youtube-transcribe-skill

Extract YouTube video subtitles into timestamped text transcript files.

1|Updated Mar 8, 2026

Search Tags:#automation #subtitles #youtube #transcription #transcripts #video-caption

Ready to run

npx skills add https://github.com/tense-i/stock-market-simulator --skill youtube-transcribe-skill-tense-i

💬 Prompt for ChatGPT / Claude Chat▼

Please help me install this Agent Skill.
Skill: youtube-transcribe-skill
Source: https://github.com/tense-i/stock-market-simulator/tree/main/skills/youtube-transcribe-skill
Command: npx skills add https://github.com/tense-i/stock-market-simulator --skill youtube-transcribe-skill-tense-i

SYSTEM DOCUMENTATION & REQUIREMENTS

What problem does it solve?

This skill automatically extracts subtitles from YouTube videos and saves them as plain-text transcripts, enabling quick access to spoken content without watching the video.

Core Features & Use Cases

Automatic transcription extraction from YouTube videos using yt-dlp or browser automation as fallback.
Supports multiple languages (e.g., zh-Hans, zh-Hant, en) and saves transcripts with timestamped lines.
Use Case: Archive lectures for offline study, analyze video content, or create searchable transcripts.

Quick Start

Provide a YouTube URL to extract its transcript and save it as a local text file named after the video title.

Frequently Asked Questions about youtube-transcribe-skill

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

FAQPage Schema

How do I extract YouTube subtitles and save them as a local text transcript?▼

To extract YouTube subtitles, provide a video URL to the skill, which verifies the video title and saves the transcript locally as a text file with timestamped lines. It requires yt-dlp or chrome-devtools-mcp for browser automation.

Does YouTube transcription work with multiple languages like English and Chinese?▼

YouTube transcription supports multiple languages including zh-Hans, zh-Hant, and en. It automatically extracts available captions from the video and saves them in a timestamp text format.

Do I need yt-dlp to extract video captions or can I use browser automation?▼

You need yt-dlp for primary extraction, but browser automation via chrome-devtools-mcp is supported as a fallback. The skill verifies the URL and video title before processing captions.

What is the best way to archive YouTube video transcripts for offline content analysis?▼

The best way to archive YouTube transcripts is using an extraction tool that outputs a local file named after the video title with timestamped lines. This enables offline study and searchable content analysis.

Can I extract subtitles from YouTube videos that do not have manual captions?▼

YouTube subtitle extraction is applicable to videos with captions. If a video lacks available captions, the extraction process cannot generate a transcript, as it relies on existing subtitle data.

Why does my YouTube transcript extraction fail before processing the video?▼

Transcript extraction fails if the skill cannot verify the provided YouTube URL and video title. It strictly validates these elements before attempting to extract subtitles and save the local file.