The Best AI Recap Bot
for YouTube Live
CatchUp.help connects directly to your YouTube livestream via the YouTube Data API. It auto-detects when you go live, listens to your stream audio in real-time, and posts AI-generated summaries when viewers type !recap in chat. Post-stream chapters with timestamps are in development and will be available soon.
How It Works on YouTube
Connect with OAuth
One-click Google sign-in. We only need read access to your YouTube channel to detect live streams and read chat messages. No API keys to manage.
Auto-Detect & Listen
When you go live, CatchUp automatically starts capturing your stream audio. Speech is transcribed in real-time using Whisper AI or Deepgram, tracking everything you say.
Instant Recaps
Viewers type !recap and get an AI summary posted directly in your YouTube live chat. Post-stream chapters are in development and will let you export timestamped sections for your description.
YouTube-Specific Features
Auto-Stream Detection
No need to manually start or stop CatchUp. It polls the YouTube Data API and detects when your channel goes live or ends a broadcast.
Direct Chat Posting
CatchUp posts recap responses directly in your YouTube live chat using your bot account or through OAuth with posting permissions.
Post-Stream Chapters (Coming Soon)
CatchUp will analyze your full transcript after each stream and generate timestamped chapters you can paste into your YouTube description. Currently in development.
YouTube Super Chat Aware
CatchUp tracks the full audio transcript of your stream, ensuring recaps capture important moments that viewers might have missed while engaging with Super Chats.
Multi-Language Support
Speech recognition works in 30+ languages. Set your recap output language independently from your stream language.
VOD Support Planned
Future updates will add recap support for YouTube VODs, letting viewers catch up on recorded streams too.
YouTube Recap Bot FAQ
Does CatchUp work with YouTube Premieres?
Yes. CatchUp treats YouTube Premieres the same as live streams — it detects the premiere, captures audio, and generates recaps for viewers who join late.
Will CatchUp post in my chat automatically?
Yes, if you connect with a bot account that has chat posting permissions. Alternatively, you can use Nightbot mode where CatchUp provides the recap text via API and your existing bot posts it.
Does CatchUp affect my YouTube stream quality?
No. CatchUp pulls your public stream feed from our servers — it doesn't run on your computer, use your bandwidth, or interact with OBS in any way.
How fast are the recaps?
Typically under 10 seconds from when a viewer types !recap to when the summary appears in chat. The summary covers everything said since the stream started.
Can I customize the recap command?
Yes. On Creator and Pro plans, you can change !recap to any command you prefer — !summary, !catchup, !whathappened, or anything else.
What happens to my YouTube data?
CatchUp only processes audio from your public livestream and chat messages. We don't store full transcripts — only the summaries posted to chat and chapter data. Your Google credentials are encrypted.
Related Resources
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