Codex CLI + MagicSlides MCP

Turn a YouTube video into a PPT with Codex CLI

Codex CLI runs shell commands, so it can fetch a talk's captions with yt-dlp and work from the real transcript. With the MagicSlides MCP added, a reading-group deck comes back as a present link and PPTX.

Set it up See the example

Set up MagicSlides in Codex CLI (one time)

Two commands: add the server, then log in.

Terminal

codex mcp add magicslides --url https://www.magicslides.app/api/mcp/mcp
codex mcp login magicslides

~/.codex/config.toml (same thing, by hand)

[mcp_servers.magicslides]
url = "https://www.magicslides.app/api/mcp/mcp"

1.Run codex mcp add, then codex mcp login and approve in the browser.
2.Start codex (or use codex exec "…" for one-off runs).
3.Ask for a deck. Codex calls MagicSlides and prints the present link.

Codex CLI MCP docs All MagicSlides MCP options

Example: what you type in Codex CLI

You

codex exec "Fetch the English captions for https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SxdOUGdseq4 with yt-dlp, read the transcript, and make a 6-slide lesson on Simple Made Easy for our engineering reading group."

Source used: "Simple Made Easy" - Rich Hickey (2011), Strange Loop Conference (1:01:38)

Codex CLI

Ran yt-dlp --skip-download --write-subs --sub-langs en --sub-format vtt
Read the 10,300-word transcript and pulled the definitions and the complexity vs simplicity toolkit
Called get_template_schema (lesson-101, 6 slides)
Wrote the slot copy and called create_presentation_from_slots with stock images

Created a 6-slide lesson: simple vs easy from their word roots, the meaning of complect, guard rail programming, and Hickey's swaps such as values for state and queues for actors. Present link and PPTX are in the result.

Simple Made Easy: Rich Hickey, Strange Loop 2011, first slide

Simple Made Easy: Rich Hickey, Strange Loop 2011, slide 2

Simple Made Easy: Rich Hickey, Strange Loop 2011, slide 3

Simple Made Easy: Rich Hickey, Strange Loop 2011, slide 4

Simple Made Easy: Rich Hickey, Strange Loop 2011 · 6 slides

Present PPTX PDF

This is the real output from that prompt, made with the MagicSlides MCP. Open it to click through or download it.

How it works

1.Run codex mcp add magicslides --url https://www.magicslides.app/api/mcp/mcp.
2.Run codex mcp login magicslides to log in.
3.Ask Codex to fetch the video's captions with yt-dlp and build the deck, or use codex exec for a one-shot run.
4.Open the present link or download the PPTX from the reply.

Tool used: create_presentation_from_slots. Prefer a web app? YouTube to PPT does the same without an agent.

FAQ

Can Codex fetch YouTube captions itself?

Yes. Codex CLI runs shell commands, so it can call yt-dlp to download the caption file without the video.

Can I run it without the interactive UI?

Yes. Put the request in codex exec "<prompt>" for a non-interactive run.

How do I log in to MagicSlides?

Run codex mcp login magicslides after adding the server. Login is OAuth, there is no API key.

Does it cost AI credits?

No. Codex writes the slide copy, and the bring-your-own-content path costs 0 MagicSlides AI credits.

More with Codex CLI

Make a PowerPoint with CodexA designed deck on any topic, with PPTX and PDF download.Make a pitch deck with CodexInvestor or sales decks with problem, solution and the ask.Turn a web page into a PPT with CodexAny article, doc page or changelog turned into slides.Turn a spreadsheet into a PPT with CodexCSV or Excel data turned into slides with real numbers.Make a document with CodexReports, briefs and guides with a public share link.Make a spreadsheet with CodexTables and trackers you can open and edit.

YouTube to PPT in other agents

Claude Code

Gemini CLI

Connect MagicSlides to Codex CLI

One MCP server for decks, docs, sheets and reels. Log in with your MagicSlides account, no API key. Making a deck from your own copy uses no AI credits.

Copy the setup Or make one on MagicSlides

Everything MagicSlides can do in Codex CLI