Official GitHub release  ·  Windows 11/10  ·  Free & open source

Download yt-dlp for Windows (11/10)

Get the latest yt-dlp.exe — fast, safe, and portable. Direct link to the official GitHub release. Works with 4K/8K, playlists, and MP3.

Latest executable

yt-dlp.exe · Windows 11/10 · Portable — no install needed

Verify on GitHub  ·  Open source & audited

  • Works on Windows 11 and Windows 10 (64-bit)
  • Portable single file — no installer required
  • Auto-update: yt-dlp -U
  • Supports 4K/8K, MP3, playlists, subtitles, 1000+ sites

Official GitHub releases

Browse the release page for changelog, checksums and alternative assets.

Release notes on GitHub →
  • Version changelog and release notes
  • SHA256 checksums for verification
  • Alternative builds (yt-dlp_x86, ffmpeg bundle)

Quick start

After downloading yt-dlp.exe

Four steps to go from download to your first video.

Step 01

Save to a folder

Place yt-dlp.exe in a permanent folder like C:\Tools\yt-dlp\ — avoid Downloads which may get cleaned up.

Step 02

If browser warns you

Click Keep → Keep anyway in Edge/Chrome. If SmartScreen appears: More info → Run anyway.

Step 03

Add FFmpeg (recommended)

Place ffmpeg.exe in the same folder. Required for 4K/8K merges and MP3. Setup guide →

Step 04

Verify in PowerShell

Click the folder address bar, type powershell, press Enter, then run yt-dlp --version.

Need more detail? Full install guide with PATH setup →

Safety

Is this download safe?

Why it's safe

  • Links directly to the official GitHub release
  • yt-dlp is fully open source — read the code
  • No bundled software, no ads, no telemetry
  • Community-audited by thousands of contributors

Windows warnings — what to do

  • Edge/Chrome "Keep" prompt — click Keep → Keep anyway
  • SmartScreen "Windows protected your PC" — click More info → Run anyway
  • Access denied — right-click → Properties → Unblock

Full safety and legality guide →

FAQ

Common download questions

Do I need admin rights to run yt-dlp.exe?
No. yt-dlp.exe is portable — no installation needed. Admin is only required if you add its folder to the system PATH for all users. For your own user, no admin is needed.
How do I convert to MP3?
Run yt-dlp -x --audio-format mp3 --audio-quality 0 "URL" in PowerShell. FFmpeg must be in the same folder. See the YouTube to MP3 guide.
How do I download a whole playlist?
Run yt-dlp --yes-playlist "PLAYLIST_URL". See the playlist guide for ordering, ranges and resume options.
How do I keep yt-dlp up to date?
Open PowerShell in the folder with yt-dlp.exe and run yt-dlp -U. It replaces itself with the latest version automatically.