How to Download & Install yt-dlp

Step-by-step setup guide for Windows, macOS, and Linux.

yt-dlp is a powerful command-line media downloader (an actively maintained fork of youtube-dl) that allows you to download video and audio from thousands of websites. Since it runs in the terminal, it has no native graphical interface.

To download high-quality videos (1080p, 4K, etc.) or extract MP3 audio, you must install FFmpeg. Additionally, installing a JavaScript runtime like Deno is highly recommended to bypass YouTube's speed throttling and bot blocks. Below is the complete guide to set up these tools on your device.

Don't want to install software? You can run any command directly in our online console with zero configuration.

Method 1: WinGet (Recommended & Easiest)

Windows 10 (1809+) and Windows 11 include the Windows Package Manager (winget) by default. It manages installation, paths, and updates automatically.

  1. Open PowerShell or Command Prompt (CMD).
  2. Run the following command: 
    winget install yt-dlp
  3. Restart your terminal window to apply the environment changes.

Method 2: Scoop / Chocolatey

For power users using command-line package managers on Windows.

Scoop: 
scoop install yt-dlp
Chocolatey: 
choco install yt-dlp

Method 3: Direct Download (.exe)

Download the standalone executable binary directly.

  1. Download the latest binary:
    Download yt-dlp.exe
  2. Move the downloaded file to a folder like C:\yt-dlp\ and add it to your system PATH environment variable.

Method 1: Homebrew (Recommended)

Homebrew is the standard package manager for macOS. It resolves all dependencies, including Python and FFmpeg, automatically.

  1. Open the Terminal app.
  2. Install yt-dlp by running: 
    brew install yt-dlp

Method 2: MacPorts

Alternatively, you can install yt-dlp using MacPorts package manager.

sudo port install yt-dlp

Method 3: Direct Curl Installation

Download the compiled binary directly into your local execution path.

sudo curl -L 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

Method 1: pip (Recommended for Up-To-Date Version)

Using Python's pip manager ensures you get the absolute latest updates for video extractor scripts directly.

  1. Install or update yt-dlp using Python 3 pip: 
    python3 -m pip install -U yt-dlp

Method 2: Distribution Package Managers

Install yt-dlp via your Linux distribution package manager.

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

Method 3: Direct Download

Download the standalone Linux binary directly into your local executable binary path.

  1. Download and set permissions using wget/curl: 
    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

How to Install FFmpeg (Required for HD & MP3)

FFmpeg is an open-source media library that yt-dlp uses under the hood to merge separate high-definition video track (1080p, 4K) and audio track downloads, or to extract audio as MP3. Without FFmpeg, yt-dlp will only download 720p or lower quality streams with built-in audio.

Windows

Use winget to install FFmpeg in one command:

winget install Gyan.FFmpeg

Alternatively, download builds from Gyan.dev, unzip, and add the bin directory to your PATH environment variable.

macOS

If you use Homebrew, it installs automatically. Install manually with:

brew install ffmpeg
Linux

Install via your system package manager:

Debian / Ubuntu: 
sudo apt install ffmpeg
Arch Linux: 
sudo pacman -S ffmpeg

How to Install Deno (Recommended for YouTube)

Deno is a modern JavaScript runtime. yt-dlp uses Deno under the hood to execute YouTube's JavaScript-based signature decryption algorithms. Installing Deno helps bypass YouTube's download speed throttling and "n-challenge" bot detection blocks.

Windows

Use winget to install Deno in one command:

winget install DenoLand.Deno

Alternatively, use Scoop: scoop install deno

macOS

Install Deno via Homebrew:

brew install deno
Linux

Install Deno using the official shell script:

curl -fsSL https://deno.land/install.sh | sh

Ensure unzip and curl are installed before running this script.

Verify the Installation

Once installed, open your terminal (PowerShell, Command Prompt, or Terminal.app) and verify that everything is working by running the version check command.

1. Run Version Command

Execute the version query command in your terminal:

yt-dlp --version
2. Expected Output

If successfully installed, it will print a release date version number like:

2026.06.18

If you get "Command not found", make sure to restart your terminal or verify that the folder containing yt-dlp is correctly added to your system environment PATH.

How to Update yt-dlp

YouTube and other video platforms update their streaming protocols frequently, which can cause older versions of yt-dlp to stop working. Keep your local installation up to date to resolve extraction errors automatically.

Method A: Standalone Binary Update

If you downloaded the binary directly or installed via pip, run the built-in update command in your terminal:

yt-dlp -U
Method B: Package Manager Update

Windows (winget): winget upgrade yt-dlp

macOS (Homebrew): brew upgrade yt-dlp

Python (pip): python3 -m pip install --upgrade yt-dlp

Quick Start Commands

Get started with these basic commands in your terminal:

Goal Command Actions
Download Video (Best Quality) yt-dlp "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oHg5SJYRHA0"
Extract MP3 Audio yt-dlp -x --audio-format mp3 "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oHg5SJYRHA0"
Pro Tip: Need more advanced commands for subtitle extraction, format filtering, batch downloading, or bypassing bot blocks? Check out our full yt-dlp Cheatsheet →
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