Trying to remember where a quote is from? YouTube actually has a hidden feature which you can use to search for a speech, if you know a portion of it.
The trick is simple, just add a ,CC to the end of the search bar:
“your quote here”, CC
This trick allows you to search through YouTube’s closed captions, i.e. video transcripts on videos where they are available.
An alternative method to access this search is to use the FILTER tab, which provides you with even more options for fine-tuning your search. Just choose Subtitles/CC under Features.
The feature has been around for a few years, but it’s a bit of a hit-or-miss. Sometimes YouTube prioritizes tags or descriptions, instead of checking through the transcript. You might still get what you’re looking for, but all this will ensure is the video having closed captions, even if your quote doesn’t appear in the actual video.
Of course not all quotes come from talks. If you’re still unable to find the origin of a quote you’re looking for you might want to check out Quote Investigator.
