Highlight Youtube Videos & Create AI-Powered Summaries
Prerequisites
Before we begin, make sure you have our browser extension installed. You can install it here or get it from the Chrome Web Store, Firefox Add-ons, or Microsoft Edge Add-ons.
Our YouTube Highlighting feature lets you highlight and take notes on any YouTube video transcript while watching. It automatically extracts video transcripts, syncs them with video playback, and provides a distraction-free study environment for educational content.
If you prefer a longer guide with more details, check out our full Youtube tutorial.
Install our extensions
How It Works
YouTube highlighting transforms any video into an interactive study session. Here's what happens:
- Automatic Transcript Extraction - We fetch the video's transcript from YouTube's captions
- Seamless Integration - A highlight button appears in YouTube's video controls
- Reader Mode Activation - Clicking opens the video in our distraction-free reader
- Real-time Synchronization - Transcript scrolls and highlights as the video plays
- Full Highlighting Support - Highlight text, add notes, and create study materials
How to Use
Method 1: YouTube Video Player Button
- Navigate to any YouTube video with captions available
- Look for the highlight button in the video player controls (next to play/pause)
- Click the highlight button to open the video in reader mode
- Start highlighting and taking notes on the transcript
Method 2: Browser Extension Icon
- Click the Web Highlights extension icon while on a YouTube video
- The video automatically opens in our reader mode
- Begin highlighting and studying the transcript
Key Features
Video-Transcript Synchronization
- Auto-scroll - Transcript automatically follows video playback
- Time markers - Click any part of the transcript to jump to that video moment
- Current sentence highlighting - The spoken text is highlighted in real-time
- Manual control - Toggle auto-scroll on/off as needed
Multi-language Support
- Automatic detection - Tries to load transcript in your preferred language
- Language switching - Easily switch between available transcript languages
- Fallback handling - Uses original language if translation isn't available
Study-friendly Customization
- Font size adjustment - Make text larger for better readability
- Color themes - Choose from light, dark, or sepia modes
- Width control - Adjust transcript width for optimal reading
- Line spacing - Customize spacing for comfortable reading
Full Highlighting Capabilities
- Color-coded highlights - Use different colors to categorize information
- Personal notes - Add your own annotations and insights
- Tags and organization - Organize highlights with custom tags
- Export options - Save as PDF, Markdown, or send to Notion
AI-Powered Summaries
Generate AI-powered summaries of any YouTube video to get a quick overview of the content. The AI analyzes the transcript and creates concise summaries that capture the key points and main ideas. For more details on AI summaries, see our AI Summary feature guide.
YouTube Annotations
YouTube removed its built-in annotation system back in 2019. Web Highlights brings annotations back — and makes them even better. Instead of annotations that overlay the video, you can annotate the transcript itself:
- Highlight key moments in the transcript with color-coded highlights
- Add personal notes to any part of the video's spoken content
- Tag and organize your video annotations alongside the rest of your research
- Export annotations to Markdown, Notion, or Capacities
Your YouTube annotations are saved permanently and synced across devices — unlike YouTube's old system, they never disappear.
Supported Video Types
YouTube highlighting works with most videos that have:
- Auto-generated captions — YouTube's automatic speech recognition
- Manual captions — Creator-uploaded subtitle files
- Multiple languages — Videos with captions in various languages
Common Questions
Can I highlight any YouTube video?
You can highlight any YouTube video that has captions (either auto-generated or manually uploaded). Videos without any captions cannot be highlighted because there is no transcript text to work with.
Do my YouTube highlights sync across devices?
Yes! All your YouTube highlights are stored in the cloud and accessible from any device through the web app.
Can I export my YouTube annotations?
Yes. You can export highlights and notes from any YouTube video to Markdown, HTML, PDF, Notion, or Capacities using the export menu.
Is YouTube highlighting a premium feature?
YouTube highlighting is available on all plans. Free and Premium users can highlight 1 video per day. Ultimate plan users get unlimited YouTube highlighting. Compare plans →