Guide
How to Search Inside YouTube Videos
Stop scrubbing through hours of video to find one moment. Here are 3 ways to search inside YouTube videos and jump directly to what you need.
The Problem
You watched a tutorial last week. You remember the instructor explaining something important, but you can't remember exactly when. Now you're stuck dragging the progress bar back and forth, hoping to stumble upon it.
YouTube's search only looks at titles and descriptions — not what's actually said in the video. That's why you need a way to search inside the video content itself.
Method 1: YouTube's Transcript Feature (Free)
YouTube has a built-in transcript feature that most people don't know about.
How to use it:
- 1. Click the three dots (...) below the video
- 2. Select "Show transcript"
- 3. Use Ctrl+F (or Cmd+F) to search the text
- 4. Click on a line to jump to that timestamp
The downside: It only works for one video at a time, the interface is clunky, and not all videos have transcripts available.
Method 2: Use TimeCue (Recommended)
TimeCue is a tool designed specifically for searching inside YouTube videos. It works like Ctrl+F for videos.
What makes it different:
- Cross-video search — Search across your entire video library at once
- One-click jump — Click any result to go directly to that timestamp
- No extension required — Works directly on the website
- Free to start — 3 hours of video per month on the free plan
Method 3: Copy Transcript to a Document
You can copy the YouTube transcript and paste it into Google Docs or Notion, then search there.
The problem: You lose the timestamps, so even if you find the text, you still have to manually locate it in the video. It defeats the purpose.
Comparison
| Method | Cross-Video Search | Direct Jump | Ease of Use |
|---|---|---|---|
| YouTube Transcript | Medium | ||
| TimeCue | Easy | ||
| Copy to Docs | Tedious |
Stop scrubbing. Start searching.
Build your searchable video knowledge base. Free to get started.
Get Started Free