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Provides a remote MCP server to extract YouTube transcripts for Claude integrations with zero setup and fast responses.
Configuration
View docs{
"mcpServers": {
"rahulpatkiwork-youtube-transcript-mcp": {
"url": "https://youtube-transcript-mcp.ergut.workers.dev/sse"
}
}
}You can extract transcripts from YouTube videos by querying a remote MCP server that integrates with Claude. This server provides zero‑setup access, handles all YouTube URL formats, and returns transcripts in multiple languages with fast responses thanks to caching and robust error handling.
You can use the YouTube Transcript Remote MCP Server with any compatible MCP client to fetch transcripts from YouTube videos. Prefer the hosted public server for quick start, or deploy your own instance if you need full control.
To use the hosted server, configure your MCP client to connect to the public endpoint and request the get_transcript function with the video URL and optional language. The server supports all common YouTube URL formats and returns transcripts in the requested language when available. If you need multiple languages, simply repeat the request with a different language code.
If you want to run your own instance, you can deploy to a cloud platform that supports MCP endpoints and point your client at your own URL. You can also choose between Server-Sent Events (SSE) transport or HTTP transport depending on your client’s capabilities.
Prerequisites you need before installing either the hosted or self‑hosted option are a modern runtime environment and a compatible MCP client. For self‑hosting, you will also need a working Node.js and npm environment.
Option A: Use the hosted server (recommended) Follow these practical steps to configure Claude Desktop to use the public MCP server.
Option B: Deploy your own MCP server You can deploy to a hosting service that runs Cloudflare Workers or run locally following the build steps described below.
{
"mcpServers": {
"youtube-transcript": {
"command": "npx",
"args": [
"mcp-remote",
"https://youtube-transcript-mcp.ergut.workers.dev/sse"
]
}
}
}{
"mcpServers": {
"youtube-transcript": {
"command": "npx",
"args": [
"mcp-remote",
"https://youtube-transcript-mcp.ergut.workers.dev/mcp",
"--transport",
"http-only"
]
}
}
}Public server URL is https://youtube-transcript-mcp.ergut.workers.dev/sse and supports SSE or HTTP transport. No authentication is required for the public server. Transcripts are cached to improve response times, and the system handles a wide range of YouTube URL formats, including long links, shortened links, live videos, embeds, shorts, and international domains.
If you encounter errors, the server provides user‑friendly messages for common issues such as invalid URLs, videos without transcripts, private or deleted videos, or rate limiting from YouTube. Debug options can be enabled to gather more information during troubleshooting.
Common issues include connection errors in the MCP client, inability to attach to the MCP server, or no transcript being returned. Ensure you are using the latest client, verify the MCP server URL, and restart the client after config changes. Check for transcripts being available for the target video and try a different language if needed.
If you need help, check the status of the server at its root endpoint, try a direct connection test with the MCP client, or open a project issue for assistance.
The primary tool exposed by this MCP server is get_transcript, which fetches the transcript for a given YouTube video URL and an optional language code. It supports multiple languages and handles diverse URL formats.
Extracts the transcript from a YouTube video URL and optional language, handling multiple URL formats and languages.