youtube-transcript
YouTube Transcript extracts text content from videos by downloading available captions or auto-generated subtitles via yt-dlp. When subtitles aren't available, it can transcribe audio using Whisper as a fallback option.
YouTube Transcript downloads captions and subtitles from YouTube videos, with Whisper transcription as a backup.
AI-generated summary based on this skill's SKILL.md
Decision gist · record as of 2026-03-11
YouTube Transcript downloads captions and subtitles from YouTube videos, with Whisper transcription as a backup. YouTube Transcript extracts text content from videos by downloading available captions or auto-generated subtitles via yt-dlp. When subtitles aren't available, it can transcribe audio using Whisper as a fallback option.
Use it when
- Yes, YouTube Transcript retrieves both manual and auto-generated subtitles from YouTube videos.
- YouTube Transcript includes a fallback transcription feature using Whisper.
Verify before relying
Read SKILL.md below before installing (1 file). Open directory: indexed for reading, not audited.
Install
michalparkola/tapestry-skills/youtube-transcript · repository language: Shell
Open directory. Skills are indexed for reading, not audited. Review a skill's body before installing it.
Frequently asked questions
AI-generated answers based on this skill's SKILL.md and metadata
How do I download youtube transcript from a video?
YouTube Transcript downloads available captions or auto-generated subtitles directly from videos using yt-dlp. Simply provide the video URL, and the tool extracts the text content, saving it in plain text format for easy access and offline use.
Can YouTube Transcript get captions from youtube video URLs?
Yes, YouTube Transcript retrieves both manual and auto-generated subtitles from YouTube videos. It accesses the video's caption data through yt-dlp and extracts the text, making it available for download or further processing.
What happens when YouTube videos lack subtitles?
YouTube Transcript includes a fallback transcription feature using Whisper. When captions aren't available, it can transcribe the video's audio directly to text, ensuring you can still extract content from videos without existing subtitles.
How do I extract youtube subtitles to a text file?
YouTube Transcript extracts subtitles and saves them as plain text files automatically. The tool downloads the captions from your video and converts them into a readable text format that you can store, edit, or share.
Is YouTube Transcript free to use?
Yes, YouTube Transcript is released under the MIT license, making it free and open-source. You can use, modify, and distribute it freely while respecting the license terms.
SKILL.md
Rendered from the published skill. Quoted content, verbatim.
YouTube Transcript Downloader
This skill helps download transcripts (subtitles/captions) from YouTube videos using yt-dlp.
When to Use This Skill
Activate this skill when the user: - Provides a YouTube URL and wants the transcript - Asks to "download transcript from YouTube" - Wants to "get captions" or "get subtitles" from a video - Asks to "transcribe a YouTube video" - Needs text content from a YouTube video
How It Works
Priority Order:
- Check if yt-dlp is installed - install if needed
- List available subtitles - see what's actually available
- Try manual subtitles first (
--write-sub) - highest quality - Fallback to auto-generated (
--write-auto-sub) - usually available - Last resort: Whisper transcription - if no subtitles exist (requires user confirmation)
- Confirm the download and show the user where the file is saved
- **Optionally
(truncated - see the full file via the links below)
File tree — 1 file
youtube-transcript/SKILL.md
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More skills youtube-transcribe-skill (MIT) · Media Transcription (unlicensed) · Yt Dlp Downloader Skill (unlicensed) · Youtube Transcript (unlicensed) · Youtube Transcript (CC0-1.0)