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Using Release Binaries

Release binaries are pre-compiled executables that allow you to run yt-dlp without installing Python or any dependencies. This method is recommended for most users due to its simplicity.

Downloading Release Binaries​

For Windows (64-bit)​

  1. Visit the yt-dlp releases page.
  2. Download the file named yt-dlp.exe.
  3. Place the downloaded file in a directory of your choice.

For macOS​

  1. Go to the yt-dlp releases page.
  2. Download the file named yt-dlp_macos.
  3. Rename the downloaded file to yt-dlp.

For Linux​

  1. Navigate to the yt-dlp releases page.
  2. Download the file simply named yt-dlp.

Installation Steps​

Windows​

  1. Move yt-dlp.exe to a directory in your system PATH (e.g., C:\Windows).
  2. Alternatively, you can add the directory containing yt-dlp.exe to your PATH.

UNIX-like Systems (MacOS, Linux, BSD)​

You can install yt-dlp into your $PATH (e.g., ~/.local/bin) using any of these commands:

# Using curl
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

# Using wget
wget https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/releases/latest/download/yt-dlp -O ~/.local/bin/yt-dlp
chmod a+rx ~/.local/bin/yt-dlp

# Using aria2c
aria2c https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/releases/latest/download/yt-dlp --dir ~/.local/bin -o yt-dlp
chmod a+rx ~/.local/bin/yt-dlp

Verifying Installation​

To ensure yt-dlp is correctly installed:

  1. Open a command prompt or terminal.

  2. Type the following command:

    yt-dlp --version

You should see the version number of yt-dlp displayed.

Updating yt-dlp​

To update yt-dlp to the latest version:

  1. Open a command prompt or terminal.

  2. Run the following command:

    yt-dlp -U

Troubleshooting​

  • If you encounter a "command not found" error, ensure the binary is in a directory listed in your system's PATH.
  • On Windows, you may need to restart your command prompt after adding yt-dlp to the PATH.
  • For macOS/Linux, if you get a permission error when moving the file, try using sudo.

Additional Notes​

  • Release binaries are self-contained and do not require Python to be installed on your system.
  • Always download binaries from the official yt-dlp GitHub repository to ensure security.
  • If you need features not yet available in the latest release, consider using the nightly builds or installing from source.

By using release binaries, you can quickly get started with yt-dlp without worrying about dependencies or complex installation procedures.