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Filtering and Sorting Formats in yt-dlp

yt-dlp offers advanced options for filtering and sorting available formats, enabling you to precisely select the media quality and type you want to download. Below is an updated guide on how to use these features effectively.

Filtering Formats​

Use the -f or --format option to filter formats based on specific criteria.

Basic Syntax​

yt-dlp -f FILTER URL

Filter Operators​

OperatorDescription
+Merge two formats (e.g., separate video and audio)
/Fallback if the former format is unavailable
,Download multiple formats

Common Filters​

FilterDescription
bestBest quality format (video + audio).
worstWorst quality format.
bestvideoBest quality video-only format.
bestaudioBest quality audio-only format.

Advanced Filtering​

Use square brackets [] to apply additional filters:

  • bestvideo[height<=720]: Best video with height no more than 720p.
  • bestaudio[ext=m4a]: Best M4A audio format.
  • best[fps>30][height>720]: Best format with more than 30 fps and height greater than 720p.

Filtering Examples​

  1. Best MP4 video with M4A audio:

    yt-dlp -f 'bestvideo[ext=mp4]+bestaudio[ext=m4a]' URL

  2. Best video no larger than 720p:

    yt-dlp -f 'bestvideo[height<=720]+bestaudio/best[height<=720]' URL

  3. Worst video at least 480p:

    yt-dlp -f 'worst[height>=480]' URL

Sorting Formats​

Use the -S or --format-sort option to sort formats based on multiple criteria.

Basic Syntax​

yt-dlp -S SORT_ORDER URL

Sorting Fields​

FieldDescription
filesizeFile size.
resVideo resolution.
fpsFrame rate.
codec:vcodecVideo codec preference.
codec:acodecAudio codec preference.
brAverage bitrate.
asrAudio sample rate.
protoProtocol preference.
extFile extension preference.

Sorting Order​

  • Descending order (default): field1,field2,field3
  • Ascending order: +field1,+field2,+field3

Sorting Examples​

  1. Prefer higher resolution, then higher bitrate:

    yt-dlp -S 'res,br' URL

  2. Prefer MP4 container, then higher resolution:

    yt-dlp -S 'ext:mp4:m4a,res' URL

  3. Prefer better codec, then higher bitrate, then larger file size:

    yt-dlp -S '+codec,+br,+size' URL

Combining Filtering and Sorting​

You can use both filtering and sorting together for precise format selection:

yt-dlp -f 'bestvideo[height<=1080]+bestaudio' -S 'proto,ext:mp4:m4a,res,br' URL

This command:

  1. Selects the best video up to 1080p and best audio.
  2. Sorts by protocol, preferring MP4/M4A container, higher resolution, and higher bitrate.

Tips for Effective Filtering and Sorting​

  1. List Formats First: Use -F or --list-formats to view available formats before filtering/sorting.
  2. Combine Criteria: Use multiple criteria for more precise selection.
  3. Verbose Mode: Use --verbose to see how yt-dlp interprets your format selection.
  4. Check Availability: Not all options may be available for every video source.
  5. Simulate First: Test your filters with --simulate to ensure they work as expected.

Additional Options​

  • Merge Output Format: Specify the container format when merging audio and video:

    yt-dlp --merge-output-format mp4 -f 'bestvideo+bestaudio' URL

  • Download Subtitles: Include subtitles in the download:

    yt-dlp --write-subs -f 'best' URL

Conclusion​

By mastering format filtering and sorting in yt-dlp, you can ensure you're always downloading the exact quality and format of media you need. Experiment with different filters and sorting options to optimize your downloads.

For more advanced usage, refer to the official yt-dlp documentation or use yt-dlp --help for a full list of options.