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Download the Best Quality with yt-dlp

Always get the highest quality with yt-dlp: how default selection works, forcing 4K/8K and HDR, choosing codecs with -S, and merging video+audio with ffmpeg.

Updated 2026-06-13

By default yt-dlp already downloads the best available quality and merges the top video and audio streams. But you can take precise control of resolution, codec and HDR.

The default already grabs the best

yt-dlp "<URL>"

This is equivalent to -f "bv*+ba/b": best video + best audio, falling back to the best combined stream. ffmpeg merges them.

See what's actually available

yt-dlp -F "<URL>"

Force a resolution ceiling or floor

yt-dlp -S "res:2160" "<URL>"      # prefer up to 4K
yt-dlp -S "res:1080" "<URL>"      # prefer up to 1080p

Prefer specific codecs (AV1, HDR, high fps)

yt-dlp -S "res,fps,hdr:12,vcodec:av01" "<URL>"

-S sorts formats by your priorities and picks the top match — easier and more robust than memorizing format IDs.

Guarantee the absolute maximum, even in a big container

yt-dlp -f "bv*+ba/b" --merge-output-format mkv "<URL>"

MKV accepts virtually any codec combination, so nothing is lost to container limits. Want MP4 instead? See yt-dlp download mp4.

Merging high-res video with separate audio requires ffmpeg. Without it, yt-dlp can only grab a single pre-merged stream, usually capped at 720p.

Frequently asked questions

Why is my download only 720p?+

Above 720p, sites serve video and audio as separate streams that must be merged with ffmpeg. Install ffmpeg and yt-dlp will fetch and merge the full-resolution streams.

How do I force 4K or 8K?+

Use -S res:2160 (4K) or -S res:4320 (8K). yt-dlp picks the highest available up to that, and you still need ffmpeg to merge.

Is -f or -S better for quality?+

-S is generally better — it ranks formats by your preferences and gracefully falls back, instead of failing when a specific ID is missing.