What is yt-dlp?

GitHub link.

yt-dlp is a fast, powerful tool for downloading YouTube videos, playlists, and more. It’s forked from youtube-dl, continuously updated with better performance and new features.

Why yt-dlp?

• Faster than alternatives
• Maintains original quality
• Supports metadata & thumbnail embedding
• Handles playlists and age-restricted content

Installing yt-dlp

NOTE: If the installation method not listed, check out the official installation guide: link

Homebrew

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1brew install yt-dlp

Python pip, nightly version

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1python3 -m pip install -U --pre "yt-dlp[default]"

Standalone Binary

1. Download the executable from releases.
2. Place it in your system's PATH.

Check the version:

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1yt-dlp --version

Basic Usage

Download a single video:

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1yt-dlp "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VIDEO_ID"

Format Selection

Choose custom formats:

NOTE: This is just the flag, not the whole command!

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1-f "bv*[ext=mp4]+ba[ext=m4a]/b[ext=mp4]"

This selects the best video MP4 and audio M4A, and merges them into a single MP4 file.

Using Cookies for Age-Restricted Content

Export cookies from your browser using browser tools or an extension like EditThisCookie. Save them to your desired path, for me it's ~/Downloads/cookies.txt and use:

NOTE: This is just the flag, not the whole command!

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1--cookies <pathname>

Embedding Metadata & Thumbnails

Embed metadata and thumbnails for richer downloads:

NOTE: This is just the flag, not the whole command!

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1--embed-metadata --embed-thumbnail

Downloading Playlists

Download an entire playlist with:

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1yt-dlp --embed-metadata --embed-thumbnail \
2  --cookies ~/Downloads/cookies.txt \
3  -f "bv*[ext=mp4]+ba[ext=m4a]/b[ext=mp4]" \
4  "<playlist_link>"

This command downloads all playlist videos at once.

Customising Output Names

Customise file names:

NOTE: This is just the flag, not the whole command!

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1-o "%(playlist_index)s - %(title)s.%(ext)s"

Use placeholders like %(playlist_index)s for organised file names.

Resuming Downloads

If a download fails, run the command again—yt-dlp will resume automatically.

Add verbosity for troubleshooting:

NOTE: This is just the flag, not the whole command!

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1--verbose

Legal & Ethical Considerations

I hereby recommend only downloading videos you own or have permission to download. Remember to respect the platform Terms of Service. Respect copyright law in your jurisdiction.

Conclusion

yt‑dlp is a flexible, powerful solution for anyone needing downloads from YouTube or supported sites. With format selection, metadata embedding, and playlist support, it fits both casual and advanced workflows. Especially for homelabbers like me 😏.