Usage
How to Use yt-dlp on Windows
Use yt-dlp on Windows 10/11 from CMD or PowerShell: run your first download, fix quoting issues, set the Downloads folder, extract MP3, and avoid common Windows gotchas.
Updated 2026-06-13
After installing yt-dlp on Windows, you run it from CMD, PowerShell or Windows Terminal. The commands are the same as other platforms with a few Windows-specific quoting details.
Open a terminal in the right folder
In File Explorer, navigate to the folder where you want downloads, click the address bar, type cmd and press Enter — the terminal opens already in that folder.
Your first download
yt-dlp "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ"Quoting on Windows
- Use double quotes around URLs and output templates in both CMD and PowerShell.
- In PowerShell, if a URL still causes trouble, prefix it with --% or use the stop-parsing operator.
- Paths use backslashes, e.g. -P "C:\Users\You\Videos".
Save to your Downloads folder
yt-dlp -P "%USERPROFILE%\Downloads" "<URL>"Extract MP3 on Windows
Make sure ffmpeg is installed, then:
yt-dlp -x --audio-format mp3 "<URL>"Common Windows gotchas
| Symptom | Fix |
|---|---|
| 'yt-dlp' is not recognized | Add the exe's folder to PATH and reopen the terminal. |
| ERROR: ffmpeg not found | winget install Gyan.FFmpeg, then reopen the terminal. |
| Filename has weird characters | Add --restrict-filenames for safe ASCII names. |
| Antivirus flags the exe | Download only from the official GitHub releases; it's a known false positive. |
If the terminal isn't your thing, the yt-dlp app for Windows gives you the same engine with a UI.
Frequently asked questions
CMD or PowerShell — which is better for yt-dlp?+
Either works. Windows Terminal (which can host both) is the nicest. Quoting rules differ slightly; double quotes around URLs work in both.
Where do my downloads go on Windows?+
By default, the folder your terminal is currently in. Use -P to choose, e.g. -P "%USERPROFILE%\Downloads".
Why does Windows Defender warn about yt-dlp.exe?+
It's a common false positive for downloader tools. Download only from the official GitHub releases page to be safe.