How do I search a YouTube transcript?

Last updated: November 3, 2026

Short answerOn a computer, open the video, open the description (or the three dots under the video), choose Show transcript, then press Ctrl+F (Cmd+F on a Mac) and type the word you remember. To search by idea instead of by exact word, or across several videos, use a tool like ClipQuery: you ask a question in plain words and the answer comes with a time chip that opens the exact moment.

What is ClipQuery?

ClipQuery is a web app (clipquery.com) that lets you ask questions about YouTube videos: it answers from what is actually said, shows the exact moment, and can compare what several videos say in one table. The Basic plan is free forever with no card, and ClipQuery shows no ads.

The simple way, with no tool

Search it by hand: open the video, open the description or the three dots under the video, choose Show transcript, then press Ctrl+F (Cmd+F on a Mac) and type a keyword. The matching lines are highlighted with their times, and clicking a line jumps the video to it. This works well when you remember a word they used, and less well when you only remember the idea.

With ClipQuery, step by step

Paste the video link into ClipQuery and let it read the video.
Type what you are looking for as a question, for example "When does he explain how the servo library is installed?"
Read the answer and tap the red time chip next to it.
To search across several videos, add them and use Multi Video AI Ask: one question, one table.

Example

A real example from our own test: in a 53-minute robot-arm build video, the Checklist lists the step to install the servo library with a time chip at 23:51, and tapping the chip opens the video at that moment, so there is no need to scroll through the whole transcript.

Good to know

Ctrl+F only finds the exact word you type, so a different word for the same thing will not match. ClipQuery answers from the transcript and can be imperfect, so check the time chip. A video needs captions or speech: videos without captions can often be transcribed (up to 30 minutes on the free Basic plan, longer on Pro and Beast). You sign in with Google; ClipQuery keeps only your email address.

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Questions

Can I search inside many videos at once?

Yes. Multi Video AI Ask answers one question across several videos in one table: 2 videos on the free Basic plan, 5 on Pro and up to 10 on Beast.

What if the video has no transcript?

ClipQuery can often make one. On the free Basic plan it works for videos up to 30 minutes, and Pro and Beast can transcribe longer videos from the audio.

Can I save the transcript?

Yes. You can export a transcript, a summary or an answer to PDF on every plan.

Is it free?

The Basic plan is free forever with no card, and ClipQuery shows no ads. Pro is $9 a month and Beast is $45 a month, each billed once for the period with no automatic renewal.