youtube-srt

Convert YouTube subtitles into clean SRT files with non-overlapping time ranges.

Updated Mar 16, 2026
One-click install
npx skills add https://github.com/zlovexforever/zlx-claude-skills --skill youtube-srt
Or copy as Structured Prompt for Agent
Please help me install this Agent Skill.
Skill: youtube-srt
Source: https://github.com/zlovexforever/zlx-claude-skills/tree/main/youtube-srt
Command: npx skills add https://github.com/zlovexforever/zlx-claude-skills --skill youtube-srt

SYSTEM DOCUMENTATION & REQUIREMENTS

💡 This Skill requires yt-dlp.

What problem does it solve?

This Skill turns YouTube subtitles for a specific video into properly segmented, non-overlapping SRT files, avoiding mistakes caused by playlist or extra query parameters.

Core Features & Use Cases

  • Exact video subtitle extraction: Downloads captions for the requested video ID using a no-playlist workflow and verifies the downloaded subtitles match that ID.
  • Clean SRT with safer timing: Parses yt-dlp json3 subtitle data, deduplicates rolling-caption overlap, groups words into sentence-like blocks, and trims overlaps to prevent collisions.
  • Language-first workflow for translations: Defaults to English subtitles (with clear language candidates), while still allowing explicit Chinese subtitle selection when requested.
  • Use Case: When you paste a YouTube URL that includes list or other parameters, you can reliably get the correct video’s subtitles as a local .srt file for editing, translation, or playback tooling.

Quick Start

Use the youtube-srt skill with the YouTube watch URL you want (including any list parameters) to generate an SRT file for that exact video.

Frequently Asked Questions about youtube-srt

High-intent search queries and answers about installing and using this skill.

FAQPage Schema
How do I extract YouTube subtitles into a clean SRT file?

To extract YouTube subtitles into a clean SRT file, this Skill parses yt-dlp json3 subtitle data, deduplicates rolling-caption overlaps, and groups words into sentence-like blocks to produce properly segmented SRT files.

Why does yt-dlp download subtitles for the wrong video when my URL includes playlist parameters?

YouTube URLs with playlist parameters often cause yt-dlp to fetch the wrong video. This Skill extracts the exact video ID from the URL and uses a no-playlist workflow to verify the downloaded subtitles match that specific video.

Can I select Chinese subtitles instead of English when downloading from YouTube?

Yes, you can select Chinese subtitles. The workflow defaults to English subtitles and presents clear language candidates, but it fully supports explicit Chinese subtitle selection when you specify it in your request.

How do you fix overlapping time ranges when converting YouTube captions to SRT?

To fix overlapping time ranges when converting YouTube captions to SRT, the Skill parses yt-dlp json3 data, deduplicates rolling-caption overlaps, and trims time ranges to prevent collisions during sentence-aware regrouping.

Do I need yt-dlp installed to parse YouTube captions into SRT files?

Yes, yt-dlp is a required dependency. The Skill relies on yt-dlp to download the json3 subtitle data from YouTube, which is then parsed, deduplicated, and regrouped into clean SRT files locally.

What is the best way to get non-overlapping SRT files from YouTube videos?

The best way to get non-overlapping SRT files from YouTube videos is using a sentence-aware regrouping workflow that parses json3 subtitle data, trims timing overlaps, and segments words into clean blocks for local playback or translation.