Picture this: You're a content creator studying video editing techniques from your favorite YouTubers. You've found the perfect tutorial series, but you're heading to a remote location with spotty internet for the next month. Or maybe you're a researcher archiving educational content for offline reference. Perhaps you're simply tired of buffering issues during your commute.
Enter yt-dlp—the Swiss Army knife of video downloading. Born as a more actively maintained fork of the legendary youtube-dl, yt-dlp has become the go-to tool for anyone who needs reliable, feature-rich video downloading capabilities. It's not just about YouTube anymore; yt-dlp supports over 1,000 websites, making it the ultimate digital archiving companion.
This isn't about piracy—it's about taking control of your digital media consumption, creating offline archives for legitimate use, and ensuring you have access to content when you need it most.
Why yt-dlp?
The Power User's Choice
Unlike browser extensions or sketchy online converters, yt-dlp offers: - Complete control over video quality, format, and metadata - Batch downloading for entire playlists and channels - Active development with frequent updates and bug fixes - Privacy-focused with no tracking or data collection - Cross-platform support (Windows, macOS, Linux, Android via Termux) - Powerful filtering and automation capabilities - Support for premium content (with your own credentials)
Installation
Linux/macOS
The easiest method using pip:
pip install yt-dlp
Or using your package manager:
# Ubuntu/Debian
sudo apt install yt-dlp
# Arch Linux
sudo pacman -S yt-dlp
# macOS (Homebrew)
brew install yt-dlp
Windows
Download the executable from the official GitHub releases:
# Using winget
winget install yt-dlp
# Or download directly
# Visit: https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/releases
Android (Termux)
pkg install python
pip install yt-dlp
Verify Installation
yt-dlp --version
Getting Started: Basic Usage
Your First Download
The simplest command—just paste the URL:
yt-dlp https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VIDEO_ID
This downloads the best quality video available by default.
Choosing Video Quality
Download best quality:
yt-dlp -f bestvideo+bestaudio https://youtube.com/watch?v=VIDEO_ID
Download specific resolution:
# 1080p
yt-dlp -f "bestvideo[height<=1080]+bestaudio/best[height<=1080]" URL
# 720p
yt-dlp -f "bestvideo[height<=720]+bestaudio/best[height<=720]" URL
# 4K
yt-dlp -f "bestvideo[height<=2160]+bestaudio/best[height<=2160]" URL
List available formats:
yt-dlp -F URL
This shows all available formats with their IDs, resolutions, and codecs.
Audio-Only Downloads
Extract best audio:
yt-dlp -x --audio-format mp3 URL
Specific audio quality:
yt-dlp -x --audio-format mp3 --audio-quality 0 URL
(0 is best, 9 is worst)
Advanced Techniques
Downloading Entire Playlists
Download complete playlist:
yt-dlp https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLAYLIST_ID
Download playlist in reverse order:
yt-dlp --playlist-reverse URL
Download specific items from playlist:
# Items 1 to 10
yt-dlp --playlist-items 1-10 URL
# Items 5, 10, 15
yt-dlp --playlist-items 5,10,15 URL
# From item 20 onwards
yt-dlp --playlist-items 20- URL
Downloading Entire Channels
Download all videos from a channel:
yt-dlp https://www.youtube.com/@ChannelName/videos
Download only recent uploads:
yt-dlp --dateafter 20240101 https://www.youtube.com/@ChannelName/videos
Smart Filtering
Download videos by date range:
yt-dlp --dateafter 20240101 --datebefore 20241231 URL
Filter by duration:
# Only videos shorter than 10 minutes
yt-dlp --match-filter "duration < 600" URL
# Only videos longer than 30 minutes
yt-dlp --match-filter "duration > 1800" URL
Filter by views:
# Only videos with more than 1M views
yt-dlp --match-filter "view_count > 1000000" URL
Output Organization
Custom filename template:
yt-dlp -o "%(title)s-%(id)s.%(ext)s" URL
Organize by uploader:
yt-dlp -o "%(uploader)s/%(title)s.%(ext)s" URL
Organize by date:
yt-dlp -o "%(upload_date)s-%(title)s.%(ext)s" URL
Complex organization:
yt-dlp -o "%(uploader)s/%(playlist)s/%(playlist_index)s-%(title)s.%(ext)s" URL
Subtitle Management
Download with subtitles:
yt-dlp --write-sub --sub-lang en URL
Auto-generated subtitles:
yt-dlp --write-auto-sub --sub-lang en URL
Download all available subtitles:
yt-dlp --write-sub --all-subs URL
Embed subtitles in video:
yt-dlp --embed-subs --sub-lang en URL
Real-World Scenarios
Scenario 1: The Student's Archive
You're taking an online course and want offline access:
yt-dlp \
-f "bestvideo[height<=720]+bestaudio" \
--write-sub --sub-lang en \
--embed-subs \
-o "Course Materials/%(playlist_index)s - %(title)s.%(ext)s" \
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=COURSE_PLAYLIST_ID
This downloads 720p videos with embedded subtitles, organized by lesson number.
Scenario 2: The Music Collector
Building an offline music library:
yt-dlp \
-x --audio-format mp3 \
--audio-quality 0 \
--embed-thumbnail \
--add-metadata \
-o "Music/%(artist)s/%(album)s/%(track_number)s - %(title)s.%(ext)s" \
URL
Extracts high-quality audio with thumbnails and metadata.
Scenario 3: The Content Creator
Downloading reference material for video editing:
yt-dlp \
-f "bestvideo[ext=mp4]+bestaudio[ext=m4a]/best[ext=mp4]" \
--merge-output-format mp4 \
--write-thumbnail \
-o "References/%(uploader)s - %(title)s.%(ext)s" \
URL
Ensures MP4 format for compatibility with editing software.
Scenario 4: The Archivist
Preserving educational content:
yt-dlp \
--download-archive downloaded.txt \
--write-description \
--write-info-json \
--write-thumbnail \
--all-subs \
-o "Archive/%(upload_date)s/%(title)s [%(id)s].%(ext)s" \
https://www.youtube.com/@EducationalChannel/videos
Creates a comprehensive archive with all metadata and prevents re-downloading.
Power User Features
Using Configuration Files
Create a config file at ~/.config/yt-dlp/config
(Linux/macOS) or %APPDATA%/yt-dlp/config.txt
(Windows):
# Default video quality
-f bestvideo[height<=1080]+bestaudio/best
# Output template
-o ~/Videos/%(uploader)s/%(title)s.%(ext)s
# Always write subtitles
--write-sub
--sub-lang en
# Archive to avoid re-downloads
--download-archive ~/Videos/archive.txt
# Rate limiting to be respectful
--limit-rate 5M
Now just run:
yt-dlp URL
Batch Downloads from File
Create a text file with URLs (one per line):
https://youtube.com/watch?v=VIDEO1
https://youtube.com/watch?v=VIDEO2
https://youtube.com/watch?v=VIDEO3
Download all:
yt-dlp -a urls.txt
Using Cookies for Premium Content
Export cookies from your browser (using a browser extension) and use them:
yt-dlp --cookies cookies.txt URL
This allows downloading member-only or age-restricted content you have access to.
Sponsorblock Integration
Skip sponsored segments automatically:
yt-dlp --sponsorblock-remove all URL
Live Stream Recording
Record ongoing live stream:
yt-dlp --live-from-start LIVE_STREAM_URL
Wait for scheduled live stream:
yt-dlp --wait-for-video 300 SCHEDULED_STREAM_URL
Automation Scripts
Daily Channel Monitor (Python)
#!/usr/bin/env python3
import subprocess
from datetime import datetime, timedelta
def download_recent_videos(channel_url, days=7):
"""Download videos from the last N days"""
date_after = (datetime.now() - timedelta(days=days)).strftime("%Y%m%d")
command = [
'yt-dlp',
'--dateafter', date_after,
'--download-archive', 'downloaded.txt',
'-o', '%(uploader)s/%(upload_date)s - %(title)s.%(ext)s',
channel_url
]
subprocess.run(command)
# Usage
channels = [
'https://www.youtube.com/@Channel1/videos',
'https://www.youtube.com/@Channel2/videos',
]
for channel in channels:
download_recent_videos(channel, days=7)
Cron Job for Automatic Downloads
Add to crontab (crontab -e
):
# Download new videos from favorite channels daily at 2 AM
0 2 * * * /usr/local/bin/yt-dlp --download-archive ~/archive.txt -o "~/Videos/%(uploader)s/%(title)s.%(ext)s" -a ~/channels.txt
Bash Script for Selective Downloads
#!/bin/bash
# Interactive download script
echo "Enter video URL:"
read URL
echo "Select quality:"
echo "1) Best quality"
echo "2) 1080p"
echo "3) 720p"
echo "4) Audio only (MP3)"
read CHOICE
case $CHOICE in
1)
yt-dlp -f bestvideo+bestaudio "$URL"
;;
2)
yt-dlp -f "bestvideo[height<=1080]+bestaudio" "$URL"
;;
3)
yt-dlp -f "bestvideo[height<=720]+bestaudio" "$URL"
;;
4)
yt-dlp -x --audio-format mp3 "$URL"
;;
*)
echo "Invalid choice"
;;
esac
Tips and Best Practices
1. Be Respectful with Rate Limiting
yt-dlp --limit-rate 5M URL
This prevents overwhelming servers.
2. Use Archive Files
yt-dlp --download-archive archive.txt URL
Prevents re-downloading videos you already have.
3. Keep yt-dlp Updated
YouTube frequently changes their site, breaking downloaders:
pip install --upgrade yt-dlp
Or use the built-in updater:
yt-dlp -U
4. Verify Downloads
yt-dlp --no-overwrites --continue URL
Resumes interrupted downloads and skips completed ones.
5. Handle Geo-Restrictions
yt-dlp --geo-bypass URL
Or use a proxy:
yt-dlp --proxy socks5://127.0.0.1:9050 URL
6. Extract Metadata
yt-dlp --write-info-json --write-description --write-thumbnail URL
Saves complete metadata for archival purposes.
Troubleshooting
Common Issues
"Unable to extract video data"
- Solution: Update yt-dlp with yt-dlp -U
"HTTP Error 429: Too Many Requests"
- Solution: Add rate limiting: --limit-rate 5M
"Requested format not available"
- Solution: List formats with -F
and choose an available one
"Video unavailable" - Solution: Check if video is private, deleted, or geo-restricted
Slow downloads
- Solution: Use --concurrent-fragments 4
for faster downloads
Debug Mode
For troubleshooting:
yt-dlp --verbose URL
Legal and Ethical Considerations
Important Reminders
- Respect copyright: Download only content you have rights to or permission for
- Follow Terms of Service: Check platform terms before downloading
- Personal use: Keep downloads for personal, educational, or research purposes
- Attribution: Give credit to creators when using their content
- Support creators: Subscribe, like, and consider purchasing official content
Legitimate Use Cases
- Creating offline educational archives
- Research and academic analysis
- Accessibility (downloading with subtitles for hearing-impaired users)
- Archiving your own content
- Backing up purchased or licensed content
- Preserving content that may be removed
Beyond YouTube
yt-dlp supports 1000+ sites including:
# Vimeo
yt-dlp https://vimeo.com/VIDEO_ID
# Twitter/X
yt-dlp https://twitter.com/user/status/TWEET_ID
# TikTok
yt-dlp https://www.tiktok.com/@user/video/VIDEO_ID
# Instagram
yt-dlp https://www.instagram.com/p/POST_ID/
# Reddit
yt-dlp https://www.reddit.com/r/subreddit/comments/POST_ID/
# SoundCloud
yt-dlp https://soundcloud.com/user/track
Conclusion: Your Digital Freedom
yt-dlp represents more than just a download tool—it's about digital autonomy. In an age where content can disappear overnight, streaming services change their libraries, and internet access isn't always guaranteed, having control over your media consumption is valuable.
Whether you're a student building an offline study library, a creator gathering reference material, a researcher archiving content, or simply someone who values reliable offline access to media, yt-dlp is an essential tool in your digital toolkit.
The key is using it responsibly, respecting creators' rights, and understanding that with great power comes great responsibility. Download wisely, respect copyright, support creators, and enjoy the freedom of offline media access.
Happy downloading! 🎥
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