How to translate a YouTube video to English
Quick answer
If the video has captions, open YouTube's caption settings and choose Auto-translate → English. If it has no captions, or you are watching a livestream, use a live subtitle app such as Speaklu, which listens to the audio and shows English subtitles in real time.
Key takeaways
- Method 1: YouTube's built-in Auto-translate captions
- Method 2: a live subtitle app for videos without captions and livestreams
- Method 3: read the transcript
- Clear audio and a single speaker give the best results
Method 1: YouTube's built-in auto-translate
YouTube can machine-translate a video's captions into another language. This works when the video already has captions — either uploaded by the creator or generated automatically by YouTube.
On a computer:
- Start the video and click the CC (subtitles) button.
- Click the Settings gear icon.
- Choose Subtitles/CC, then Auto-translate.
- Select English.
On the YouTube mobile app, open the video settings and look for Captions; the auto-translate option is available on many, but not all, devices and videos.
Limitations: it only works if captions exist, auto-generated captions can be inaccurate for fast speech or slang, and it is often missing on livestreams and Shorts.
Method 2: a live subtitle translator app
When a video has no captions — common with vlogs, livestreams, Shorts and smaller creators — you need something that listens to the audio itself. Speaklu's live subtitle mode does exactly that on iPhone:
- Open Speaklu and start live subtitles.
- Choose the video's language (for example Korean, Spanish or Hindi) and English.
- Play the video in YouTube.
- English subtitles appear on screen in real time, and a text transcript is saved.
Because it works from the audio, it also works for YouTube livestreams, podcasts on YouTube and videos in other apps such as TikTok and Instagram. Speaklu translates audio as it plays; it does not translate downloaded video files.
Method 3: read the transcript
On desktop, many videos have a Show transcript option in the description area. You can copy that text into any text translator. It is slow for long videos but useful for checking a specific quote.
Which method should you use?
| Situation | Best method |
|---|---|
| Video has captions | YouTube Auto-translate |
| No captions / livestream / Shorts | Live subtitle app (Speaklu) |
| Need an exact quote | Transcript + text translator |
Tips for more accurate translations
- Turn the video volume up and avoid background noise if you are using a live subtitle app.
- Pick the exact source language (for example Brazilian Portuguese, not just Portuguese) when an app offers it.
- Expect slang, jokes and song lyrics to translate less cleanly than plain speech.
Looking for a specific language? See our Korean, Spanish, Hindi and Japanese translator pages.
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Frequently asked questions
Can YouTube translate videos to English automatically?
Yes, if the video has captions. Turn on captions, open Settings → Subtitles/CC → Auto-translate and choose English.
How do I translate a YouTube video with no subtitles?
Use a live subtitle app such as Speaklu, which listens to the video's audio and shows English subtitles in real time.
Can I translate a YouTube livestream?
Yes. Live subtitle apps translate the audio as it streams, which works even when the livestream has no captions.
Is translating YouTube videos free?
YouTube's auto-translate is free. Speaklu is free to download with a free trial of its live subtitle feature.