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yt-dlp

Download YouTube Videos Free — yt-dlp

Want to download YouTube videos or playlists for free? yt-dlp saves video and audio from YouTube and 1,000+ other sites — no account, no subscription, no browser extension.

v2026.04.30
Apr 2026
WindowsmacOSLinuxFreeOpen Source

Download Videos from YouTube and 1,000+ Sites for Free

Want to save a YouTube video to watch offline? Download an entire playlist as MP3s? Grab a video from a site that doesn't have a download button? yt-dlp handles all of it from the command line — for free, with no subscription and no limits.

Paid services like 4K Video Downloader charge $15–$45 for features yt-dlp gives you for free: playlist downloads, 4K quality, MP3 extraction, and support for sites beyond YouTube. yt-dlp works with YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, Twitter/X, Twitch, Vimeo, SoundCloud, and over 1,000 other platforms.

Choose your exact format and resolution before downloading — 1080p, 4K, MP3, MP4, WebM — or let yt-dlp automatically pick the best available quality. Download entire playlists and channels in one command. Extract audio from any video. Embed subtitles and metadata automatically.

SponsorBlock integration lets you skip or cut sponsor segments from YouTube videos during download. Browser cookie support lets you download age-restricted or members-only content you already have access to.

Runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux. No account required. No file size limits. No daily download caps. Actively maintained with near-daily updates — unlike older tools that break whenever YouTube changes its internals.

Key Features

  • Download from 1,000+ sites — YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, Twitch, Vimeo, and more
  • Choose any format — MP4, MKV, WebM, MP3, AAC, FLAC, and others
  • Playlist and channel downloads — grab entire libraries in one command
  • SponsorBlock integration — skip sponsor segments during download
  • Subtitles and metadata — embed captions and tags automatically
  • 4K and HDR support — download the best quality available

Who Is It For?

Anyone who wants to download YouTube videos, extract MP3 from YouTube Music, save TikToks, or archive content from any video site — without paying for tools like 4K Video Downloader or browser extensions that break after every YouTube update.

Related Tools

  • HandBrake — Compress or convert the downloaded video to a smaller file size for storage or sharing
  • LosslessCut — Trim the downloaded video to the exact clip you want without any quality loss

FAQ

Is yt-dlp free?+
Yes, yt-dlp is completely free and open source under the Unlicense license. There are no premium tiers, no subscription fees, and no download limits.
How to download YouTube videos for free?+
Install yt-dlp and run: yt-dlp [URL]. It automatically picks the best quality. Add --extract-audio --audio-format mp3 to get MP3, or --yes-playlist to download an entire playlist.
Best free alternative to 4K Video Downloader?+
yt-dlp is the most capable free alternative. It supports more sites, more formats, and is updated almost daily — unlike GUI tools that break after YouTube changes its API.
yt-dlp vs youtube-dl — which is better?+
yt-dlp is a maintained fork of youtube-dl with faster downloads, more active development, SponsorBlock support, and better compatibility with modern YouTube. Use yt-dlp.