National Archives
Document Downloader & Transcriber

Download, transcribe, and cite records from the NARA Catalog

Enter one or more National Archives Identifier numbers (NAIDs) to download complete digital records. The tool checks for existing human transcriptions and OCR text from NARA’s Citizen Archivist program. If no text is available, you can optionally use AI to transcribe the pages.

You need: A free NARA Catalog API key (email Catalog_API@nara.gov). AI transcription keys are only needed if you choose to transcribe.

Enter Record Details

One or more NAIDs, separated by commas. Find them at catalog.archives.gov — it’s the number in the URL.
Free — email Catalog_API@nara.gov to request one

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