---
title: How to Install yt-dlp (Windows, macOS, Linux)
description: Install yt-dlp on any OS in a couple of minutes — pip, Homebrew, winget, or the standalone binary — plus ffmpeg, verifying the install, and fixing 'command not found'.
url: https://vidkraken.com/blog/how-to-install-yt-dlp
author: Vid Kraken
published: '2026-07-17'
updated: '2026-07-17'
---

# How to Install yt-dlp (Windows, macOS, Linux)

> Install yt-dlp on any OS in a couple of minutes — pip, Homebrew, winget, or the standalone binary — plus ffmpeg, verifying the install, and fixing 'command not found'.

Vid Kraken · Published 2026-07-17

Source: https://vidkraken.com/blog/how-to-install-yt-dlp

Installing yt-dlp takes a couple of minutes. Pick the method for your OS, add ffmpeg, and verify — this guide covers all three.

## Install yt-dlp

**pip (any OS)**

```bash
python3 -m pip install -U "yt-dlp[default]"
```

**Homebrew (macOS)**

```bash
brew install yt-dlp
```

**winget (Windows)**

```bash
winget install yt-dlp.yt-dlp
```

**Standalone (Linux)**

```bash
sudo curl -L https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/releases/latest/download/yt-dlp -o /usr/local/bin/yt-dlp
sudo chmod a+rx /usr/local/bin/yt-dlp
```

> **pip or a package manager beats the raw .exe**
>
> Installing via pip/Homebrew/winget makes updating trivial later and avoids the
> antivirus false positives that sometimes hit the standalone Windows binary.

## Install ffmpeg (you'll want it)

yt-dlp needs **ffmpeg** to merge high-quality video+audio and to convert audio to MP3. Without it you're capped at lower-quality pre-merged streams.

**macOS**

```bash
brew install ffmpeg
```

**Debian/Ubuntu**

```bash
sudo apt install ffmpeg
```

**Windows**

```bash
winget install Gyan.FFmpeg
```

## Verify the install

```bash
yt-dlp --version
```

You should see a date-based version like `2026.07.10`. If it prints, you're ready — try our [how-to-use guide](https://vidkraken.com/blog/how-to-use-yt-dlp) next.

## "yt-dlp: command not found"

Almost always a PATH issue:

- **pip installs**: the script landed in a directory not on your PATH. Run it as `python3 -m yt_dlp ...`, or add pip's bin directory (e.g. `~/.local/bin`) to PATH.
- **Standalone binary**: make sure it's in a PATH directory (like `/usr/local/bin`) and is executable (`chmod a+rx`).
- **Windows**: reopen your terminal after install so PATH refreshes.

## Keeping it working

Once installed, yt-dlp needs regular updates to keep up with YouTube — see [how to update yt-dlp](https://vidkraken.com/blog/how-to-update-yt-dlp). And if it installs fine but downloads fail with a bot check, that's [a separate issue](https://vidkraken.com/blog/yt-dlp-sign-in-to-confirm-not-a-bot).

> **Don't want to install anything?**
>
> Skip the setup entirely — call our API and get a direct download link. No
> binary, no ffmpeg, no PATH issues.
>
> [Start free](https://vidkraken.com/login)

## Frequently asked questions

**Do I need Python to install yt-dlp?**

Only if you install via pip. The standalone binary and Homebrew/winget packages bundle everything, so no separate Python install is required.

**Is ffmpeg required?**

Not to run yt-dlp, but strongly recommended — it's needed for the highest-quality merged downloads and for converting audio to MP3.