How to Install yt-dlp (Windows, macOS, Linux)

Install yt-dlp on any OS in a couple of minutes — pip, Homebrew, winget, or the standalone binary — plus ffmpeg, verifying the install, and fixing 'command not found'.

Dalvo · Updated July 17, 2026

Installing yt-dlp takes a couple of minutes. Pick the method for your OS, add ffmpeg, and verify — this guide covers all three.

Install yt-dlp

python3 -m pip install -U "yt-dlp[default]"

pip or a package manager beats the raw .exe

Installing via pip/Homebrew/winget makes updating trivial later and avoids the antivirus false positives that sometimes hit the standalone Windows binary.

Install ffmpeg (you'll want it)

yt-dlp needs ffmpeg to merge high-quality video+audio and to convert audio to MP3. Without it you're capped at lower-quality pre-merged streams.

brew install ffmpeg

Verify the install

yt-dlp --version

You should see a date-based version like 2026.07.10. If it prints, you're ready — try our how-to-use guide next.

"yt-dlp: command not found"

Almost always a PATH issue:

pip installs: the script landed in a directory not on your PATH. Run it as python3 -m yt_dlp ..., or add pip's bin directory (e.g. ~/.local/bin) to PATH.
Standalone binary: make sure it's in a PATH directory (like /usr/local/bin) and is executable (chmod a+rx).
Windows: reopen your terminal after install so PATH refreshes.

Keeping it working

Once installed, yt-dlp needs regular updates to keep up with YouTube — see how to update yt-dlp. And if it installs fine but downloads fail with a bot check, that's a separate issue.

Don't want to install anything?

Skip the setup entirely — call our API and get a direct download link. No binary, no ffmpeg, no PATH issues.

Start free

Frequently asked questions

Do I need Python to install yt-dlp?+

Only if you install via pip. The standalone binary and Homebrew/winget packages bundle everything, so no separate Python install is required.

Is ffmpeg required?+

Not to run yt-dlp, but strongly recommended — it's needed for the highest-quality merged downloads and for converting audio to MP3.