Reference
yt-dlp Config File: Set Your Defaults
Stop retyping options. Learn where the yt-dlp config file lives on Windows, macOS and Linux, the exact syntax, and a sensible starter configuration.
Updated 2026-06-13
A config file lets you set options once and have yt-dlp apply them every run. Instead of typing -x --audio-format mp3 -P ~/Music each time, you write it down once.
Where the config file goes
| OS | Path |
|---|---|
| Windows | %APPDATA%\yt-dlp\config.txt (or yt-dlp.conf next to the exe) |
| macOS / Linux | ~/.config/yt-dlp/config (or ~/.config/yt-dlp.conf) |
| Any (portable) | yt-dlp.conf in the same folder you run yt-dlp from |
yt-dlp reads several locations; the per-user path above is the most common. Confirm what's being loaded with yt-dlp -v (verbose) — it prints which config files it read.
Syntax
One option per line, exactly as you'd type it on the command line (without the yt-dlp). Lines starting with # are comments.
# ~/.config/yt-dlp/config
# Always save to my Videos folder, organised by uploader
-P ~/Videos
-o %(uploader)s/%(title)s [%(id)s].%(ext)s
# Prefer up to 1080p mp4
-S res:1080,ext:mp4
--merge-output-format mp4
# Embed metadata + thumbnail, keep an archive
--embed-metadata
--embed-thumbnail
--download-archive ~/Videos/archive.txtOverride the config for one run
Ignore all config files temporarily with --ignore-config, or point to a specific file with --config-location:
yt-dlp --ignore-config "<URL>"
yt-dlp --config-location ./mp3.conf "<URL>"Pair this with the yt-dlp commands cheat sheet to decide what belongs in your config.