Live Stream Downloader & Recorder yt-dlp

Record live streams via yt-dlp directly in your browser. No software install. Save YouTube Live, Kick, and Twitch streams directly to MP4.

Use this service only for content that you own or are authorized to access and process. By submitting, you agree to the Terms of Service.

Works with: YouTube Live · Kick · Twitch · and more

Choose recording mode

Paste a live URL above to unlock these recording configurations

From now

Start capturing from the current moment.

Record next:

Full stream

Record from the broadcast start to end.

Only available while the stream is live.

Time range

Capture a specific segment by time.

→

Quality:

Include live chat replay (.srt + .json)

Auto-extract highlights with AI

Email me when recording finishes

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Record from now

Start capturing immediately — set a duration or record until the stream ends.

Rewind Live Streams

Use yt-dlp's --live-from-start to capture the entire broadcast from the start, even if you joined late.

Capture time range

Grab only the highlights you care about by specifying start and end times.

Download chat replay

Save the live chat alongside the video as .srt / .json using yt-dlp's subtitle tools — great for clippers.

How to record a live stream in 3 steps

Detect Stream Status: Paste a Twitch, Kick, or YouTube Live URL. Our yt-dlp backend instantly queries the broadcast metadata to determine if it is currently live, upcoming, or already ended.
Select Capture Mode: Choose "From now" to record in real time, "Full stream" to catch the complete broadcast, or "Time range" to clip specific highlights.
Record Server-Side: Hit record and let our servers do the heavy lifting. The stream is intercepted and saved continuously at source quality. Once stopped, you receive a direct MP4 download link.

The Ultimate yt-dlp Live Stream Recorder

Capturing live broadcasts usually means running OBS, keeping your PC on for hours, and dealing with massive temp files. This tool runs yt-dlp recording commands on remote servers so you don't have to.

You get the original source-quality feed directly from the streaming platform (Twitch, Kick, YouTube Live, etc.) without re-encoding. The server-side recorder handles network hiccups, auto-retries dropped connections, and avoids the frame drops common with local screen capture.

Last Updated: August 2026

yt-dlp Live Stream Recording CLI Commands

From basic compatibilities to expert-level reconnection and fragment slicing configs, here are copy-ready command examples:

1. Best Compatibility: Record to 1080p MP4

Forces download up to 1080p resolution and automatically merges video and audio streams into a compatible MP4 container.

yt-dlp -f "bestvideo[height<=1080]+bestaudio/best" --merge-output-format mp4 "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=live_id"

2. Save Live Chat Replay alongside Video

Extracts and downloads all real-time chat logs and super chats, outputting them as standard .srt and .json subtitle files.

yt-dlp --write-subs --sub-langs "live_chat" --live-from-start "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=live_id"

3. Idle Wait & Endless Reconnect (For Upcoming & Flaky Streams)

Automatically polls the link until the stream goes live, then starts capturing. If the streamer disconnects or experiences network hiccups, it auto-retries and resumes without aborting.

yt-dlp --wait-for-video 600 --live-from-start --retry-streams 10 --fragment-retries infinite "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=upcoming_id"

4. Frame-Accurate Time Range Extraction

Downloads only a specific timeframe segment. The keyframe flag prevents audio/video synchronization delays and black screens at the cut point.

yt-dlp --download-sections "*01:30:00-02:00:00" --force-keyframes-at-cuts "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=live_id"

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I record a live stream that is currently broadcasting?

Yes. Paste the live URL and we instantly detect the stream status — live, upcoming, or ended. You can record from now, rewind to the broadcast start with Full stream mode, or capture a specific time range.

How long can I record for free?

Users can record up to 30 minutes once per day for free. Create a free account to record up to 2 hours, 3 times per day.

Can I record a live stream from the very beginning?

Yes. Choose "Full Stream" mode and yt-dlp's --live-from-start will backtrack and capture the full broadcast, regardless of how long it has been running.

Why use this instead of OBS or screen recording?

OBS records from your screen — quality is limited by your display, it requires install and configuration, and it uses your CPU. Our tool captures the stream server-side at source quality with zero overhead on your device. No install needed.

Can I download the live chat along with the video?

Yes. Enable Include live chat replay to save .srt and .json files alongside the video. All messages and super chats from your recording window are captured — great for clippers and archivists.

What platforms are supported?

YouTube Live, Twitch, Kick, AfreecaTV, and any other live streaming platform supported by yt-dlp — the engine that powers this tool.

Is it legal to record live streams?

Record only streams you have the right to record — your own broadcasts, Creative Commons licensed content, or streams where the broadcaster has granted permission.

Need advanced yt-dlp options? Try the yt-dlp online console →

Streaming on Twitch? Try our Twitch Downloader →

Looking to download a full playlist? Try our Playlist Downloader →

YTDLP Web is an independent tool and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by YouTube, Twitch, Kick, or any streaming platform.