---
name: Yt-Dlp
slug: yt-dlp
category: Automation
description: Yt-Dlp downloads YouTube videos, audio, and subtitles/transcripts from a URL. Use it when you need media files or transcript text for review or reuse.
github: "https://github.com/ykdojo/safeclaw/tree/main/setup/skills/yt-dlp"
language: HTML
stars: 183
forks: 21
install: "npx degit https://github.com/ykdojo/safeclaw/tree/main/setup/skills/yt-dlp ~/.claude/skills/yt-dlp"
installs_to: ~/.claude/skills/yt-dlp
source_path: setup/skills/yt-dlp/SKILL.md
collection_size: 3
category_size: 2032
collection_url: "https://dirskills.com/collections/ykdojo/safeclaw"
added: 2026-09-06T05:21:02.202Z
last_synced: 2026-09-06T05:21:02.202Z
canonical_url: "https://dirskills.com/skills/yt-dlp"
---

# Yt-Dlp

Yt-Dlp downloads YouTube videos, audio, and subtitles/transcripts from a URL. Use it when you need media files or transcript text for review or reuse.

**Install:**

```bash
npx degit https://github.com/ykdojo/safeclaw/tree/main/setup/skills/yt-dlp ~/.claude/skills/yt-dlp
```

## README

# yt-dlp

Download YouTube videos, audio, and subtitles/transcripts.

## Setup

Check if yt-dlp is installed, and download it if not:

```bash
if ! command -v yt-dlp &>/dev/null && [ ! -f ~/yt-dlp ]; then
  curl -sL https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/releases/latest/download/yt-dlp -o ~/yt-dlp && chmod +x ~/yt-dlp
fi
```

Then use `~/yt-dlp` (or just `yt-dlp` if installed globally).

## Examples

Download subtitles/transcript:
```bash
~/yt-dlp --write-auto-sub --sub-lang en --skip-download -o "/tmp/%(id)s" <url>
```

Download audio only:
```bash
~/yt-dlp -x --audio-format mp3 -o "/tmp/%(title)s.%(ext)s" <url>
```

Download video:
```bash
~/yt-dlp -o "/tmp/%(title)s.%(ext)s" <url>
```

Get video info (title, duration, description):
```bash
~/yt-dlp --print title --print duration_string --print description --no-download <url>
```

## Notes

- Subtitles are saved as `.vtt` files - read them to get the transcript
- Use `/tmp/` for downloads to avoid cluttering the working directory