beats scrubbing a timeline, and you can batch a whole topic and search across it.
Tutorials. Steps are easy to watch and hard to find again. Search the transcript to jump to the step and timestamp.
Podcasts and interviews. Many podcasts publish video versions. Get the transcript, then let the AI assistant summarize. See AI summaries and action items.
Short videos. Batch a set of short clips into one reference document.
Example: turning an online course into study notes
- Copy the links to all 12 course videos and paste them at once, one per line.
- After recognition, set a lower quality, sync it to all links, and start.
- When transcripts are ready, export each to Notes, named by chapter.
- Ask the AI assistant for key concepts and examples per lesson, then a review outline.
- Search the app later to jump to the right transcript and timestamp.
Nothing is uploaded to a transcription service along the way.
Common failures
| Message | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Unsupported platform | The site is not supported | Use the platform's standard share link, or download the file and use file transcription |
| Possibly a login restriction | Content needs sign-in | Enable Browser Session |
| Cannot read browser cookies | Browser still running or missing permission | Quit the browser fully; grant Full Disk Access on macOS |
| Download timeout | Slow network or large file | Raise the timeout, enable resume downloads, or pick lower quality |
Language and models
Link transcription uses the transcription model you choose and handles the languages that model supports, with auto-detect or a fixed language. See the models overview.
FAQ
Where are downloaded files saved? In the download path from settings. Turn on "Auto Cleanup" to delete source files after transcription.
Large files? The app asks for confirmation on large files. Picking a lower quality speeds up the download.
Where does transcription run? On your computer, after the download. The download itself needs internet access to the platform.
Copyright
Link transcription is meant for personal notes and research, much like taking notes while watching. Audio Note downloads the media to your own computer for processing and does not re-upload or redistribute it. If you plan to publish a transcript, make sure you have the rights.
