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I-Onlabs
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youtube-transcript

Fetch YouTube transcripts via subtitles or Whisper transcription with yt-dlp.

3|1|Updated Dec 21, 2025
Search Tags:#transcript#subtitles#youtube#transcription#yt-dlp#whisper
One-click install
npx skills add https://github.com/I-Onlabs/claude-code-skills --skill youtube-transcript-i-onlabs
Or copy as Structured Prompt for Agent▼
Please help me install this Agent Skill.
Skill: youtube-transcript
Source: https://github.com/I-Onlabs/claude-code-skills/tree/main/youtube-transcript
Command: npx skills add https://github.com/I-Onlabs/claude-code-skills --skill youtube-transcript-i-onlabs

SYSTEM DOCUMENTATION & REQUIREMENTS

What problem does it solve?

Downloading and extracting transcripts from YouTube videos can be manual and error-prone; this skill automates subtitle retrieval and optional transcription to produce usable text data.

Core Features & Use Cases

  • Manual subtitles: fetch available human-created subtitles when they exist
  • Auto subtitles: fallback to machine-generated captions when manual aren't available
  • Whisper transcription: use Whisper to transcribe audio if no subtitles exist, with user confirmation
  • Post-processing: deduplicate and convert subtitles to plain text for analysis

Quick Start

Provide a YouTube URL to download and transcribe its transcript; the tool will handle subtitles and optional transcription.

Frequently Asked Questions about youtube-transcript

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

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

To get a YouTube transcript, provide the video URL and the tool retrieves available human-created subtitles, falling back to auto-generated captions if manual subtitles are unavailable.

What happens when YouTube subtitles are missing for a video?▼

When subtitles are missing, the tool requests user confirmation to download the audio and transcribe it using Whisper, ensuring you still get a complete text transcript.

Does yt-dlp support downloading auto-generated YouTube subtitles?▼

Yes, yt-dlp is the primary tool used to fetch both manual and auto-generated YouTube subtitles, automatically deduplicating and converting them into plain text for analysis.

Can I use Whisper to transcribe YouTube audio without existing captions?▼

Yes, Whisper-based transcription is triggered when no subtitles exist, requiring your confirmation before downloading the audio and running pre-checks and post-processing to generate text.

What is the best way to extract plain text from YouTube subtitles?▼

The best way to extract plain text from YouTube subtitles is using an automated tool that retrieves captions via yt-dlp and applies post-processing to deduplicate lines and format the output.

Why do I need to confirm before transcribing YouTube audio with Whisper?▼

You need to confirm before transcribing YouTube audio with Whisper because audio downloads and transcription consume more resources than fetching existing subtitles, requiring explicit user approval.

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