Overview
What is YouTube MCP Server?
A Model Context Protocol (MCP) server implementation for YouTube, enabling AI language models to interact with YouTube content through a standardized interface. It is designed for developers building AI applications that need to access YouTube data, transcripts, channels, and playlists.
How to use YouTube MCP Server?
Install via npm or automatically via Smithery. Set the YOUTUBE_API_KEY environment variable with your YouTube Data API v3 key, and optionally YOUTUBE_TRANSCRIPT_LANG (defaults to 'en'). Add the server configuration to your MCP client (e.g., Claude Desktop) using the provided JSON format.
Key features of YouTube MCP Server
- Get video details (title, description, duration, etc.)
- Retrieve video transcripts with timestamped captions
- Support for multiple transcript languages
- List and search channel videos and playlists
- Get video and channel statistics (views, likes, comments)
- Search across YouTube videos, channels, and playlists
Use cases of YouTube MCP Server
- Fetch video details and transcripts for AI analysis or summarization
- Search YouTube for specific content and retrieve structured results
- Manage and search channel and playlist contents programmatically
- Build conversational AI that answers questions based on video transcripts
FAQ from YouTube MCP Server
How do I get a YouTube API key?
Go to the Google Cloud Console, create a new project (or select an existing one), enable the YouTube Data API v3, and create API credentials (an API key). Copy the key for configuration.
How do I install YouTube MCP Server?
Install via npm with npm install @modelcontextprotocol/server-youtube or automatically via Smithery using the command npx -y @smithery/cli install @modelcontextprotocol/server-youtube --client claude.
Can I use multiple languages for transcripts?
Yes, the server supports multiple languages. You can specify a default language with the YOUTUBE_TRANSCRIPT_LANG environment variable (defaults to 'en').
How do I configure YouTube MCP Server for my MCP client?
Add a youtube entry under mcpServers in your client configuration with the command npx -y @modelcontextprotocol/server-youtube and the YOUTUBE_API_KEY in the env object.
What is the default language for transcripts?
The default language for transcripts is English ('en'), set via the optional YOUTUBE_TRANSCRIPT_LANG environment variable.
