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  <title>Install yt-dlp on Windows — Step-by-step (PowerShell, PATH, FFmpeg)</title>
  <meta name="description" content="How to install yt-dlp on Windows 11/10: download yt-dlp.exe, add to PATH, run from PowerShell/CMD, verify version, update with -U, set up FFmpeg. Clear steps + commands.">
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  <meta property="og:description" content="Download yt-dlp.exe, add to PATH, verify and update. Optional FFmpeg setup for 4K/8K and MP3.">
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  <main class="container">
    <section class="hero">
      <h1>Install yt-dlp on Windows</h1>
      <p class="subtitle">A quick guide to set up <strong>yt-dlp.exe</strong> on Windows 11/10, add it to <strong>PATH</strong>, verify, update, and enable <strong>FFmpeg</strong> for 4K/8K and MP3.</p>
      <p><a class="btn" href="get.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">⬇️ Download yt-dlp.exe</a></p>
      <div class="note">Tip: You can run yt-dlp.exe without installing anything. Adding it to PATH just makes it available from any folder.</div>
      <div class="muted" style="margin-top:8px"><span id="last-updated"></span> • Works on Windows 11/10</div>
    </section>

    <section class="card" id="steps">
      <h2>Step-by-step</h2>
      <ol class="list">
        <li>Download <strong>yt-dlp.exe</strong> from the official GitHub release: <a href="get.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">latest build</a>.</li>
        <li>Move it to a folder like <code>C:\\Tools\\yt-dlp</code> or <code>C:\\Users\\YOU\\Downloads</code>.</li>
        <li>(Optional) Add the folder to your <strong>PATH</strong>:
          <ul class="list">
            <li><strong>GUI method:</strong> Start → search "Environment Variables" → Edit environment variables → under <em>User variables</em> open <em>Path</em> → <em>New</em> → paste your folder (e.g., <code>C:\\Tools\\yt-dlp</code>) → OK.</li>
            <li><strong>PowerShell (current user):</strong> <span class="code">setx PATH "%PATH%;C:\\Tools\\yt-dlp"</span> (restart terminal afterwards).</li>
          </ul>
        </li>
        <li>Open <strong>PowerShell</strong> in the folder (Explorer → Address bar → type <code>powershell</code> → Enter) and run:
          <div class="code">yt-dlp --version</div>
        </li>
        <li>Keep it updated:
          <div class="code">yt-dlp -U</div>
        </li>
      </ol>
    </section>

    <section class="card" id="ffmpeg">
      <h2>FFmpeg (recommended)</h2>
      <p>FFmpeg enables merging separate video/audio streams (4K/8K) and audio conversions (e.g., MP3).</p>
      <ol class="list">
        <li>Download <strong>ffmpeg.exe</strong> from official sources.</li>
        <li>Place <strong>ffmpeg.exe</strong> next to <strong>yt-dlp.exe</strong> in the same folder.</li>
        <li>Verify by downloading a video in high quality; yt-dlp should auto-detect FFmpeg and merge formats.</li>
      </ol>
      <p>Full details: <a href="ffmpeg-windows.html">FFmpeg setup for Windows</a>.</p>
    </section>

    <section class="card two" id="post-install">
      <div>
        <h2>Post-install sanity checks</h2>
        <p>Run a quick test in PowerShell:</p>
        <div class="code">yt-dlp "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VIDEO_ID"</div>
        <p>Check the version and update status:</p>
        <div class="code">yt-dlp --version
yt-dlp -U</div>
      </div>
      <div>
        <h2>Run from any folder</h2>
        <p>Once the folder is in PATH, you can run yt-dlp anywhere. Otherwise, run it from its folder or reference the full path:</p>
        <div class="code">C:\\Tools\\yt-dlp\\yt-dlp.exe --version</div>
      </div>
    </section>

    <section class="card" id="troubleshooting">
      <h2>Troubleshooting</h2>
      <ul class="list">
        <li><strong>SmartScreen warning?</strong> Click <em>More info</em> → <em>Run anyway</em>. This is common for portable open-source tools.</li>
        <li><strong>“Command not found” after PATH update?</strong> Close and reopen your terminal (PATH is loaded on session start).</li>
        <li><strong>“Access is denied” or blocked?</strong> Right‑click <em>yt-dlp.exe</em> → <em>Properties</em> → check <em>Unblock</em> if present → OK.</li>
        <li><strong>Merge errors at 4K/8K?</strong> Ensure <em>ffmpeg.exe</em> is in the same folder as <em>yt-dlp.exe</em>.</li>
      </ul>
      <p>See also: <a href="commands.html">Commands cheatsheet</a> • <a href="troubleshooting.html">Full troubleshooting</a></p>
    </section>

    <section class="card" id="faq">
      <h2>FAQ</h2>
      <details>
        <summary>Do I need admin rights to install?</summary>
        <p>No. yt-dlp.exe is portable. Admin is only needed if you add PATH for all users; for your user, use the GUI method or <span class="code">setx</span>.</p>
      </details>
      <details>
        <summary>Will this work on Windows 7/8 or ARM?</summary>
        <p>yt-dlp primarily targets modern Windows versions. Some older systems may require Python-based setups. For ARM64, check the official release notes for compatibility.</p>
      </details>
      <details>
        <summary>How do I update to the latest version?</summary>
        <p>Run <span class="code">yt-dlp -U</span>. This updates the executable in place.</p>
      </details>
    </section>
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      <p style="max-width:800px;margin:6px auto 0;font-size:12px;color:#6b7280">Disclaimer: This site is not affiliated with YouTube or the official yt-dlp developers. We provide instructions and direct links to the official GitHub releases for educational purposes. Please respect copyright and website Terms of Service.</p>
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