Skip to main content

Environment Variables in yt-dlp

Environment variables provide another way to configure yt-dlp without modifying configuration files or using command-line arguments. They can be particularly useful for setting sensitive information or system-specific configurations.

Using Environment Variables​

yt-dlp recognizes environment variables prefixed with YTD_LP_. The rest of the variable name should be the uppercase version of the corresponding command-line option, with dashes replaced by underscores.

Common Environment Variables​

Here are some commonly used environment variables for yt-dlp:

  • YTD_LP_USERNAME: Set the default username for sites requiring authentication

    export YTD_LP_USERNAME=your_username

  • YTD_LP_PASSWORD: Set the default password

    export YTD_LP_PASSWORD=your_password

  • YTD_LP_PROXY: Specify a default proxy

    export YTD_LP_PROXY=socks5://127.0.0.1:9150

  • YTD_LP_FORMAT: Set the default download format

    export YTD_LP_FORMAT="bestvideo+bestaudio/best"

  • YTD_LP_OUTPUT_TEMPLATE: Define the default output template

    export YTD_LP_OUTPUT_TEMPLATE="%(title)s-%(id)s.%(ext)s"

  • YTD_LP_CACHEDIR: Specify the cache directory

    export YTD_LP_CACHEDIR="/path/to/cache"

Setting Environment Variables​

On Unix-like Systems (Linux, macOS)​

Temporarily​

export YTD_LP_VARIABLE_NAME=value

Permanently (add to ~/.bashrc, ~/.zshrc, or equivalent)​

echo 'export YTD_LP_VARIABLE_NAME=value' >> ~/.bashrc

On Windows​

Temporarily (Command Prompt)​

set YTD_LP_VARIABLE_NAME=value

Permanently (System Properties > Environment Variables)​

  1. Open System Properties.
  2. Go to the Advanced tab and click on Environment Variables.
  3. Add or edit the environment variable in the System variables or User variables section.

Priority of Configuration Methods​

The order of precedence for configuration methods in yt-dlp is:

  1. Command-line arguments
  2. Environment variables
  3. Configuration files
  4. Default values

This means environment variables will override settings in configuration files but can be overridden by command-line arguments.

Examples of Using Environment Variables​

Setting up a Default Proxy and Format​

export YTD_LP_PROXY="socks5://127.0.0.1:9150"
export YTD_LP_FORMAT="bestvideo[height<=1080]+bestaudio/best"
yt-dlp https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ

Configuring Default Authentication​

export YTD_LP_USERNAME="your_username"
export YTD_LP_PASSWORD="your_password"
yt-dlp https://www.example.com/private_video

Setting a Custom Output Template and Download Archive​

export YTD_LP_OUTPUT_TEMPLATE="~/Videos/%(uploader)s/%(title)s.%(ext)s"
export YTD_LP_DOWNLOAD_ARCHIVE="~/yt-dlp_archive.txt"
yt-dlp https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxxxxxxxx

Tips for Using Environment Variables​

  • Use environment variables for sensitive information like passwords to avoid exposing them in command-line history or configuration files.
  • Set system-specific configurations (like cache directories) using environment variables for portability across different machines.
  • Remember that environment variables are global to your session or system, which might affect other instances of yt-dlp or even other applications.
  • Use yt-dlp --verbose to see which environment variables are being used.
  • For complex configurations, consider using a combination of environment variables and configuration files.

Security Considerations​

  • Be cautious when setting sensitive information like passwords in environment variables, especially on shared systems.
  • On Unix-like systems, environment variables set in shell configuration files (like .bashrc) are generally only accessible to the user who owns the file.
  • On Windows, system-wide environment variables are accessible to all users of the computer.

By effectively using environment variables, you can create a flexible and secure setup for yt-dlp that adapts to different environments and use cases while keeping sensitive information protected.