# How to install yt-dlp on a Mac > Install yt-dlp on macOS in minutes using Homebrew or standalone binaries. Learn why FFmpeg is required for 4K video and how to fix terminal errors. Published 2026-10-31 · Libraries & tools · https://www.hazenstudio.com/maclc/blog/how-to-install-yt-dlp-on-mac/ ## In short - The easiest way to install and maintain yt-dlp on macOS is via Homebrew with brew install yt-dlp. - yt-dlp requires FFmpeg to merge high-resolution video and audio streams; without it, downloads are capped at 720p. - Running brew upgrade yt-dlp frequently prevents download errors caused by streaming sites changing their internal APIs. - MacLC integrates with yt-dlp to stream web links and browse YouTube directly in a native desktop player. The fastest way to install `yt-dlp` on an Apple Silicon Mac is through Homebrew by opening Terminal and running `brew install yt-dlp`. This single command installs the latest version of the popular media downloader and links it directly into your command path. `yt-dlp` is a free, open-source command-line utility that extracts audio and video streams from YouTube and thousands of other video hosting websites. Below is a complete guide to installing `yt-dlp`, connecting it with FFmpeg to unlock 1080p and 4K downloads, keeping it updated, and integrating it with desktop video players. ## How do you install yt-dlp on macOS using Homebrew? Homebrew is the recommended installation method for macOS because it manages updates automatically and ensures that dependencies like Python and FFmpeg stay in sync. To install `yt-dlp` using Homebrew on an Apple Silicon Mac: 1. Open the **Terminal** app from your `Applications › Utilities` folder (or press `⌘ Space`, type `Terminal`, and press `Return`). 2. If you do not already have Homebrew installed on your Mac, run the official installer: ```bash /bin/bash -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/HEAD/install.sh)" ``` 3. Configure your shell environment so your terminal can locate Homebrew binaries in `/opt/homebrew/bin`: ```bash echo 'eval "$(/opt/homebrew/bin/brew shellenv)"' >> ~/.zprofile eval "$(/opt/homebrew/bin/brew shellenv)" ``` 4. Install `yt-dlp` by running: ```bash brew install yt-dlp ``` Homebrew will download the universal Apple Silicon package and install the executable to `/opt/homebrew/bin/yt-dlp`. Confirm the installation by checking its version: ```bash yt-dlp --version ``` If Terminal outputs a release timestamp such as `2026.10.26`, `yt-dlp` is installed and ready to use. ## How do you install yt-dlp using the official standalone binary? If you prefer not to use Homebrew, you can install the official standalone binary distributed by the `yt-dlp` maintainers on GitHub. The standalone binary bundles its own lightweight Python runtime, meaning it runs on macOS without configuring external packages. To install the standalone binary: 1. Open Terminal and download the latest universal macOS release into `/usr/local/bin`: ```bash sudo curl -L https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/releases/latest/download/yt-dlp -o /usr/local/bin/yt-dlp ``` 2. Make the file executable: ```bash sudo chmod a+rx /usr/local/bin/yt-dlp ``` 3. Test the binary by running: ```bash yt-dlp --version ``` When installed as a standalone binary, `yt-dlp` includes a built-in auto-updater. You can update it anytime by running: ```bash sudo yt-dlp -U ``` ## Why does yt-dlp require FFmpeg to download 1080p and 4K video? Many Mac users install `yt-dlp`, download their first video, and wonder why the resolution is capped at 720p or why Terminal prints a warning about missing post-processors. Modern video hosting platforms, including YouTube, do not store high-definition video as a single pre-combined file. Instead, to support adaptive bitrate streaming across varying network conditions (using standards like DASH and HLS), the platform stores the high-resolution video track (1080p, 1440p, or 4K) separately from the audio soundtrack. When you download a 4K video: 1. `yt-dlp` downloads the standalone high-bitrate video stream (often encoded in VP9 or AV1) as a temporary file. 2. `yt-dlp` downloads the standalone audio stream (encoded in Opus or AAC) as a second temporary file. 3. `yt-dlp` launches `ffmpeg` in the background to remux the two streams together into a single, unified MP4 or MKV container. 4. `yt-dlp` deletes the temporary files, leaving you with one complete file. Without FFmpeg installed on your Mac, `yt-dlp` cannot merge the two tracks. To prevent leaving you with an unplayable video file without sound, `yt-dlp` automatically falls back to downloading legacy pre-muxed streams, which are permanently limited to 720p at 30 frames per second. To unlock full 1080p, 4K, 8K, and 60 fps downloads, install FFmpeg alongside `yt-dlp`: ```bash brew install ffmpeg ``` To learn more about how FFmpeg multiplexes streams together, read our guide on [how to install FFmpeg on Mac](/maclc/blog/how-to-install-ffmpeg-on-mac/) and our explainer on [what is FFmpeg](/maclc/blog/what-is-ffmpeg/). ## How do you update yt-dlp when video downloads fail? Streaming websites alter their player scripts, streaming APIs, and encryption handshakes on a weekly basis to prevent automated scraping. When YouTube modifies its internal backend, older versions of `yt-dlp` may fail with errors like: ```text ERROR: Unable to extract uploader id ERROR: HTTP Error 403: Forbidden ERROR: Sign in to confirm you're not a bot ``` The `yt-dlp` developer community releases updates constantly—often several times a month—to counteract these platform changes. Whenever a download fails, your first troubleshooting step should always be updating `yt-dlp`. ### Updating via Homebrew: ```bash brew update && brew upgrade yt-dlp ``` ### Updating the standalone binary: ```bash sudo yt-dlp -U ``` Keeping `yt-dlp` updated resolves more than 90% of extraction and download failures. ## Is using yt-dlp legal on a Mac? Understanding the legal standing of `yt-dlp` requires separating the software tool from the content being downloaded and the terms of service of the hosting platform. From a software perspective, `yt-dlp` is open-source software distributed under The Unlicense, placing it in the public domain. It does not contain decryption keys, and it does not circumvent Digital Rights Management (DRM) systems such as Apple FairPlay, Google Widevine, or Microsoft PlayReady. You cannot use `yt-dlp` to download encrypted movies from subscription services like Netflix, Disney+, or Apple TV+. From a platform perspective, downloading content from YouTube directly violates YouTube's Terms of Service ("Permissions and Restrictions"), which state that users may not access, reproduce, download, or distribute content without prior written permission from YouTube or respective rights holders. From a copyright law perspective, courts in Europe (including landmark decisions in Germany and Switzerland) have consistently held that creating local copies of publicly accessible, unencrypted streaming media for personal, non-commercial archiving falls under statutory private copying exceptions. `yt-dlp` is widely used for undisputed legal purposes, such as: - Downloading your own uploaded content and channel archives. - Saving open-access creative works, such as the open-source films produced by the Blender Foundation. - Archiving Creative Commons, public domain, and educational lecture material for offline study. *Note: This section describes the technical and legal context for informational purposes and does not constitute legal advice.* *A link in MacLC: from web URL to screen* ## How desktop players use yt-dlp for streaming While downloading video files to your hard drive is convenient for offline travel, running terminal commands just to watch a quick tutorial or documentary can feel cumbersome. Furthermore, browser playback in Chrome or Safari is often cluttered with interface overlays, lacks advanced audio equalization, and cannot apply specialized HDR enhancement. Desktop players can solve this by integrating directly with `yt-dlp` for desktop streaming. Once you have `yt-dlp` installed via Homebrew (`brew install yt-dlp`), the player uses the utility as a background stream resolver. Press ⌘U in MacLC to paste any web video URL. MacLC queries your local yt-dlp installation to resolve the raw media streams, bypassing browser overhead and playing it in the same window as your own files, with hardware decoding and the same sound modes, Voice Boost included. In addition to opening individual pasted URLs, MacLC features a dedicated **YouTube** section built right into its sidebar: - **Browse without browser bloat:** Explore YouTube Home, Subscriptions, History, Watch Later, and Liked Videos directly inside a clean macOS AppKit interface. - **Search and channels:** Search for creators, browse playlists, and launch videos with a single click. - **Privacy and account control:** Signing in with your Google account is optional and strictly private; no tracking cookies or telemetry leave your Mac. - **Sound modes:** Enjoy web soundtracks through a 10-band equalizer and Voice Boost dialogue engine (+7.4 dB center channel advantage on 5.1 tracks). Learn more about enjoying web streams on macOS in our dedicated guide to [YouTube in a Mac video player](/maclc/blog/youtube-in-a-mac-video-player/). ## What to do next Installing `yt-dlp` takes less than two minutes with Homebrew and gives your Mac a versatile media retrieval tool. Start by installing both `yt-dlp` and `ffmpeg` in Terminal, and keep them updated whenever streaming platforms adjust their backends. If you want the power of `yt-dlp` without spending your day managing terminal scripts, download [MacLC](/maclc/donate/). With `yt-dlp` installed, you can press `⌘U` to stream any web link with hardware acceleration, picture-in-picture, and custom sound modes, making web video feel like a native Mac experience. ## Questions people ask ### Why does yt-dlp say 'ffmpeg is not installed' on my Mac? Modern streaming sites host high-definition video and audio as separate adaptive streams. yt-dlp needs FFmpeg to combine these two files into a single playable MP4 or MKV container. Install it with brew install ffmpeg. ### How do I update yt-dlp on a Mac? If you installed yt-dlp with Homebrew, update it by running brew update && brew upgrade yt-dlp. If you installed the standalone binary, run yt-dlp -U in Terminal. ### Is downloading YouTube videos with yt-dlp legal? yt-dlp does not bypass DRM or decrypt copy-protected commercial media. Downloading public streams for personal, non-commercial archiving is protected under private copying exceptions in several jurisdictions, though it violates YouTube's Terms of Service. This is technical information, not legal advice. ### Where does Homebrew install yt-dlp on Apple Silicon? On Apple Silicon Macs (M1 through M4), Homebrew installs yt-dlp into /opt/homebrew/bin/yt-dlp. On older Intel Macs, it installs to /usr/local/bin/yt-dlp. --- MacLC is a free, open-source video player for Apple Silicon Macs: https://www.hazenstudio.com/maclc/ · download: https://www.hazenstudio.com/maclc/donate/