ScribeShot
Turn any YouTube video into structured notes and screenshots
Stop rewatching lectures. ScribeShot builds YouTube notes a summary tool cannot — it captures YouTube screenshots as you watch and files each under the right timestamp, as plain Markdown on your Mac.
Try 3 videos free • Signed & notarized for macOS 13+ • No credit card required • No account sign-up
How it works in 3 simple steps
Get structured, searchable YouTube notes — summary, chapters and screenshots — in minutes directly on your Mac.
Paste YouTube Link
Paste any YouTube URL. ScribeShot instantly downloads the transcript.
Auto AI Generation
AI writes the YouTube summary, then outlines chapters and notes.
Capture YouTube Screenshots
Snap YouTube screenshots as you watch; each one lands under the right timestamp.
One workspace for all your video learning workflows
Explore the ScribeShot application interface and see how it works in practice.
See ScribeShot in Action
Watch how ScribeShot turns long YouTube videos into structured Markdown notes, timestamped screenshots, and interactive mind maps.
See the notes, not just the feature list
These are real notes generated from public YouTube videos, edited into useful references with timestamps, summaries, mind maps and screenshots when they were captured.
AI Agents Explained
Chatbots vs. agents, the agent loop, tools, multi-agent systems and three captured video frames.
Read the notes →Onboarding Flow Best Practices
Patterns for reaching value faster, personalizing with purpose and making longer flows feel progressive.
Read the notes →Evidence-Based Study Tips
Why retrieval practice outperforms passive review and practical ways to make revision more active.
Read the notes →Organize a Knowledge Base with AI
A Heptabase workflow where an AI agent files sources and evolves the structure as the collection grows.
Read the notes →A local-first tool built for focused learning
Why I built ScribeShot
I learn a lot from YouTube, and I wanted a fast way to take notes with screenshots — then review them later, or just chat with the video to ask something specific.
So I built ScribeShot. It runs on a local Gemma 4 model — one download, no API key, no account, no running cost — and everything stays on your computer. If something breaks or you want a feature, message me; you'll be talking to the person who wrote the code.
Privacy-first, zero ScribeShot servers
In local AI mode, data never leaves your Mac. In OpenAI mode, your Mac connects directly to OpenAI with your key — zero ScribeShot servers, zero accounts.
Pay once, own it forever
One purchase, no subscription. Run local models and your total cost is the licence — nothing per video.
Built and supported by one person
Independently made and actively developed — your bug reports and requests go straight to the developer.
No account, no lock‑in, no expiry date.
Your YouTube AI notes and screenshots are written as ordinary Markdown and image files in a folder you choose. Open them in Obsidian or any editor, back them up with whatever you already use, and keep reading them even if you never update ScribeShot again.
See it in practice: getting started, YouTube lecture notes, talks and coding tutorials, notes when focus is hard, how it compares with NotebookLM, or running the model offline on your Mac.
Frequently asked questions
Can ScribeShot summarise a YouTube video?
Yes. Paste a link and ScribeShot writes a YouTube summary, then keeps going: chapters anchored to real timestamps, a mind map, and structured notes you can add your own YouTube screenshots to. The summary is the starting point, not the whole product.
How is this different from a free YouTube summary tool?
Most YouTube summary tools only read the transcript, so anything shown on screen but never said out loud — a slide, a diagram, a line of code — is lost. ScribeShot lets you capture YouTube screenshots while you watch, files each under the matching timestamp, and reads the text inside them when you chat with the video. It also runs offline on your Mac and costs one payment rather than a monthly subscription.
Can ScribeShot run fully offline?
Yes. ScribeShot has a built-in Local LLM engine that runs Gemma 4 E2B or E4B directly on your Mac's CPU/GPU. You pick a model once, ScribeShot downloads it, and after that no data leaves your machine.
Do I need an OpenAI API key?
It is optional! You can plug in your own OpenAI API key for maximum quality and speed, or use ScribeShot's built-in Local LLM runner to generate notes fully offline.
Is my OpenAI API key stored on a server?
No. ScribeShot is a local-first application. Your OpenAI API key is encrypted and stored safely inside your machine's secure system keychain.
Do I need a subscription?
No. It’s a one-time purchase with a lifetime license. You own the software forever.
How do YouTube screenshots auto-embed into notes?
Click 📸 while watching to snap a slide or a block of code. ScribeShot's AI vision reads the screen content and auto-embeds that YouTube screenshot under the corresponding timestamp in your notes.
How does the video chat work?
You can chat interactively with any video. ScribeShot indexes long video transcripts and uses smart keyword retrieval to feed relevant context to your local LLM or OpenAI.
What exactly do I get in the free trial?
You can process 3 videos in total and capture up to 3 screenshots per video, with local storage and playback included. AI chat, mind maps, and AI Video Highlights are unlocked with the Pro license.
Is there a Windows version?
Not yet. ScribeShot currently runs on macOS only, and Windows support is in progress. If you want to be told when it lands, join the support community linked in the footer.
Simple pricing, pay once
Free Trial
ScribeShot Pro
Pay once ($29) • Own your notes forever as plain Markdown • 100% offline on Mac • Zero AI cost with local LLM