YT-DLP macOS Installation Guide

A step-by-step guide to install and set up YT-DLP on macOS. Follow these instructions to get started with downloading videos on your Mac.

Installation Methods

There are several ways to install YT-DLP on macOS. Choose the method that works best for you.

Method 1: Homebrew (Recommended)
Install using the Homebrew package manager

Homebrew is the easiest way to install and manage YT-DLP on macOS.

brew install yt-dlp
Method 2: Binary Download
Download the binary file directly

Download the binary file directly and make it executable.

After downloading, make it executable:

chmod a+rx ~/Downloads/yt-dlp_macos

Step-by-Step Installation Guide

Method 1: Using Homebrew

Step 1: Install Homebrew (if not already installed)

Open Terminal and run the following command to install Homebrew:

/bin/bash -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/HEAD/install.sh)"

Step 2: Install YT-DLP

Once Homebrew is installed, run the following command to install YT-DLP:

brew install yt-dlp

Step 3: Verify Installation

Verify that YT-DLP is installed correctly by checking its version:

yt-dlp --version

Method 2: Manual Installation

Step 1: Download the Binary

Download the macOS binary from the official GitHub repository:

Step 2: Make the Binary Executable

Open Terminal and navigate to the directory where you downloaded the file. Then make it executable:

chmod a+rx ~/Downloads/yt-dlp_macos

Step 3: Move to a Directory in PATH

Move the executable to a directory in your PATH so you can run it from anywhere:

sudo mv ~/Downloads/yt-dlp_macos /usr/local/bin/yt-dlp

You'll be prompted to enter your password. This is necessary to write to the /usr/local/bin directory.

Step 4: Verify Installation

Verify that YT-DLP is installed correctly by checking its version:

yt-dlp --version

Installing Dependencies (Recommended)

Installing FFmpeg

FFmpeg is required for merging separate video and audio files, post-processing, and many advanced features.

Using Homebrew (Recommended)

brew install ffmpeg

Testing FFmpeg Installation

To verify that FFmpeg is installed correctly, open Terminal and run:

ffmpeg -version

Basic Usage Examples

Download a Video
yt-dlp https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ
List Available Formats
yt-dlp -F https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

Permission Denied

If you see "Permission denied" errors, make sure the file is executable with chmod a+rx yt-dlp.

Command Not Found

If you see "command not found", make sure YT-DLP is in your PATH or use the full path to the executable.

FFmpeg Not Found

If you see errors about FFmpeg, make sure FFmpeg is installed with brew install ffmpeg.

For more help, check the official documentation or GitHub issues: