YouTube MCP Server: Upload Videos and Shorts From Claude

A YouTube MCP server lets Claude, ChatGPT, Claude Code or Cursor upload to your channel. Not just read transcripts, which is what most YouTube MCP projects do, but actually publish: long-form videos and Shorts, with the title, visibility, category, playlist, cover and a pinned first comment. Creator OS hosts one, so you connect your channel once and then just ask.

  "Upload episode-14.mp4 as unlisted, add to my Podcast
   playlist, pin a comment with the show notes link"
        |
        v
  +-----------+   MCP   +-----------------------+
  |  Claude   | ------> |  mcp.creatoros.ca/mcp |
  +-----------+         +-----------------------+
                                   |
                  resumable upload . metadata . playlist
                                   |
                     +-------------+-------------+
                     v                           v
               YouTube video              pinned first
               (or a Short)               comment

Read-only YouTube MCPs vs one that uploads

Search GitHub for “YouTube MCP” and most results fetch transcripts or search videos. That is useful for research, but it doesn’t run a channel. Uploading needs OAuth with the YouTube Data API, a resumable upload for large files, quota management, and metadata rules (100-character titles, the made-for-kids flag, category ids). Creator OS does the upload side on its servers, and the MCP server exposes it as plain tools your AI can call.

What you can do

• Upload long-form videos and Shorts. A vertical video under the Shorts length becomes a Short.
• Set metadata: title (up to 100 characters, defaults to the first line of your description), visibility (public, private or unlisted), categoryId (for example 27 Education or 28 Science & Technology).
• Add to a playlist with playlistId right after the upload.
• Pin a first comment with firstComment, up to 10,000 characters. It is posted and pinned as soon as the video goes live, which makes it the best place for links and timestamps.
• Set a custom thumbnail on long-form uploads with a cover image.
• Disclose correctly: madeForKids and containsSyntheticMedia.
• Schedule uploads for later. Creator OS publishes at the time you set.
• Edit the text of a live video and reply to comments.
• Read analytics: views per video, daily totals and subscriber counts.

Connect YouTube to Claude in 3 steps

1. Sign up for Creator OS and connect your YouTube channel.
2. In Claude: Settings, Connectors, Add custom connector, and paste https://mcp.creatoros.ca/mcp.
3. Sign in, pick the workspace, and choose read & write.

Claude Code users add it with an API key:

claude mcp add --transport http creatoros https://mcp.creatoros.ca/mcp \
  --header "Authorization: Bearer cos_live_..."

Prompts that save real time

• “Upload ~/Exports/tutorial.mp4. Title: How I Automated My Socials With Claude. Category Education. Public tomorrow at 10am.”
• “Write a description with chapters from this transcript, then pin a comment with the three links I mention.”
• “Upload these 5 vertical clips as Shorts, one a day at noon starting Monday.”
• “Add every video from this week to the Tutorials playlist.”
• “Which of my videos from the last 90 days had the most views in their first 48 hours?”
• “Reply to the comments on my latest video that ask a question.”

Things YouTube is strict about

Made for kids

Marking a video as made for kids permanently turns off comments, the notification bell, end screens and cards on it. Creator OS sends madeForKids: false unless you say otherwise, because YouTube may limit videos that never set the flag.

Quota

The YouTube Data API charges a large quota cost per upload. Building your own integration means applying for more quota once you post daily. Creator OS carries that for you.

Shorts covers

YouTube doesn’t accept custom thumbnails for Shorts through the API. Pick a strong first frame instead.

Run several channels

If you run a channel network, each workspace can hold a channel, and the same MCP server switches between them. See managing 5 or 10 YouTube channels from one account. YouTube networks start at $19.99/month for 5 channels.

FAQ

Does this work for YouTube Shorts?

Yes. Post a vertical video and it publishes as a Short. You can send the same file to TikTok and Instagram Reels in the same call, see cross-posting short video.

Can it read transcripts?

Creator OS focuses on running your own channel: uploads, comments and analytics. Pair it with a transcript tool if you research other channels.

Where are the API docs?

The YouTube API reference and post options list every field.

Prefer to watch? The KevBuildsApps YouTube channel walks through builds like this one, start to finish.

Get started

Plans start at $19.99/month with the MCP server, the API and the CLI. Create your account, connect YouTube, and upload your next video by asking.