MacWhisper for YouTube videos, batches of files and watch folders
By Ryleigh Newman · Published
To transcribe a YouTube video in MacWhisper, paste the video's address into the text field at the top of the app and press Return. Age-restricted videos, and some live or country-specific ones, will not work. For many files at once, drop them on the app together to open the Batch window. For files that keep arriving, a watch folder transcribes each new one automatically. Watch folders need a Pro license.
I built YapToText, a different Mac app for dictation and file transcription, so read what I say about MacWhisper with that in mind. Every fact about MacWhisper here comes from its own help center, read on October 9 and 10, 2026.
This app is completely free. You don't have to make an account. There are no subscriptions, no difficult downloads, and nothing is locked. Made for Apple silicon Macs. Source on GitHub.
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Transcribe a YouTube video
- Copy the video's address from your browser.
- Paste it into the text field at the top of MacWhisper.
- Press Return.
MacWhisper's help center says not every video can be transcribed: age-restricted videos fail, and so do some live or country-specific ones, because of YouTube's own limits. Its pricing page lists YouTube transcription under Pro.
Transcribe many files as a batch
- Start it. Click the Batch Transcription button on the home screen, open several files from Open File, or drag several files onto MacWhisper at once.
- Export in several formats. Click Add Format in the top right to add as many export formats as you want.
- Links. YouTube links do not work in a batch yet.
The help center's own example is a backlog of interviews run overnight at the highest quality.
Have a folder transcribe itself
- Open MacWhisper's Settings and find Watch Folder.
- Click Add Watch Folder and choose a folder.
- Turn on Auto-Transcribe Watch Folder.
- Add the export formats you want. At least one must remain.
With auto-transcribe off, MacWhisper sends a notification when a file appears, and you start it yourself. The feature is marked beta in the help center, and it requires Pro.
Which of these is free
From MacWhisper's help center and pricing page, read October 3 to 10, 2026.
| Job | Free | Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Transcribe one audio or video file with a local model | Yes | Yes |
| YouTube links | No | Yes |
| Batch transcription | No | Yes |
| Watch folders | No | Yes |
The pricing page has the rest of the Free and Pro lists.
What YapToText does here, and does not
YapToText transcribes an audio or video file you drop on it, free, with the model running on the Mac. It does not take a YouTube link, run batches, or watch a folder. For a single recording, a lecture or a voice memo, it is enough. For a channel's worth of videos, MacWhisper Pro is the right tool.
The video transcription guide and the free file transcription guide cover the one-file case.
This app is completely free. You don't have to make an account. There are no subscriptions, no difficult downloads, and nothing is locked. Made for Apple silicon Macs. Source on GitHub.
The short version
- YouTube. Paste the link at the top, press Return. Some videos are blocked.
- Batch. Drop several files at once. No links.
- Watch folder. Settings, Add Watch Folder, Auto-Transcribe. Beta.
- Price. All three need Pro.
If MacWhisper changes any of this, open an issue on GitHub and I will update this page. Every one gets read.
This app is completely free. You don't have to make an account. There are no subscriptions, no difficult downloads, and nothing is locked. Made for Apple silicon Macs. Source on GitHub.
Related
Sources
- https://docs.macwhisper.com/article/51-how-to-transcribe-youtube-videos (checked 2026-10-10)
- https://docs.macwhisper.com/article/19-batch-transcription (checked 2026-10-10)
- https://docs.macwhisper.com/article/35-automatically-transcribing-files-in-watch-folders (checked 2026-10-10)
- https://github.com/ryleighnewman/YapToText (checked 2026-10-10)
- https://apps.apple.com/us/app/yaptotext/id6786382289 (checked 2026-10-10)
- https://www.macwhisper.com (checked 2026-10-06)
Questions
Can MacWhisper transcribe YouTube videos?
Yes. Paste the video address into the field at the top of the app and press Return. Age-restricted and some live or region-locked videos will not work.
Is YouTube transcription free in MacWhisper?
Its pricing page lists YouTube transcription under Pro.
How do I transcribe multiple files in MacWhisper?
Drag several files onto the app, or use the Batch Transcription button. Batch transcription is a Pro feature.
What is a watch folder in MacWhisper?
A folder MacWhisper monitors. New audio files placed in it are transcribed and exported automatically. It is a beta feature that needs Pro.