Installing yt-dlp opens up a world of video downloading possibilities from over 1,000 websites including YouTube, Vimeo, and countless others. Whether you’re on Linux, Windows, or macOS, this comprehensive step by step guide on how to install yt-dlp walks you through every installation method to get yt-dlp running on your system quickly and reliably.

yt-dlp can be installed either using official releases or through your favourite package manager, with standalone binaries available for all major operating systems. Let’s explore the best installation methods for your platform.

What is yt-dlp?

yt-dlp is a powerful tool for downloading videos and audio from various websites, supporting a wide range of video and audio formats, and can also download subtitles and metadata. It’s a fork of the popular youtube-dl project, offering enhanced features, faster updates, and better reliability.

The tool’s active development community ensures it stays compatible with constantly changing video platforms. Unlike sketchy browser extensions or ad-filled sites, yt-dlp values your privacy and lets you fully control your downloads.

Prerequisites: Installing FFmpeg

Before installing yt-dlp, you’ll need FFmpeg for video format conversion and merging video/audio streams. This is crucial for how to install yt-dlp on Linux Windows macOS properly.

Installing FFmpeg on Ubuntu/Debian:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install ffmpeg

I pefer this as then I don’t have to worry about updating or run additional commands.

Installing FFmpeg on Fedora:

sudo dnf install ffmpeg

Installing FFmpeg on macOS (with Homebrew):

brew install ffmpeg

Installing FFmpeg on Windows (with Chocolatey):

choco install ffmpeg

How to Install yt-dlp on Linux

Linux users have multiple installation options depending on their distribution and preference level. Here are the most reliable methods for how to install yt-dlp on Linux Windows macOS systems.

Method 1: Direct Binary Installation

For UNIX-like systems including Linux, macOS, and BSD, you can install the application into a location in your PATH, such as ~/.local/bin:

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

Alternatively, using curl:

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

Verify installation:

yt-dlp --version

Update yt-dlp:

sudo yt-dlp -U

Method 2: Ubuntu/Debian PPA Installation (Recommended)

For recent Ubuntu and other related Debian-based distributions, you can install yt-dlp by adding the official PPA repository:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:tomtomtom/yt-dlp
sudo apt update
sudo apt install yt-dlp

Update with system updates:

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade

I pefer this as then I don’t have to worry about updating or run additional commands.

Method 3: Python pip Installation

For users who prefer Python package management:

python3 -m pip install -U pip hatchling wheel
python3 -m pip install -U "yt-dlp[default]"

Update yt-dlp:

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

Method 4: Distribution-Specific Package Managers (Recommended)

Arch Linux:

sudo pacman -S yt-dlp

Fedora:

sudo dnf install yt-dlp

Alpine Linux:

sudo apk add yt-dlp

Note: Repository versions may lag behind the latest release. For bleeding-edge features, use the direct binary installation method.

How to Install yt-dlp on macOS

macOS users have several convenient options for how to install yt-dlp on Linux Windows macOS systems. The easiest way to get yt-dlp, ffmpeg, and all its dependencies on Mac is using the Homebrew package manager.

Method 1: Homebrew Installation (Recommended)

Homebrew currently supports macOS 12 Monterey or newer, allowing you to install many command-line applications and utilities with simple terminal commands.

Install Homebrew (if not already installed):

Open Terminal (Cmd+Space, type “Terminal”) and run:

/bin/bash -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/HEAD/install.sh)"

Install yt-dlp and FFmpeg:

brew install yt-dlp ffmpeg

Update yt-dlp:

brew upgrade yt-dlp

Update all Homebrew packages:

brew update && brew upgrade

Method 2: Direct Binary Installation

If you prefer not to use Homebrew:

curl -L https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/releases/latest/download/yt-dlp -o ~/.local/bin/yt-dlp
chmod a+rx ~/.local/bin/yt-dlp

Ensure ~/.local/bin is in your PATH by adding this to ~/.zshrc or ~/.bash_profile:

export PATH="$HOME/.local/bin:$PATH"

Reload your shell configuration:

source ~/.zshrc

Method 3: MacPorts Installation

For MacPorts users:

sudo port install yt-dlp

How to Install yt-dlp on Windows

Windows users have multiple methods for how to install yt-dlp on Linux Windows macOS systems. The easiest method for Windows is using the Chocolatey package manager, which requires PowerShell with administrator permissions.

Method 1: Chocolatey Installation (Recommended)

Install Chocolatey:

Open PowerShell as Administrator (right-click PowerShell → “Run as administrator”) and run:

Set-ExecutionPolicy Bypass -Scope Process -Force; [System.Net.ServicePointManager]::SecurityProtocol = [System.Net.ServicePointManager]::SecurityProtocol -bor 3072; iex ((New-Object System.Net.WebClient).DownloadString('https://community.chocolatey.org/install.ps1'))

Install yt-dlp and FFmpeg:

choco install yt-dlp ffmpeg

Update yt-dlp:

choco upgrade yt-dlp

Method 2: Scoop Installation

Scoop is another popular Windows package manager:

Install Scoop:

Set-ExecutionPolicy RemoteSigned -Scope CurrentUser
irm get.scoop.sh | iex

Install yt-dlp:

scoop install yt-dlp ffmpeg

Update yt-dlp:

scoop update yt-dlp

Method 3: winget Installation

Windows 11 and Windows 10 (with App Installer) include winget:

winget install yt-dlp

Method 4: Direct Binary Download

Download the Windows executable from yt-dlp releases:

1. Download yt-dlp.exe
2. Create a folder: C:\Program Files\yt-dlp\
3. Move yt-dlp.exe to this folder
4. Add C:\Program Files\yt-dlp\ to your system PATH

Adding to PATH:

1. Right-click “This PC” → Properties
2. Click “Advanced system settings”
3. Click “Environment Variables”
4. Under “System variables”, find and edit “Path”
5. Add new entry: C:\Program Files\yt-dlp\
6. Click OK on all windows

Installing yt-dlp on Android

Android installation requires Termux, which provides a Linux environment on Android devices:

Install Termux from F-Droid (not Google Play Store version).

In Termux, run:

termux-setup-storage
pkg update && pkg upgrade
pkg install python ffmpeg
pip install -U "yt-dlp[default]"

Verify installation:

yt-dlp --version

Verifying Your Installation

Regardless of the method used for how to install yt-dlp on Linux Windows macOS, verify it works:

yt-dlp --version

This should display the version number, confirming successful installation.

Test with a download:

yt-dlp --list-formats https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ

This lists available formats without downloading, perfect for testing.

Troubleshooting Common Installation Issues

“Command not found” Error

Linux/macOS:

• Ensure yt-dlp is in your PATH
• Check installation location: which yt-dlp
• Verify executable permissions: ls -l /usr/local/bin/yt-dlp

Windows:

• Verify PATH includes yt-dlp directory
• Restart Command Prompt/PowerShell after PATH changes
• Run where yt-dlp to confirm location

Python Version Issues

yt-dlp exclusively supports Python 3.7 and above, unlike youtube-dl which extends compatibility to Python 2.6+. Verify your Python version:

python3 --version

If below 3.7, update Python before installing yt-dlp via pip.

FFmpeg Not Found

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

Test FFmpeg installation:

ffmpeg -version

If not found, revisit the FFmpeg installation section for your operating system.

Permission Denied Errors

Linux/macOS:

sudo chmod +x /usr/local/bin/yt-dlp

Windows: Run Command Prompt or PowerShell as Administrator.

Updating yt-dlp

The yt-dlp project uses calendar versioning where the version number directly tells you the release date, and if you don’t have the most recent release, the team won’t care about your bug reports. Regular updates are essential as video platforms constantly change their interfaces.

Update Methods by Installation Type:

Binary installation:

sudo yt-dlp -U

Homebrew (macOS):

brew upgrade yt-dlp

pip installation:

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

Chocolatey (Windows):

choco upgrade yt-dlp

APT (Ubuntu/Debian):

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade

Hey, look at that … update some as part of standard APT package manager. Unless you’re really pushing for some bleeding edge stuffs which I am not … I recommend using package manager to do most of the work on Linux where possible.

Creating a Configuration File

Once you’ve learned how to install yt-dlp on Linux Windows macOS, create a configuration file for default settings.

Linux/macOS location: ~/.config/yt-dlp/config

Windows location: %APPDATA%\yt-dlp\config.txt

Example configuration:

# Default output location
-o ~/Downloads/%(title)s.%(ext)s

# Prefer 1080p or best available
-f "bestvideo[height<=1080]+bestaudio/best"

# Download subtitles
--write-subs
--sub-langs en

# Embed metadata
--embed-metadata
--embed-thumbnail

Save this file and yt-dlp will use these settings automatically.

Next Steps

Now that you’ve successfully completed how to install yt-dlp on Linux Windows macOS, you’re ready to:

1. Learn yt-dlp commands for downloading with subtitles and organised folders (coming soon)
2. Set up YTPTube web GUI for easier video management (coming soon)
3. Integrate downloads with your Plex media server

For Docker enthusiasts managing media servers, explore our guide on installing Docker and Portainer to run containerised applications alongside your video downloads.

If you’re building a comprehensive home lab setup, check out our article on top self-hosted Docker apps on Unraid Server for additional media management tools.

Conclusion

Learning how to install yt-dlp on Linux Windows macOS provides you with a powerful, privacy-respecting tool for downloading videos from thousands of websites. Whether you chose the binary installation, package manager method, or pip installation, you now have a reliable video downloader ready for action.

Remember to keep yt-dlp updated regularly, as video platforms constantly evolve their interfaces. With proper installation and maintenance, yt-dlp becomes an invaluable tool for archiving content, offline viewing, and building personal media libraries.