Extract transcripts from external YouTube videos using YouTube Transcript API

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Important notice

This workflow is provided as-is. Please review and test before using in production.

1. Workflow Overview

Try It Out! YouTube Transcript API Extractor (Any Public Video) Extracts a clean transcript from a videoId using youtube transcript.io . Use Cases AI summaries, sentiment analysis, keyword ex...

Best for

Document Extraction automation workflows
advanced n8n builders looking for reusable templates

Tools used

n8n-nodes-base.set, n8n-nodes-base.httprequest, n8n-nodes-base.code, n8n-nodes-base.if, n8n-nodes-base.stickynote, n8n-nodes-base.switch, n8n-nodes-base.executeworkflowtrigger, n8n-nodes-base.stopanderror

Source and attribution

This workflow is cataloged by N8N Workflows and links back to its original n8n.io source page by Joel Cantero.

Original n8n.io source

1.1 Workflow description

Title: Extract transcripts from external YouTube videos using YouTube Transcript API
Workflow name: Extract transcripts from external YouTube videos using YouTube Transcript API

🚀 Try It Out!

YouTube Transcript API Extractor (Any Public Video)

Extracts a clean transcript from a videoId using youtube-transcript.io.

🎯 Use Cases

AI summaries, sentiment analysis, keyword extraction
Internal indexing/SEO
Content pipelines (blog/newsletter)
Batch transcript processing

🔄 How It Works (5 Steps)

📥 Input: youtubeVideoId, apiToken
🌐 API: POST to youtube-transcript.io
🧩 Parse: Normalizes the response format
🧹 Clean: Normalizes text and whitespace
✅ Output: Transcript + metrics (wordCount/charCount)

🚀 How to Use

Payload:
{"youtubeVideoId":"xObjAdhDxBE", "apiToken": "xxxxxxxxxx"}

⚙️ Setup:

This sub-workflow is intended to be called from another workflow (Execute Workflow Trigger)

1.2 Logical Blocks

This catalog entry is organized from the workflow JSON. The node-level section below shows the executable blocks available for review before importing the template.

2. Block-by-Block Analysis

Block 1 - Set Variables

Type / Role: n8n-nodes-base.set - set
Config choices: Version 3.4

Block 2 - Get Transcript (YouTube Transcript API)

Type / Role: n8n-nodes-base.httpRequest - httpRequest
Config choices: Version 4.2

Block 3 - Parse API Response

Type / Role: n8n-nodes-base.code - code
Config choices: Version 2

Block 4 - IF Has Transcript?

Type / Role: n8n-nodes-base.if - if
Config choices: Version 2

Block 5 - Clean Transcript

Type / Role: n8n-nodes-base.code - code
Config choices: Version 2

Block 6 - No Transcript Fallback

Type / Role: n8n-nodes-base.code - code
Config choices: Version 2

Block 7 - Sticky Note - Overview

Type / Role: n8n-nodes-base.stickyNote - stickyNote
Config choices: Version 1

Block 8 - Sticky Note - Input

Type / Role: n8n-nodes-base.stickyNote - stickyNote
Config choices: Version 1

Block 9 - Sticky Note - API

Type / Role: n8n-nodes-base.stickyNote - stickyNote
Config choices: Version 1

Block 10 - Sticky Note - Processing

Type / Role: n8n-nodes-base.stickyNote - stickyNote
Config choices: Version 1

Block 11 - Sticky Note - Output

Type / Role: n8n-nodes-base.stickyNote - stickyNote
Config choices: Version 1

Block 12 - Sticky Note - Errors

Type / Role: n8n-nodes-base.stickyNote - stickyNote
Config choices: Version 1

Block 13 - Switch

Type / Role: n8n-nodes-base.switch - switch
Config choices: Version 3.3

Block 14 - When Executed by Another Workflow

Type / Role: n8n-nodes-base.executeWorkflowTrigger - executeWorkflowTrigger
Config choices: Version 1.1

Block 15 - No Transcript

Type / Role: n8n-nodes-base.stopAndError - stopAndError
Config choices: Version 1

Block 16 - Not Enough Credits

Type / Role: n8n-nodes-base.stopAndError - stopAndError
Config choices: Version 1

Block 17 - Sticky Note - Errors1

Type / Role: n8n-nodes-base.stickyNote - stickyNote
Config choices: Version 1

Block 18 - Generic Error

Type / Role: n8n-nodes-base.stopAndError - stopAndError
Config choices: Version 1

Block 19 - Sticky Note - Errors2

Type / Role: n8n-nodes-base.stickyNote - stickyNote
Config choices: Version 1

3. Summary Table

Workflow	Extract transcripts from external YouTube videos using YouTube Transcript API
Complexity	advanced
Nodes	19
Categories	Document Extraction
Author	Joel Cantero
Published	16 Dec 2025

4. Reproducing the Workflow from Scratch

1. Download the workflow JSON

Use the JSON export at /data/workflows/11867/11867.json as the source template for this automation.
2. Import the template into n8n

Open n8n, import the downloaded JSON, and review each node before activating the workflow.
3. Configure credentials and variables

Replace placeholder credentials, API keys, webhook URLs, account IDs, and environment-specific values with your own settings.
4. Test with sample data

Run the workflow manually or in a staging workspace, inspect node output, and confirm downstream systems receive the expected data.
5. Activate and monitor

Enable the workflow only after testing, then monitor executions, errors, and rate limits during the first production runs.

5. General Notes & Resources

Review imported nodes carefully before activation. This catalog entry is intended to help you inspect the workflow structure, understand required services, and find related templates faster.

Node names, credentials, schedules, webhook paths, and external service limits may need adjustment for your workspace.

Download workflow JSON Original n8n.io source Document Extraction workflows

Frequently asked questions

What does Extract transcripts from external YouTube videos using YouTube Transcript API do?

Try It Out! YouTube Transcript API Extractor (Any Public Video) Extracts a clean transcript from a videoId using youtube transcript.io . Use Cases AI summaries, sentiment analysis, keyword ex...

What do I need before importing this workflow?

Review the workflow JSON, configure any required credentials in n8n, and test the automation in a safe workspace before using it in production.

Can I customize this workflow?

Yes. Use the block-by-block analysis and the downloadable JSON to inspect each node, then adjust credentials, prompts, schedules, filters, or destinations for your Document Extraction use case.

Joel Cantero

3 workflows

Nodes

n8n-nodes-base.set n8n-nodes-base.httprequest n8n-nodes-base.code n8n-nodes-base.if n8n-nodes-base.stickynote n8n-nodes-base.switch n8n-nodes-base.executeworkflowtrigger n8n-nodes-base.stopanderror

Complexity

advanced

Published 16 Dec 2025

Likes 0

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Install path: /data/workflows/11867/11867.json

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Extract transcripts from external YouTube videos using YouTube Transcript API

Workflow preview

Important notice

1. Workflow Overview

Best for

Tools used

Source and attribution

1.1 Workflow description

🚀 Try It Out!

YouTube Transcript API Extractor (Any Public Video)

🎯 Use Cases

🔄 How It Works (5 Steps)

🚀 How to Use

1.2 Logical Blocks

2. Block-by-Block Analysis

Block 1 - Set Variables

Block 2 - Get Transcript (YouTube Transcript API)

Block 3 - Parse API Response

Block 4 - IF Has Transcript?

Block 5 - Clean Transcript

Block 6 - No Transcript Fallback

Block 7 - Sticky Note - Overview

Block 8 - Sticky Note - Input

Block 9 - Sticky Note - API

Block 10 - Sticky Note - Processing

Block 11 - Sticky Note - Output

Block 12 - Sticky Note - Errors

Block 13 - Switch

Block 14 - When Executed by Another Workflow

Block 15 - No Transcript

Block 16 - Not Enough Credits

Block 17 - Sticky Note - Errors1

Block 18 - Generic Error

Block 19 - Sticky Note - Errors2

3. Summary Table

4. Reproducing the Workflow from Scratch

1. Download the workflow JSON

2. Import the template into n8n

3. Configure credentials and variables

4. Test with sample data

5. Activate and monitor

5. General Notes & Resources

Frequently asked questions