Reference
yt-dlp Documentation: Where to Find Everything
A guided map of the yt-dlp documentation: the official README, --help, output templates, format selection, the config file, and the fastest way to find an option.
Updated 2026-06-13
yt-dlp's documentation is comprehensive but lives mostly in one very long README. This page is a map so you can jump to what you need.
The official sources
- The README on GitHub (github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp) — the canonical, complete reference.
- yt-dlp --help — every option, printed in your terminal.
- The wiki on GitHub — FAQ, how-to articles and troubleshooting.
The sections you'll reference most
| Topic | Where / how |
|---|---|
| All options | yt-dlp --help or the README 'General Options' |
| Output filenames | README 'Output Template' — the %(field)s syntax |
| Choosing quality | README 'Format Selection' — -f and -S |
| Config files | README 'Configuration' — see our config guide |
| Post-processing | README 'Post-Processing Options' — MP3/MP4, embed, etc. |
Fastest way to find an option
Pipe --help into a search. For example, to find every audio-related flag:
# macOS / Linux
yt-dlp --help | grep -i audio
# Windows (PowerShell)
yt-dlp --help | Select-String audioOur quick references
If you'd rather skip the README, start with yt-dlp commands, yt-dlp examples and how to use yt-dlp.
Frequently asked questions
Where are the official yt-dlp docs?+
The README and wiki in the yt-dlp GitHub repository are the official documentation. yt-dlp --help mirrors the full option list locally.
Is there a man page?+
Yes, many packages install a man page (man yt-dlp). The content matches the README.
How do I report a bug or unsupported site?+
Open an issue on the GitHub repository using the provided template, after updating to the latest version.