---
id: feiskyer/codex-settings/youtube-transcribe-skill
version: "db0d8ae2"
license: MIT
install: manual
updated: 2026-07-27
---

# youtube-transcribe-skill — This skill downloads subtitles from YouTube videos using yt-dlp and converts them into timestamped plain-text files. It handles multiple subtitle languages with configurable preferences, supports various YouTube URL formats including Shorts and live streams, and can retry with browser cookies when videos require authentication. Output is saved to your chosen directory with line counts reported.

Publisher: feiskyer · Stars: 223 · Updated: 2026-07-27

Install (manual): `git clone https://github.com/feiskyer/codex-settings`

## SKILL.md

# YouTube Transcript Extraction

Use the bundled `scripts/transcribe_youtube.py` wrapper for the primary workflow. It downloads subtitles with `yt-dlp`, selects the preferred language, converts WebVTT cues into timestamped plain text, and reports the output path and line count.

## Requirements

1. Install `yt-dlp` and confirm `yt-dlp --version` succeeds.
2. Resolve the absolute directory containing this `SKILL.md`; refer to it as `<skill-dir>`.
3. Keep the output in the user's current working directory unless they request another location.

The Python wrapper itself uses only the standard library. It can display `--help` without `yt-dlp` being installed.

## Primary workflow

Run without browser cookies first:

```bash
python3 "<skill-dir>/scripts/transcribe_youtube.py" \
  "<youtube-url>" \
  --output-dir "$PWD"
```

The default language preference is Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, other Chinese variants, then English. Override it when the user requests another language:

```bash
python3 "<skill-dir>/scripts/transcribe_youtube.py" \
  "<youtube-url>" \
  --languages "ja.*,en.*" \
  --output-dir "$PWD"
```

The wrapper supports normal watch URLs plus `youtu.be`, Shorts, live, and embed URLs. A successful run writes one `.txt` file whose non-empty lines use this shape:

```text
00:03 Subtitle text
00:08 Next subtitle text
```

## Cookie retry

Do not read browser cookies by default. If the initial command fails specifically because the video requires sign-in, age verification, membership, or another authenticated session:

1. Explain that the retry will let `yt-dlp` read YouTube cookies from a local browser profile.
2. Ask the user which browser profile they approve using.
3. Retry only after approval:

```bash
python3 "<skill-dir>/scripts/transcribe_youtube.py" \
  "<youtube-url>" \
  --cookies-from-browser chrome \
  --output-dir "$PWD"
```

Never print, copy, or persist browser cookies in the transcript or logs.

## Browser fallback

Use browser automation only when `yt-dlp` is unavailable or cannot obtain subtitles and an appropriate browser-control capability is available.

1. Inspect the tools available in the current session; do not assume fixed MCP server or tool names.
2. Open the video, reveal the transcript panel, and extract visible timestamp/text pairs.
3. Save the result as `<sanitized-video-title>.txt` in the requested directory.
4. Close pages or sessions opened solely for this task.

If neither CLI extraction nor browser automation is available, report the missing capability instead of claiming success.

## Completion report

Return:

1. Absolute transcript path
2. Selected subtitle language
3. Number of transcript lines
4. Whether browser cookies or browser automation were used


[View on SkillFed](https://skillfed.io/feiskyer/codex-settings/youtube-transcribe-skill) · [View on GitHub](https://github.com/feiskyer/codex-settings)