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  <title>yt-dlp Troubleshooting (Windows) — Common Errors & Fixes</title>
  <meta name="description" content="Fix yt-dlp on Windows: FFmpeg not found/merge errors, ‘Unable to extract’ parsing errors, 403/404/410 or login required, slow speed, SSL issues, SmartScreen, ‘command not found’. Update -U, cookies, proxies.">
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      {"@type": "Question", "name": "Why do I see 'ffmpeg not found' or no merge?", "acceptedAnswer": {"@type": "Answer", "text": "Place ffmpeg.exe next to yt-dlp.exe or add FFmpeg's bin folder to PATH. Then retry: yt-dlp -f \"bestvideo+bestaudio/best\" \"URL\"."}},
      {"@type": "Question", "name": "‘Unable to extract …’ or parsing errors?", "acceptedAnswer": {"@type": "Answer", "text": "Update yt-dlp with yt-dlp -U and retry. Sites change often; the latest extractors usually fix it."}},
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      {"@type": "Question", "name": "Why is my download very slow?", "acceptedAnswer": {"@type": "Answer", "text": "Try -N 4, avoid VPN/proxy throttling, run later, and ensure you're on the latest yt-dlp. You can also set --limit-rate to stabilize throughput."}},
      {"@type": "Question", "name": "'yt-dlp' is not recognized?", "acceptedAnswer": {"@type": "Answer", "text": "Either run it from its folder or add that folder to PATH. Or call it with the full path, e.g., C:\\Tools\\yt-dlp\\yt-dlp.exe --version."}},
      {"@type": "Question", "name": "SmartScreen is blocking the file?", "acceptedAnswer": {"@type": "Answer", "text": "Click More info → Run anyway. Portable open-source tools can trigger SmartScreen. We link to the official GitHub release."}},
      {"@type": "Question", "name": "SSL certificate verify failed?", "acceptedAnswer": {"@type": "Answer", "text": "Update Windows certificates and try again. As a last resort, --nocheck-certificate can bypass checks (not recommended)."}},
      {"@type": "Question", "name": "Unsupported URL?", "acceptedAnswer": {"@type": "Answer", "text": "Check if the site is supported and update yt-dlp (-U). Use -F \"URL\" to list formats; if still unsupported, see the official docs."}}
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  <main class="container">
    <section class="hero">
      <h1>yt-dlp Troubleshooting (Windows)</h1>
      <p class="subtitle">Fix common issues on Windows: FFmpeg merges, parsing errors, login/cookies, slow speeds, SSL, SmartScreen, PATH, and more. Start with <strong>Update & Verify</strong> below.</p>
      <p><a class="btn" href="get.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">⬇️ Download yt-dlp.exe</a></p>
      <div class="muted" style="margin-top:8px"><span id="last-updated"></span> • Works on Windows 11/10</div>
    </section>

    <section class="card" id="update-verify">
      <h2>1) Update & verify</h2>
      <div class="code">yt-dlp --version
yt-dlp -U</div>
      <ul class="list">
        <li>‘Unable to extract …’ usually means you need the latest extractors. Run <code>yt-dlp -U</code> and retry.</li>
        <li>List formats to check availability: <span class="code">yt-dlp -F "URL"</span></li>
      </ul>
    </section>

    <section class="card two" id="ffmpeg-merge">
      <div>
        <h2>2) FFmpeg & merge errors</h2>
        <ul class="list">
          <li><strong>ffmpeg not found / no merge</strong>: Place <strong>ffmpeg.exe</strong> next to <strong>yt-dlp.exe</strong> or add FFmpeg to PATH.</li>
          <li>Use separate streams: <span class="code">-f "bestvideo+bestaudio/best"</span></li>
          <li>Test merge: <span class="code">ffmpeg -version</span></li>
        </ul>
        <p>Guide: <a href="ffmpeg-windows.html">FFmpeg setup for Windows</a></p>
      </div>
      <div>
        <h2>3) Format & compatibility</h2>
        <ul class="list">
          <li>Prefer MP4/H.264: <span class="code">-f "bestvideo[ext=mp4][vcodec*=h264]+bestaudio[ext=m4a]/best[ext=mp4]"</span></li>
          <li>Cap at 1080p: <span class="code">-f "bestvideo[height<=1080]+bestaudio/best"</span></li>
        </ul>
      </div>
    </section>

    <section class="card two" id="auth-network">
      <div>
        <h2>4) Auth & restricted videos</h2>
        <ul class="list">
          <li>Login required: <span class="code">--cookies-from-browser chrome</span> (or edge/firefox)</li>
          <li>Use only for content you are allowed to access.</li>
        </ul>
      </div>
      <div>
        <h2>5) Slow or unstable speed</h2>
        <ul class="list">
          <li>Concurrency: <span class="code">-N 4</span> (try 4–8)</li>
          <li>Stabilize: <span class="code">--limit-rate 5M</span></li>
          <li>Retry: <span class="code">--retries 10 --fragment-retries 10</span></li>
        </ul>
      </div>
    </section>

    <section class="card two" id="windows-issues">
      <div>
        <h2>6) Windows-specific issues</h2>
        <ul class="list">
          <li><strong>‘yt-dlp’ not recognized</strong>: Run from its folder or add to PATH.</li>
          <li><strong>SmartScreen</strong>: More info → Run anyway (official GitHub release linked).</li>
          <li><strong>Access denied / blocked</strong>: File properties → Unblock; check antivirus.</li>
        </ul>
      </div>
      <div>
        <h2>7) SSL & certificate errors</h2>
        <ul class="list">
          <li>Update Windows certificates and try again.</li>
          <li>As a last resort: <span class="code">--nocheck-certificate</span> (not recommended long‑term).</li>
        </ul>
      </div>
    </section>

    <section class="card" id="diagnostics">
      <h2>Advanced diagnostics</h2>
      <div class="code">yt-dlp -v "URL"        # verbose logs
yt-dlp -F "URL"       # list formats
yt-dlp --simulate "URL"  # test without downloading</div>
      <p>Check logs for exact error messages. Update yt-dlp and verify FFmpeg before deeper debugging.</p>
    </section>

    <section class="card" id="faq">
      <h2>FAQ</h2>
      <details>
        <summary>403/410 after many attempts?</summary>
        <p>Wait and try later, avoid aggressive retries, and consider using your own connection without proxies/VPNs that might be throttled.</p>
      </details>
      <details>
        <summary>‘Unsupported URL’?</summary>
        <p>The site may not be supported or requires update. Run <span class="code">yt-dlp -U</span> and check <span class="code">-F</span> for formats.</p>
      </details>
      <details>
        <summary>Audio only but no video?</summary>
        <p>Use <span class="code">bestvideo+bestaudio</span> and ensure FFmpeg is present for merging.</p>
      </details>
    </section>

    <section class="card" id="legal">
      <h2>Legal & safety</h2>
      <p>yt-dlp is open source and safe. Only download content you have rights to and follow each website's Terms of Service. We link to the official GitHub release.</p>
      <p>Next steps: <a href="commands.html">Commands cheatsheet</a> • <a href="ffmpeg-windows.html">FFmpeg setup</a> • <a href="4k-8k-hdr.html">4K/8K guide</a></p>
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