Documentation
Everything you need to install, activate, and get the most out of VideoTextCopy.
Overview
VideoTextCopy is a browser extension that lets you pause a video and copy the text visible on screen. It captures the current video frame and sends it to our OCR service for recognition.
Basic
400 uses / month · 5 devices
Pro
1,000 uses / month · 5 devices
Installation
Subscribe to a plan
Visit the Pricing page and choose a plan. After checkout, you will receive an email containing your license key within seconds. Save your license key — you’ll need it for activation.
Install the browser extension
Open your browser's extension store and search for "VideoTextCopy", or click the direct link in your welcome email. Click "Add to browser" and confirm the installation.
Pin the extension (optional)
Click the puzzle icon in the browser toolbar and pin VideoTextCopy for quick access. The VideoTextCopy icon will now appear in your toolbar permanently.
Activation
Activation links your license key to the current device. Each plan supports up to 5 active devices.
Open the extension popup
Click the VideoTextCopy icon in your browser toolbar. On first launch, you will see an activation screen.
Enter your license key
Paste the license key from your email into the input field. The key format is XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX.
Click Activate
VideoTextCopy will verify your key. Your key is stored locally — you will not need to re-enter it.
Note: If you uninstall and reinstall the extension, a new device ID is generated and will consume an activation slot. Plans include 5 device slots to accommodate this.
Usage
Navigate to a video
Open a supported site such as YouTube. VideoTextCopy Works on most sites that display HTML5 video.
Pause the video at the right frame
Pause the video when the text you want to capture is visible. For best accuracy, ensure the frame is in focus and the text is not obscured.
Click the VideoTextCopy button
Click the VideoTextCopy icon or use the keyboard shortcut. The extension captures the current video frame and sends it for processing.
Copy and use the result
Extracted text will appear instantly in the popup. You can select and copy it just like you would in a standard text editor — including full support for Select All (Ctrl+A), standard copying (Ctrl+C), and column selection.
Checking your remaining quota
Your remaining uses for the current month are shown in the extension popup after each recognition. The count resets automatically at the start of your next billing cycle.
Devices
Each license supports up to 5 simultaneously activated devices.
Troubleshooting
"Invalid license key" on activation
Double-check that you copied the key exactly as received, including all dashes. If the issue persists, contact support with your order ID and email address.
"Quota exceeded" — recognition is blocked
Your monthly recognition limit has been reached. Your quota resets automatically on your billing renewal date.
OCR result is inaccurate or empty
Ensure the video is fully paused (not just buffering) and that the text is clearly visible in the frame. Very small or stylised fonts may reduce accuracy.
The extension captures a black screen or show a "DRM Protected" alert
This occurs on platforms that enforce hardware-based Digital Rights Management (DRM) — such as Netflix, Prime Video, or Disney+. These premium services explicitly command the browser to block any external capture or frame-reading. Because this is a hard browser-level and OS-level security restriction, there is no technical workaround for DRM-protected streams.
Maximum devices reached" when activating
This means your license key has already occupied all 5 available device slots. Since each fresh installation or browser profile creates a unique device ID, frequent reinstalls can use up your limit. Simply email support@videotextcopy.com with your license key, and our team will gladly reset or unlink your inactive devices within 24 hours.
The badge shows "Update Payment" — what does this mean?
Your most recent renewal payment failed, but you are still within the grace period so text extraction continues to work. Please update your payment method with Paddle as soon as possible to avoid an interruption. If the payment issue is not resolved before the grace period ends, extraction will be paused until the balance is cleared.
The badge shows "Payment Failed" and text extraction is blocked
The grace period for a failed renewal has expired. Your subscription is still on record but access is paused until your payment is settled. Please log in to your Paddle account to update your payment method, or contact support@videotextcopy.com and we will assist you directly.
The badge shows "Ending Soon" — is my subscription being cancelled?
You (or a billing event) have scheduled a cancellation. Your subscription is still fully active and you retain complete access until the end of the current billing period shown in the extension. No further charges will be made after that date.
I just purchased a plan but the badge shows "Confirming..." or the extension is not yet active
Payment confirmation and subscription activation are delivered via webhook and normally complete within a few seconds. If the badge has not updated after one minute, close and reopen the extension popup to refresh the status. If the issue persists after five minutes, contact support with your order email and we will verify the activation manually.
"Trial already used on this device" when activating a free trial
Each device can only redeem one free trial. If you previously activated a trial on this machine — even if the trial has since expired — the same device cannot claim a second trial. To continue using VideoTextCopy, please purchase a paid plan from the Pricing page.
Text extraction suddenly fails with "Subscription not active" or "Subscription ended"
This appears when your subscription has expired or been cancelled and the billing period has ended.
"Text extraction service unavailable" error
This is a temporary issue with our OCR processing service. Please wait 30 seconds and try again. If the problem continues, check our status page or contact support@videotextcopy.com. Your quota is never deducted for a failed recognition.
The extension shows "Device not activated" during text extraction
This can occur after clearing browser data, switching browser profiles, or a fresh browser installation — each of which generates a new internal device ID. Re-open the Settings tab in the extension popup and click Activate again with your existing license key to re-bind this device.
I cancelled my subscription but the extension is still working
This is expected. Cancellation takes effect at the end of your current billing period, not immediately. You retain full access and your quota until that date. The badge will display "Ending Soon" as a reminder. Once the period ends, access will stop automatically.
Still need help?
Our support team responds within 24 hours on business days.
support@videotextcopy.com