Downloading

How to Download a Video with yt-dlp

The fundamentals of downloading a single video with yt-dlp: the basic command, choosing quality and format, naming the file, subtitles, and thumbnails.

Updated 2026-06-13

The most common task: download one video at the best quality. Here's the basic command plus the few tweaks most people want.

The basic command

yt-dlp "<URL>"

yt-dlp grabs the best video and audio and merges them (with ffmpeg) into a single file in your current folder.

Choose the quality

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

More control in download best quality.

Force a file type

yt-dlp --merge-output-format mp4 "<URL>"   # MP4
yt-dlp -x --audio-format mp3 "<URL>"        # audio only

See download MP4 and download MP3.

Name the file

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

Subtitles and thumbnail

yt-dlp --write-subs --sub-langs en --embed-thumbnail "<URL>"

Works on 1,700+ sites. For a one-click experience, the yt-dlp app wraps all of this in a UI.

Frequently asked questions

What is the simplest way to download a video?+

yt-dlp "<URL>" — that downloads the best quality and merges audio and video automatically.

How do I download a video in a specific resolution?+

Use -S res:1080 (or 720, 2160, etc.). yt-dlp picks the best available up to that resolution.

Can yt-dlp download from sites other than YouTube?+

Yes — it supports over 1,700 sites. Browse them on the supported sites page.