🎥 YouTube MCP Connector for Claude Desktop (100% FREE)

Stop paying for premium YouTube connectors! This is a free, open-source Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that turns Claude into your personal YouTube Channel Manager, Content Creator, and Strategist.

With this connector, Claude doesn't just manage your channel; it helps you create and grow it. From finding trending ideas to generating thumbnails, creating videos, and uploading them directly — all locally on your machine.

🚀 What Claude Can Do With This Connector (The Ultimate Workflow)

When you connect this tool to Claude, you unlock a complete YouTube automation workflow:

• 🎬 Video & Thumbnail Generation: Claude doesn't just upload; it creates! It can generate custom thumbnails using its AI, write the script, prepare the video assets, and then use this connector to upload everything directly to your channel.

• 📈 Trend Research & Ideas: Ask Claude to search YouTube for current trends in your niche. It will analyze what's working and suggest the perfect idea for your next video.

• 📤 One-Click Uploads: Give Claude the path to your generated video and thumbnail, and it will upload them to YouTube with the exact title, description, tags, and privacy settings you want.

• 📊 Deep Analytics & Strategy: Ask Claude to fetch your channel's analytics. It will analyze your top-performing videos, viewer demographics, and CTR, then tell you exactly what to do differently next time.

• 📂 Playlist & Comment Management: Tell Claude to create new playlists, organize your videos, or reply to comments automatically.

Related MCP server: YouTube MCP Server

🚀 Step-by-Step Installation Guide (No Coding Experience Needed)

Step 1: Download & Extract the Connector

1. Click the green "Code" button at the top of this GitHub page and select "Download ZIP".

2. Go to your Downloads folder. Right-click the downloaded ZIP file and select "Extract All...".

3. Extract it to a simple location, like C:\youtube-connector. (Do not put it in a deep folder).

Step 2: Install Node.js (Required to run the tool)

1. Go to nodejs.org and download the LTS version.

2. Run the installer and keep clicking "Next" until it's installed.

3. To check if it worked, press Win + R, type cmd, and press Enter. In the black window, type node -v and press Enter. You should see a version number (e.g., v20.11.0).

Step 3: Go to Google Cloud Console & Create a Project

This is 100% free and requires no credit card.

1. Go to the Google Cloud Console and sign in with your YouTube account.

2. At the top left, click the project dropdown and click "New Project".

3. Name it (e.g., "YouTube Connector") and click Create. Make sure it is selected in the top dropdown.

Step 4: Enable the 3 Required APIs

1. In the top search bar, search "YouTube Data API v3". Click it and click Enable.

2. Search "YouTube Analytics API". Click it and click Enable.

3. Search "YouTube Reporting API". Click it and click Enable.

Step 5: Configure OAuth Consent Screen

1. On the left sidebar, click "APIs & Services" > "OAuth consent screen".

2. Select "External" and click Create.

3. Fill in the App name, User support email, and Developer email. Click Save and Continue.

4. On the "Scopes" screen, just click Save and Continue.

5. On the "Test Users" screen, click "+ ADD USERS". Type your own Gmail address and click Save and Continue.

Step 6: Get Your API Keys (Client ID & Secret)

1. On the left sidebar, click "APIs & Services" > "Credentials".

2. Click "+ CREATE CREDENTIALS" and select "OAuth client ID".

3. Application type: Select "Web application".

4. Name: Type "Claude Connector".

5. Scroll down to "Authorized redirect URIs", click "+ ADD URI", and paste exactly: http://127.0.0.1:51779/callback

6. Click Create. A window will pop up with your Client ID and Client Secret. Copy these two codes and save them in Notepad. (You will need them in the next step).

Step 7: Setup the Connector Files on Your PC

7.1 Add your Keys:

1. Open the folder you extracted in Step 1 (C:\youtube-connector).

2. Find the file client-secrets.example.json. Right-click it and select Rename. Change the name to client-secrets.json.

3. Right-click client-secrets.json and select Open with > Notepad.

4. Replace "YOUR_GOOGLE_CLIENT_ID_HERE" with the Client ID you copied in Step 6.

5. Replace "YOUR_GOOGLE_CLIENT_SECRET_HERE" with the Client Secret. Save the file and close Notepad.

7.2 Open PowerShell (The Easy Way):

1. Stay inside the C:\youtube-connector folder.

2. Click once on the address bar at the top (where it says C:\youtube-connector).

3. Type the word powershell and press Enter. A blue command window will open.

7.3 Run the Setup Commands (Step-by-Step): Note: To paste a command into PowerShell, just Right-Click anywhere inside the blue window.

Command 1: Fix Windows Security Error Copy the command below, Right-Click in PowerShell to paste, and press Enter:

Set-ExecutionPolicy -Scope Process -ExecutionPolicy Bypass