TL;DW - Free YouTube Video Summarizer | AI-Powered Chrome Extension

Q: Can I use this without a note-taking app?

Yes! Use the 'Copy' or 'Download' buttons to save summaries anywhere.

100% Free & Open Source

YouTube Summarizer

Millions of Videos.
Most Say Nothing.

The feed is infinite. Your attention is not. Find signal in the noise.

Every hour, 500 hours of video are uploaded. The algorithm thrives on your uncertainty, keeping you watching "just in case." This is the antidote. One click distills any video to its essence. Know in seconds if it deserves your time. Your API key, your privacy, about a penny per video.

Add to Chrome View Source

Available on Chrome Web Store

"Know in seconds if it deserves your time."

Capabilities

Order From Chaos

The essential. Nothing superfluous.

Distillation

Hours reduced to minutes. Know if content deserves your attention before you give it.

Discernment

The insights that matter, surfaced. Skip the filler, the tangents, the sponsored segments.

Preservation

Export to 5 note-taking apps with one click. Obsidian, Capacities, Craft, Bear, Logseq.

Choice

Claude, GPT-4, or Gemini. Your preferred model. Your API key. No intermediary.

Sovereignty

No accounts. No tracking. Keys stored locally. Your data never leaves your machine.

Transparency

MIT licensed. Every line readable. No black boxes. No hidden agendas.

Interface

Clarity By Design

No visual clutter. No decision fatigue. Just information.

Summaries

One click. Instant results.

Setup

Pick provider. Paste key. Done.

Export

Five integrations. One click.

Setup

Simplicity Is Deliberate

Complexity is easy. Simplicity takes discipline.

Install

Add to Chrome. One click.

Configure

Pick AI. Paste key.

Analyze

Open video. Click icon.

Read

Summary. Insights. Done.

Cost

No Middleman

Free tool. You pay the AI directly. Honest economics.

Extension cost: Zero. API cost: ~1 cent per video.

Unlimited use
All AI providers
All export formats
No ads
No tracking
No account
No data collection
Full source code

Questions

Frequently Asked

Common inquiries. Direct answers.

01 Which videos can be summarized?

Any YouTube video with captions (auto-generated or manual). Most videos have captions.

02 How long does it take?

Usually 3-10 seconds, depending on video length and AI provider response time.

03 What's the maximum video length I can summarize?

The limit depends on your AI provider and speaking speed. For above-average speaking speed (~170 words per minute):

GPT-4 (OpenAI): ~9 hours
Claude Sonnet (Anthropic): ~15 hours
Gemini Flash (Google): ~75 hours

Most YouTube videos fall well within these limits. Longer videos may take slightly more time to process.

04 Can I use this without a note-taking app?

Yes! Use the "Copy" or "Download" buttons to save summaries anywhere.

05 Which AI provider is best?

Claude (Anthropic) generally provides the best summaries, but all three work great. Try them and see what you prefer.

06 Does this work with YouTube Music or Shorts?

It works with any YouTube video that has captions, including Shorts if they have captions.

07 Can I customize the summary format?

Each export integration has customization options. Click the gear icon to access settings.

08 Is my API key safe?

Yes. Your API key is stored locally on your device using Chrome's secure storage. It's never sent anywhere except directly to your chosen AI provider.

Millions of Videos.
Most Say Nothing.