Add YouTube to Claude
A custom connector that lets Claude read transcripts, search YouTube and list a channel's videos. You paste one URL and sign in. Nothing to install, no code.
https://youtubetranscriptapi.com/mcpWhat you need
- Claude on the web or the desktop app. Any plan works; on Free you can add one custom connector.
- On Team or Enterprise, an Owner adds the connector for the organization first (Organization settings → Connectors → Add → Custom → Web). Members then find it under Customize → Connectors and click Connect.
- A YouTubeTranscriptAPI account. New accounts get 100 free credits and no card is needed; you can also create it during the sign-in step.
Connect Claude
Open Customize → Connectors
In Claude, open Customize in the sidebar, then Connectors (on the web it's
claude.ai/customize/connectors). Adding connectors on phones is still limited, so use the web or the desktop app; the connector then shows up on your phone too.Add a custom connector
Click + Add, then Add custom connector. Name it YouTube and paste this URL:
Server URLhttps://youtubetranscriptapi.com/mcpLeave sign-in on the default, “Sign in now”, and click Add.
Sign in and approve
A window opens on youtubetranscriptapi.com. Sign in, or create an account there, and you reach the consent screen: it names the app asking, where access goes and what it can do. Click Approve. If you confirm a new account by email, the link brings you back to the same screen.
Turn it on in a chat
In a chat, click + (or type /), open Connectors and switch YouTube on.
Allow the tools
The first time Claude uses a tool it asks: choose Allow once or Always allow. All seven tools only read, so “Always allow” is safe. You can change it per tool on the connector's page (Always allow, Needs approval or Blocked).
Use it in a Claude Project
Projects keep instructions across chats, so you can set up a video summarizer or a study-notes helper once. Create a project, add instructions, and turn the connector on in its chats. Our AI agent recipes give you instructions to paste.
Try this prompt
Summarize this video in three bullet points: <paste any YouTube link>
Claude calls get_transcript, shows the result card, and writes the summary. That call costs 1 credit.
What each call costs
| Tool | What it does | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| get_transcript | Read what's said in any public video | 1 credit |
| search_youtube | Search YouTube for videos or channels | 4 credits |
| search_channel | Search one channel's videos for a topic | 1 credit |
| list_channel_videos | List a channel's latest 100 uploads | 20 credits |
| get_latest_videos | See a channel's 15 newest videos | Free |
| resolve_channel | Turn an @handle into a channel ID | Free |
| list_playlist_videos | List the videos in a playlist | 20 credits |
- Failed calls are never charged: a video without captions, a bad link, a timeout.
- A long transcript comes back in parts. Later parts, and reading the same video again within 24 hours, cost nothing.
- Free tools still need a balance of at least 1 credit.
- New accounts get 100 free credits, no card needed. See plans.
If something doesn't work
›Claude says the connector is unverified
Every custom connector that isn't in Claude's own directory carries that note. It refers to the listing, not to what the connector can do.
›I can't add another connector
Claude's Free plan allows one custom connector. Remove one you don't use, or use a paid Claude plan.
›The sign-in window didn't open
In the desktop app, sign-in opens your system browser. If nothing happened, look for a Connect card in the chat or open the connector page and click Connect.
›The sign-in link expired
A connection request stays open for 30 minutes, which covers signing up and confirming your email. After that, go back to Claude and click Connect again.
›The YouTube tools don't show up in my chat
Connectors are switched on per chat: + → Connectors → YouTube. If you have many connectors on, ask Claude to use the YouTube connector by name.
›I want to connect a different account
Claude doesn't let you edit a connector's sign-in. Remove the connector, add it again, and choose “Use a different account” on our consent screen.
›It says I've run out of credits
The app shows our message with a link to billing. Free tools such as get_latest_videos need at least 1 credit too. Calls that fail are never charged.
›A long video's transcript stops partway
Long transcripts come back in parts so they fit the app's limit. The result says where it stopped; ask the assistant to keep reading and it calls get_transcript again with the next offset. Later parts are free.
›"Transcript unavailable" for a video
The video has no captions, is private, or was removed. Nothing is charged. Try another language with “use the Spanish captions”, for example, if the video has captions in a different language.
Disconnect
Open Dashboard → Connected apps and click Disconnect. The app stops working right away and asks you to connect again if you try to use it.
Claude changes its menus from time to time. We checked these steps on 18 October 2026 against Claude's guide to custom connectors, Claude Help Center: custom connectors and Claude Help Center: using connectors. If something looks different, the app has probably moved it; tell us through the contact form.
Product names and logos belong to their owners and are shown only to say which apps this works with. OpenAI, ChatGPT, Codex and the OpenAI logo are trademarks of OpenAI. YouTubeTranscriptAPI isn't affiliated with or endorsed by them.
Ready to connect Claude?
Create a free account first if you like: it comes with 100 credits, enough for about 100 transcripts.