/\<Playlist Index Number> - \<Video Title>.\<Extension> `-o "$HOME/Projects/youtube-dl/output/%(playlist_title)s/%(playlist_index)s - %(title)s.%(ext)s"` ### Download Archvie Use a file as archive history. When a video download is completed successfully, record it in the archive file. After that, the video will be skipped and not downloaded again. `--download-archive "$HOME/Projects/youtube-dl/config/ytdl-archive.txt"` ### .netrc Enables .netrc file as database of login credentials `--netrc` ### Preferred Format This will attempt to download reasonably sized .MP4 files with sane bitrates to keep the total filesize managable.\ \ As set up, its first choice is 720p (starting with bitrates under 1100kb/s then moving through up to 1600kb/s),\ \ Then files with a resolution higher than 480p up to and including 1080p (with the same bitrate progression <1100kb/s through <1800kb/s).\ \ If it can't find anything with a reasonable bitrate, it downloads the best file it can. `-f 'best[ext=mp4][height=720][tbr<=?1100]'/'best[ext=mp4][height=720][tbr<=?1400]'/'best[ext=mp4][height=720][tbr<=?1600]'/'best[ext=mp4][height<=?1080][height>480][tbr<=?1100]'/'best[ext=mp4][height<=?1080][height>480][tbr<=?1400]'/'best[ext=mp4][height<=?1080][height>480][tbr<=?1600]'/'best[ext=mp4][height<=?1080][height>480][tbr<=?1800]'/'best[ext=mp4][height<=?1080][height>480]'/best` ### List Formats Get a list of all available formats for a particular video, and print them to console, but do not download. `--list-formats` ### All Formats Download all available formats.\ \ If you use this, I recommend using an output naming structure that includes the '%(format)s' string\ \ This will include a human-readable format description in the file-name. `--all-formats` ### Number of Retries (default is 10) `--retries 15` ### Timeout Time to wait before giving up `--socket-timeout 20` ### Sleep Number of seconds to sleep before each download in seconds (lower/upper bounds) This will help avoid HTTP timeouts if you are downloading a large amount of files, ie: from a playlist or using the queue. If you get a timeout during a long queue or a big playlist, youtube-dl is not able to recover from the error and quits. `--sleep-interval 20` `--max-sleep-interval 25` ### Prefer ffmpeg Prefer ffmpeg over avconv for running the postprocessors (default) `--prefer-ffmpeg` ### Disable Progress bar Do not print progress bar `--no-progress` ### Ignore Errors `--ignore-errors` ### Force IPv4 Connections `--force-ipv4` ## Config File DEBUG Options ### Verbose Print various debugging information `--verbose` ### Simulate Simulate action only, do not download `--simulate` ### Write Description Write video description to a .description file `--write-description` ### Write Info Json Write video metadata to a .info.json file `--write-info-json` ### Write Annotations Write video annotations to a .annotations.xml file `--write-annotations` --- # Agent Instructions This documentation is published with GitBook. GitBook is the documentation platform designed so that both humans and AI agents can read, navigate, and reason over technical content effectively. Learn more at gitbook.com. ## Querying This Documentation If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question. Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter: ``` GET https://strangebutohwell.gitbook.io/knowledge/applications/youtube-dl/youtube-dl-config-file.md?ask=<question> ``` The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language. The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation. Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.

# Youtube-DL Config File ## Config file Location {% tabs %} {% tab title="MacOS & Linux" %} Save your configuration file as **config** in \/.config/youtube-dl/ `~/.config/youtube-dl/config` {% endtab %} {% tab title="Windows" %} Save your configuration file as **youtube-dl.conf** in your User's home directory `C:\Users\\youtube-dl.conf` {% endtab %} {% endtabs %} ## Config file Options ### Batch Downloads Batch downloads videos listed in a text file - One URL per line, in order.\ \ Comment out this line if you prefer to individually download from URLs entered at the command line. `--batch-file "$HOME/Projects/youtube-dl/config/ytdl-queue.txt"` ### Save Path $HOME/Projects/youtube-dl/output/\/\<Playlist Index Number> - \<Video Title>.\<Extension> `-o "$HOME/Projects/youtube-dl/output/%(playlist_title)s/%(playlist_index)s - %(title)s.%(ext)s"` ### Download Archvie Use a file as archive history. When a video download is completed successfully, record it in the archive file. After that, the video will be skipped and not downloaded again. `--download-archive "$HOME/Projects/youtube-dl/config/ytdl-archive.txt"` ### .netrc Enables .netrc file as database of login credentials `--netrc` ### Preferred Format This will attempt to download reasonably sized .MP4 files with sane bitrates to keep the total filesize managable.\ \ As set up, its first choice is 720p (starting with bitrates under 1100kb/s then moving through up to 1600kb/s),\ \ Then files with a resolution higher than 480p up to and including 1080p (with the same bitrate progression <1100kb/s through <1800kb/s).\ \ If it can't find anything with a reasonable bitrate, it downloads the best file it can. `-f 'best[ext=mp4][height=720][tbr<=?1100]'/'best[ext=mp4][height=720][tbr<=?1400]'/'best[ext=mp4][height=720][tbr<=?1600]'/'best[ext=mp4][height<=?1080][height>480][tbr<=?1100]'/'best[ext=mp4][height<=?1080][height>480][tbr<=?1400]'/'best[ext=mp4][height<=?1080][height>480][tbr<=?1600]'/'best[ext=mp4][height<=?1080][height>480][tbr<=?1800]'/'best[ext=mp4][height<=?1080][height>480]'/best` ### List Formats Get a list of all available formats for a particular video, and print them to console, but do not download. `--list-formats` ### All Formats Download all available formats.\ \ If you use this, I recommend using an output naming structure that includes the '%(format)s' string\ \ This will include a human-readable format description in the file-name. `--all-formats` ### Number of Retries (default is 10) `--retries 15` ### Timeout Time to wait before giving up `--socket-timeout 20` ### Sleep Number of seconds to sleep before each download in seconds (lower/upper bounds) This will help avoid HTTP timeouts if you are downloading a large amount of files, ie: from a playlist or using the queue. If you get a timeout during a long queue or a big playlist, youtube-dl is not able to recover from the error and quits. `--sleep-interval 20` `--max-sleep-interval 25` ### Prefer ffmpeg Prefer ffmpeg over avconv for running the postprocessors (default) `--prefer-ffmpeg` ### Disable Progress bar Do not print progress bar `--no-progress` ### Ignore Errors `--ignore-errors` ### Force IPv4 Connections `--force-ipv4` ## Config File DEBUG Options ### Verbose Print various debugging information `--verbose` ### Simulate Simulate action only, do not download `--simulate` ### Write Description Write video description to a .description file `--write-description` ### Write Info Json Write video metadata to a .info.json file `--write-info-json` ### Write Annotations Write video annotations to a .annotations.xml file `--write-annotations` --- # Agent Instructions This documentation is published with GitBook. GitBook is the documentation platform designed so that both humans and AI agents can read, navigate, and reason over technical content effectively. Learn more at gitbook.com. ## Querying This Documentation If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question. Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter: ``` GET https://strangebutohwell.gitbook.io/knowledge/applications/youtube-dl/youtube-dl-config-file.md?ask=<question> ``` The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language. The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation. Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.