youtube-transcript

Fetch YouTube captions and convert them into plain-text transcripts.

61|11|Updated Jun 15, 2026
One-click install
npx skills add https://github.com/Matymatyk-business/david-skills --skill youtube-transcript-matymatyk-business
Or copy as Structured Prompt for Agent▼
Please help me install this Agent Skill.
Skill: youtube-transcript
Source: https://github.com/Matymatyk-business/david-skills/tree/main/skills/youtube-transcript
Command: npx skills add https://github.com/Matymatyk-business/david-skills --skill youtube-transcript-matymatyk-business

SYSTEM DOCUMENTATION & REQUIREMENTS

What problem does it solve?

Users need a quick way to obtain a text transcript from YouTube videos without downloading the video or performing manual transcription.

Core Features & Use Cases

  • Retrieve captions for YouTube videos without downloading the video file.
  • Save clean, plain-text transcripts to a file for offline reading and analysis.
  • Supports multiple languages with a fallback to auto-generated subtitles when needed.

Quick Start

Provide a YouTube URL to fetch the captions and save a clean transcript.

Frequently Asked Questions about youtube-transcript

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

FAQPage Schema
How do I download YouTube captions as a plain text transcript?▼

To download YouTube captions as a plain text transcript, provide a YouTube URL and the tool fetches the text using yt-dlp, flattening json3 formatting into a clean .txt file without downloading the video.

Can I extract auto-generated subtitles from YouTube videos?▼

Yes, you can extract auto-generated subtitles from YouTube videos. The tool supports multiple languages and uses a fallback mechanism to retrieve auto-generated subtitles when manually created captions are unavailable.

Does this transcript extraction method require downloading the full video file?▼

No, this transcript extraction method does not require downloading the full video file. It relies on yt-dlp to directly fetch caption data and convert it into a clean, plain-text transcript for offline reading.

What is the best way to get a clean text transcript from a YouTube video for research?▼

The best way to get a clean text transcript from a YouTube video for research is to provide the URL to this tool. It retrieves the captions, flattens the json3 formatting, and outputs a plain-text .txt transcript suitable for documentation.

Are there limitations when fetching YouTube captions in multiple languages?▼

A limitation when fetching YouTube captions in multiple languages is the dependency on available caption tracks. If a video lacks both manual and auto-generated subtitles for a specific language, transcript retrieval will fail.