YT-DLP: A Free App For Advanced YouTube Downloading

By • • How To Guides, Streaming

Quick Answer

  • yt-dlp is the best command-line tool for downloading YouTube videos and audio files.
  • You can download videos from over 1,000 sites. This includes YouTube, Vimeo, and SoundCloud.
  • Always pair yt-dlp with ffmpeg for the best experience and format conversion capabilities.

This guide shows how to install on Linux, macOS, and Windows.

Complete yt-dlp Guide: Setup and Essential Parameters for Beginners

Want to download YouTube videos for offline viewing? yt-dlp is your best friend.

This powerful command-line tool lets you:

  • Manage whole playlists
  • Grab videos
  • Extract audio

What Is yt-dlp?

yt-dlp is a free and open-source tool. It lets you download videos from YouTube and many other sites. It’s a newer version of the old youtube-dl tool. It has better features, faster updates, and more reliable downloads. Think of it as your personal video librarian.

Unlike sketchy browser extensions or ad-filled sites, yt-dlp values your privacy. It lets you fully control your downloads.

Installing yt-dlp: Step-by-Step for Every System

Windows Installation (Easiest Method)

Method 1: Simple Download

  1. Go to the yt-dlp GitHub releases page
  2. Download yt-dlp.exe (about 30MB)
  3. Create a folder like C:\ytdl and put the file there
  4. Open Command Prompt and navigate to that folder: cd C:\ytdl

Method 2: Using Package Managers
If you have Chocolatey or Scoop installed:

choco install yt-dlp

or

scoop install yt-dlp

Mac Installation

Using Homebrew (Recommended):

  1. Install Homebrew if you haven’t:
   /bin/bash -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/HEAD/install.sh)"
  1. Install yt-dlp:
   brew install yt-dlp
  1. Install ffmpeg for format conversion:
   brew install ffmpeg

Linux Installation

Using pip (Works on all distributions):

python3 -m pip install -U yt-dlp

Using package managers:

  • Ubuntu/Debian: sudo apt install yt-dlp
  • Fedora: sudo dnf install yt-dlp
  • Arch Linux: sudo pacman -S yt-dlp

Manual installation:

sudo wget https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/releases/latest/download/yt-dlp -O /usr/local/bin/yt-dlp
sudo chmod a+rx /usr/local/bin/yt-dlp

Essential yt-dlp Parameters You’ll Actually Use

Once installed, these parameters will handle 90% of your download needs:

Basic Downloads

# Download a video
yt-dlp "https://youtube.com/watch?v=VIDEO_ID"

# Download best quality available
yt-dlp -f "bestvideo+bestaudio" "URL"

Audio-Only Downloads

# Extract MP3 audio
yt-dlp -x --audio-format mp3 "URL"

# Best audio quality
yt-dlp -x --audio-format m4a --audio-quality 0 "URL"

Format and Quality Control

# List available formats first
yt-dlp -F "URL"

# Download specific format (replace 137 with desired format ID)
yt-dlp -f 137 "URL"

# Limit to 720p maximum
yt-dlp -f "bv*[height<=720]+ba" "URL"

File Organization

# Custom filename template
yt-dlp -o "%(title)s.%(ext)s" "URL"

# Save to specific folder
yt-dlp -o "~/Downloads/%(title)s.%(ext)s" "URL"

# Include upload date in filename
yt-dlp -o "%(upload_date>%Y-%m-%d)s - %(title)s.%(ext)s" "URL"

Playlist Management

# Download entire playlist
yt-dlp "https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLAYLIST_ID"

# Download specific videos from playlist
yt-dlp --playlist-items 1,3,5-10 "PLAYLIST_URL"

# Reverse playlist order
yt-dlp --playlist-reverse "PLAYLIST_URL"

Advanced Options

# Add subtitles
yt-dlp --write-subs --sub-langs en "URL"

# Download thumbnail
yt-dlp --write-thumbnail "URL"

# Limit download speed
yt-dlp -r 500K "URL"

# Use proxy for privacy
yt-dlp --proxy socks5://127.0.0.1:1080 "URL"

Pro Tips for Better Downloads

Set up a configuration file to avoid typing the same parameters repeatedly:

  • Windows: Create %APPDATA%\yt-dlp\config.txt
  • Mac/Linux: Create ~/.config/yt-dlp/config

Example config contents:

-f bestvideo+bestaudio
--write-thumbnail
--embed-metadata
-o ~/Downloads/%(title)s.%(ext)s

Always install ffmpeg alongside yt-dlp—it’s required for merging video and audio streams, format conversion, and many advanced features[2][3].

Keep it updated regularly:

  • Binary: yt-dlp -U
  • Pip: python3 -m pip install -U yt-dlp
  • Homebrew: brew upgrade yt-dlp

Privacy and Safety Considerations

  • Use a VPN like Proton or PIA when downloading content, especially on public networks
  • Only download content you’re legally allowed to access
  • Avoid third-party sites offering “modified” versions—stick to official sources

Troubleshooting Common Issues

  • “Command not found” errors: Check if yt-dlp is in your system’s PATH. If not, go to the folder with the executable.
  • Format merge failures: Install ffmpeg—it’s essential for combining video and audio streams.
  • Slow downloads: Use -r to limit speed if needed, or check if your internet connection is the bottleneck.
  • Playlist errors: Some playlists are private or region-locked. Try individual video URLs instead.

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