Looking for the exact moment someone says a particular word in a long YouTube video? You don’t have to scrub through it. Most YouTube videos have a transcript (from the creator’s captions or automatic captions), and you can open it and search it like a document, then click a line to jump straight to that moment. This guide shows how on a computer and on your phone, plus other tricks for finding words in videos.
Quick Answer
On a computer, open the video, click …more under the title to expand the description, and click Show transcript. When the transcript panel opens, press Ctrl + F (Cmd + F on Mac), type the word, and click a highlighted line to jump to that point in the video.
Search a YouTube Video on a Computer
- Open the video on youtube.com.
- Click …more in the description box below the video.
- Scroll to the bottom of the description and click Show transcript. The transcript opens on the right (or below the video on narrow windows).
- Press Ctrl + F (Windows) or Cmd + F (Mac) and type the word or phrase.
- Use the arrows in the find bar to move between matches.
- Click a transcript line (or its timestamp) to jump to that moment.
Tip: in the transcript panel’s ⋯ menu, you can toggle timestamps or choose a transcript language if several are available.
Search a Video on iPhone or Android
- Open the video in the YouTube app.
- Tap the description (or …more) below the title.
- Scroll down and tap Show transcript.
- Scroll through the transcript and tap a line to jump to it.
The app doesn’t have a find feature. To search, open the video in your phone’s browser, request the desktop site, open the transcript, and use Find on Page (Safari: share button; Chrome: ⋮ > Find in page).
No “Show Transcript” Option?
- The creator may have turned off captions, or automatic captions may not be available for the video’s language or audio quality.
- Live streams and very new uploads may not have a transcript yet.
- Try turning on captions (CC) and watching at a faster speed instead.
Other Ways to Find a Word or Topic
- Chapters: many videos have chapters in the progress bar and description. Hover over the bar or scroll through Chapters to find a topic.
- Google search: Google sometimes shows “key moments” for videos. Search for your phrase plus the topic and look for video results with timestamps.
- Comments: viewers often post timestamps for popular moments. Use Ctrl + F in the comments.
- YouTube’s AI features: on some videos and accounts, YouTube offers an Ask button that can answer questions about the video. Availability varies by country and account.
Tips for Better Results
- Automatic captions can mishear names and technical terms. Search for part of the word or a nearby common word.
- Search for singular and plural forms separately.
- Copy the whole transcript (select it and press Ctrl + C) into a document if you want to search or quote it repeatedly. Respect copyright when reusing it.
Want to remove what you watched? See how to clear YouTube history on an iPhone.
Related: Can You Use YouTube Without a Google Account? What Works Signed Out.
Related: insert a video in Word.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I search across all videos on a channel for a word?
Not directly in YouTube. Search the channel’s videos by title with the channel’s search icon, then check transcripts.
Why are transcript timestamps slightly off?
Automatic captions are timed by software. Jump a few seconds earlier if you miss the word.
Can I download a transcript?
YouTube doesn’t offer a download button, but you can select and copy the transcript text.
Summary
- Click …more > Show transcript.
- Press Ctrl + F and type the word.
- Click the matching line to jump to it.
- Use chapters or Google key moments if there’s no transcript.
Kermit Matthews is a freelance writer based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with more than a decade of experience writing technology guides. He has a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Computer Science and has spent much of his professional career in IT management.
He specializes in writing content about iPhones, Android devices, Microsoft Office, and many other popular applications and devices.