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How to Download a Playlist with yt-dlp

Download an entire playlist with yt-dlp, select a range of items, number files by playlist position, skip already-downloaded videos, and grab playlist audio as MP3.

Updated 2026-06-13

Pass a playlist URL and yt-dlp downloads every video in it by default. From there you can pick ranges, number the files, and resume safely.

Download the full playlist

yt-dlp "https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxxxxxxxx"

Number files by their playlist position

yt-dlp -o "%(playlist_index)s - %(title)s.%(ext)s" "<playlist URL>"

Download only part of a playlist

yt-dlp -I 1:10 "<playlist URL>"     # items 1–10
yt-dlp -I 5: "<playlist URL>"       # item 5 to the end
yt-dlp -I ::2 "<playlist URL>"      # every other item

Resume without re-downloading

yt-dlp --download-archive archive.txt "<playlist URL>"

Playlist as MP3

yt-dlp -x --audio-format mp3 -o "%(playlist_index)s - %(title)s.%(ext)s" "<playlist URL>"

Download just ONE video from a playlist URL

yt-dlp --no-playlist "<URL that contains &list=...>"

Doing a whole channel instead? That guide covers incremental mirroring.

Frequently asked questions

Does yt-dlp download the whole playlist by default?+

Yes. Given a playlist URL, it downloads every item unless you add --no-playlist or limit the range with -I.

How do I download only some videos from a playlist?+

Use -I (playlist items), e.g. -I 1:10 for the first ten, -I 5: from item five onward, or -I ::2 for every other one.

How do I keep a playlist updated without re-downloading?+

Use --download-archive archive.txt; yt-dlp skips anything already listed and grabs only new additions.