youtube-transcript

Extract plain text or timestamped transcripts from YouTube videos.

Updated Jan 4, 2026

Search Tags:#automation #transcript #Python #timestamps #YouTube #youtube-transcript-api

Ready to run

npx skills add https://github.com/refly-ai/skill-to-workflow --skill youtube-transcript-refly-ai

💬 Prompt for ChatGPT / Claude Chat▼

Please help me install this Agent Skill.
Skill: youtube-transcript
Source: https://github.com/refly-ai/skill-to-workflow/tree/main/skills-source/zijiebijiben/youtube-transcript
Command: npx skills add https://github.com/refly-ai/skill-to-workflow --skill youtube-transcript-refly-ai

SYSTEM DOCUMENTATION & REQUIREMENTS

💡 This Skill requires youtube-transcript-api, and includes scripts (resource) components.

What problem does it solve?

This skill extracts YouTube transcripts from videos, enabling quick access to captions for research, accessibility, and content indexing.

Core Features & Use Cases

Transcript extraction: Retrieve transcripts with or without timestamps from YouTube videos using the youtube-transcript-api.
Flexible input formats: Accepts full URLs or raw video IDs across watch, youtu.be, and embed formats.
Use Case: Ideal for researchers compiling topic-specific transcripts, educators providing captions, or content creators indexing video content.

Quick Start

Run the transcript extractor on a YouTube URL or ID: uv run scripts/get_transcript.py "VIDEO_URL_OR_ID"

To include timestamps: add --timestamps

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 YouTube transcript from a video URL using Python?▼

To extract a YouTube transcript, provide the video URL or ID to the extraction script. It uses the youtube-transcript-api library to fetch captions and outputs plain text or timestamped formats for research and indexing.

Can I get timestamps from YouTube video transcripts?▼

Yes, you can get timestamps from YouTube video transcripts by adding the --timestamps flag when running the extraction script. This provides timestamped outputs alongside the plain text captions.

Does the youtube-transcript-api work with youtu.be and embed link formats?▼

The youtube-transcript-api works with youtu.be and embed link formats. The extraction script accepts full URLs across watch, youtu.be, and embed formats, as well as raw video IDs as valid input.

What is the best way to automate YouTube transcript extraction for content indexing?▼

The best way to automate YouTube transcript extraction for content indexing is running a Python script that calls the youtube-transcript-api. It retrieves captions on demand, providing plain text outputs for indexing workflows.

Do I need to install youtube-transcript-api before extracting captions?▼

You need the youtube-transcript-api library installed to extract captions. The Skill depends on this specific Python library to fetch and retrieve transcripts from YouTube videos.