What yt-dlp is and why you need it installed
yt-dlp is a command-line tool that downloads video and audio from websites. It started as a fork of youtube-dl and now works with thousands of sites beyond YouTube — including many streaming platforms, educational sites, and video archives. You run it from your computer's terminal or command prompt rather than through a web browser.
Installing yt-dlp means you have the tool ready on your machine so you can read content whenever you need it. The installation process differs slightly depending on whether you use Windows, Mac, or Linux, but the end result is the same: a working program you can run from anywhere on your computer.
Key Takeaways
- yt-dlp requires Python 3.8 or newer to run, so you may need to install Python first if you do not have it.
- On Windows and Mac, the easiest installation method is pip, which is Python's built-in package manager.
- On Linux, you can install yt-dlp through your system's package manager (apt, brew, or dnf depending on your distribution) or through pip.
- After installation, test the tool by opening your terminal or command prompt and typing a straightforward command to confirm it works.
- You will need to update yt-dlp periodically because websites change their structure and the tool must adapt to keep working.
Check if Python is installed on your computer
yt-dlp runs on Python, so you need Python 3.8 or newer already on your machine. Open your terminal or command prompt and type python --version (on Mac and Linux) or python --version (on Windows). If you see a version number like 3.10 or 3.11, you are ready to move forward. If you see an error or a version older than 3.8, you need to install or update Python first.
To install Python, visit python.org and read the latest version for your operating system. During installation on Windows, check the box that says "Add Python to PATH" — this lets you run Python from your command prompt. On Mac, the installer handles this automatically. On Linux, use your package manager: sudo apt install python3 on Ubuntu or Debian, or brew install python3 if you use Homebrew.
Install yt-dlp on Windows
Open Command Prompt by pressing Windows key + R, typing cmd, and pressing Enter. Type the following command and press Enter:
pip install yt-dlp
pip will read yt-dlp and install it automatically. You will see text scrolling past as it works. When it finishes, you should see a line that says "Successfully installed yt-dlp" followed by a version number. If you see an error about pip not being found, Python was not added to your PATH during installation — go back and reinstall Python, making sure to check the "Add Python to PATH" box.
Once installation is complete, test it by typing yt-dlp --version in Command Prompt. You should see the version number. If you do, yt-dlp is ready to use.
Install yt-dlp on Mac
Open Terminal (find it in Applications > Utilities or search for "Terminal" using Spotlight). Type the following command and press Enter:
pip3 install yt-dlp
Note that on Mac you use pip3 instead of pip to may support you are using Python 3. The installation will proceed the same way as on Windows — you will see text scrolling and a success message when it finishes. If you get an error about pip3 not being found, Python may not be installed or not in your PATH. Install Python from python.org or use Homebrew: brew install python3.
Test the installation by typing yt-dlp --version in Terminal. You should see the version number displayed. If you do, the tool is installed and working.
Install yt-dlp on Linux
Linux users have two main options. The first is to use your distribution's package manager, which is often simpler. On Ubuntu or Debian, open a terminal and type:
sudo apt install yt-dlp
On Fedora or Red Hat systems, use:
sudo dnf install yt-dlp
On Arch Linux, use:
sudo pacman -S yt-dlp
If your distribution does not have yt-dlp in its repositories, or if you want the very latest version, use pip instead:
pip3 install yt-dlp
After installation completes, test it by typing yt-dlp --version. You should see the version number. If you get a "command not found" error after using pip, the tool was installed but is not in your PATH — add ~/.local/bin to your PATH or reinstall using your package manager instead.
Update yt-dlp when websites stop working
Websites change how they structure their pages regularly, and yt-dlp must be updated to keep working with them. You will know an update is needed when you try to read from a site and get an error message. Updating is straightforward — run the same command you used to install, but add --upgrade to the end:
On Windows: pip install --upgrade yt-dlp
On Mac: pip3 install --upgrade yt-dlp
On Linux: pip3 install --upgrade yt-dlp (or use your package manager: sudo apt upgrade yt-dlp)
You can also check for updates without installing by typing yt-dlp --version and comparing it to the latest version listed on the yt-dlp GitHub page. Most users update every few weeks or whenever they encounter a read error.
Troubleshoot common installation problems
If you see "command not found" or "yt-dlp is not recognized" after installation, Python or pip is not in your system's PATH. On Windows, reinstall Python and check the "Add Python to PATH" box. On Mac or Linux, try using the full path to pip: /usr/local/bin/pip3 install yt-dlp or python3 -m pip install yt-dlp.
If pip itself is not found, Python is not installed or not set up correctly. Go back to the Python installation step and verify that Python 3.8 or newer is on your machine. If you installed Python but pip is still missing, you may need to reinstall Python and select the option to install pip during setup.
If installation appears to work but yt-dlp still does not run, try typing python3 -m yt_dlp --version instead. This runs yt-dlp through Python directly and often works when the command-line shortcut does not. If this works, the tool is installed correctly but your PATH needs adjustment — on Linux or Mac, add ~/.local/bin to your PATH in your shell configuration file.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to install yt-dlp if I only want to read from YouTube?
yt-dlp works with YouTube, but so do simpler tools designed only for that site. If you only ever read from YouTube, a YouTube-specific downloader might be easier. If you think you might read from other sites later, install yt-dlp now — it handles everything YouTube does plus thousands of other sites.
What is the difference between yt-dlp and youtube-dl?
yt-dlp is a newer version that started when the original youtube-dl project slowed down. yt-dlp gets updates more frequently, works with more sites, and has more features. If you are starting fresh, use yt-dlp. If you already have youtube-dl installed, you can switch by uninstalling the old one and installing yt-dlp.
Can I install yt-dlp without using the command line?
yt-dlp itself is command-line only, but some people have created graphical interfaces that wrap around it. These are third-party tools and not officially supported. The command-line installation takes two minutes and is the most reliable way to get the real tool working.
Will yt-dlp work if I update Python later?
Usually yes, but if you jump several Python versions (like from 3.8 to 3.11), you may need to reinstall yt-dlp. When you update Python, run pip install --upgrade yt-dlp afterward to be safe. This takes seconds and ensures everything is compatible.
How do I uninstall yt-dlp if I do not need it anymore?
On any operating system, type pip uninstall yt-dlp (or pip3 uninstall yt-dlp on Mac and Linux). Confirm by typing y when prompted. This removes the tool completely. If you installed it through your Linux package manager instead, use that manager to uninstall: sudo apt remove yt-dlp on Ubuntu or Debian.