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michalparkola
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youtube-transcript

Download YouTube video transcripts via yt-dlp with Whisper fallback.

515|67|Updated Oct 17, 2025
Search Tags:#transcript#video#subtitles#captions#youtube#whisper#text extraction
One-click install
npx skills add https://github.com/michalparkola/tapestry-skills-for-claude-code --skill youtube-transcript
Or copy as Structured Prompt for Agent▼
Please help me install this Agent Skill.
Skill: youtube-transcript
Source: https://github.com/michalparkola/tapestry-skills-for-claude-code/tree/main/youtube-transcript
Command: npx skills add https://github.com/michalparkola/tapestry-skills-for-claude-code --skill youtube-transcript

SYSTEM DOCUMENTATION & REQUIREMENTS

💡 This Skill requires yt-dlp, openai-whisper, and includes scripts (resource) components.

What problem does it solve?

Manually transcribing YouTube videos is time-consuming, and raw VTT files are often messy with duplicate lines. This skill automates clean transcript extraction, saving you hours of manual work.

Core Features & Use Cases

  • Automated Transcript Download: Fetches manual or auto-generated subtitles using yt-dlp with robust error handling.
  • Whisper Fallback: Can transcribe video audio with Whisper if no subtitles are available (with user confirmation), ensuring you always get text.
  • Clean Text Output: Automatically deduplicates lines and formats transcripts into readable plain text, ready for analysis or further use.
  • Use Case: Quickly get a clean transcript from an educational video to review key points, extract quotes, or use as input for further analysis or action planning, without the hassle of manual cleanup.

Quick Start

Download the transcript for a YouTube video

Claude will automatically use this skill when you ask:

"Download the transcript for https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VIDEO_ID"

Frequently Asked Questions about youtube-transcript

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

FAQPage Schema
How do I extract a transcript from a YouTube video?▼

YouTube transcript extraction downloads available subtitles using yt-dlp, starting with manual subtitles, then auto-generated ones, and falling back to Whisper audio transcription if subtitles aren't available. Provide a YouTube URL and the skill handles retrieval and cleanup automatically.

Can I get transcripts from YouTube videos without subtitles?▼

Yes. If manual or auto-generated subtitles aren't available, Whisper transcription converts the video audio to text with your confirmation. This ensures you always get a readable transcript regardless of subtitle availability.

What does the skill do with raw subtitle files from YouTube?▼

The skill cleans raw VTT subtitle files by deduplicating lines and formatting them into plain text ready for analysis, review, or further processing. You receive a polished transcript, not messy source files.

Does this work with YouTube videos that have manual captions?▼

Yes. The skill prioritizes manual captions first, then auto-generated subtitles, ensuring it captures the highest-quality available text before considering Whisper transcription as a fallback option.

What do I need installed to download YouTube transcripts?▼

The skill requires yt-dlp for subtitle download and openai-whisper for audio transcription fallback. Installation is verified automatically; the skill handles setup and reports requirements if they're missing.

How is Whisper transcription triggered?▼

Whisper transcription is a last resort triggered only when manual and auto-generated subtitles are unavailable. The skill requests your confirmation before processing audio, ensuring you control when resource-intensive transcription runs.

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