With the YouTube URL import feature, you can easily bring in YouTube videos, YouTube Shorts, and YouTube Live recordings to Alphana to generate content. This guide will walk you through the process of importing and troubleshooting any issues.
How to import YouTube videos
Open create new project overlay
Click on the "Create New" button to start a new project.
Add YouTube or video
Click on the "Add YouTube or Video" button.
Select the "YouTube" tab and paste your YouTube link.
Click "Import."
Wait for import to complete
Do not close the page, close the upload overlay, or navigate away while the video is importing, or progress will be lost.
Once imported successfully, the button will turn green and say "Success," and the overlay will automatically dismiss. The thumbnail and title will appear under the Knowledge section of the Create Project overlay.
Generate content
After the video appears, select a template or AI card and click "Next."
Choose whether to edit the transcript or proceed directly to generating content.
Click "Generate."
Troubleshooting YouTube import issues
If the import button turns red and says "Try Again," wait a few seconds or a minute before attempting to import again. An error message will display at the bottom of the screen if it fails.
Common reasons for import failure
Age or geo-restrictions: The video may have age or geographic limitations.
Video privacy settings: Only public videos can be imported; restricted or private videos will not work.
Licensed partner videos: Some videos from licensed partners are blocked by YouTube for external downloads.
YouTube live: Recently live-streamed videos may need a few hours for processing before they can be imported.
Newly uploaded videos: Just-uploaded videos need to be fully processed by YouTube, which can take a few hours before they're available for import.
YouTube blocks: Occasionally, YouTube may block everyone from accessing the video. This might not show a specific error message, so please try again later.
If the same video keeps failing, try 2-3 other videos to see if they work. If all videos from different channels fail, contact us via the chat feature in the Alphana app and send us the link to the video for troubleshooting.
Important considerations
Use YouTube import at your own risk, ensuring you have the rights to use the content.
When sharing content generated from imported YouTube videos, we suggest linking back to the original source.
We do not support videos or audio without any spoken content (i.e., music-only or silent videos). Although these may successfully import, they will not be transcribed, and the project will fail.
FAQs
Can I turn a YouTube video into shorts?
Yes, you can turn a YouTube video into Shorts by selecting the "Short-Form Clips" AI card or using the "YouTube Content Workflow" to generate Shorts along with other types of content.
Can I get a transcript from a YouTube video?
Yes, you can get a transcript from a YouTube video. Simply follow the steps to create a project, and once it's created, you can access the transcript within the project.
Is YouTube live supported?
Yes, YouTube Live is supported. However, if the video has just ended, it may need a few hours for processing before it can be imported successfully.
Why might a YouTube video import fail?
Age or geo-restrictions
Video not public
Licensed content blocked by YouTube
YouTube live or newly uploaded videos: These videos might take a few hours to process after being uploaded.
YouTube blocking access: Sometimes, YouTube blocks access to certain videos for everyone.
What should I do if the import fails?
If your import fails, wait a few minutes and try again. If it continues to fail, test with 2-3 other videos. If all attempts fail, please contact us through our support chat and share the video link for assistance.
What happens if I close the page during import?
If you close the page, the upload overlay, or navigate away during the import process, you will lose all progress and need to start the import again.