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yt-dlp for Mac

Feature-rich command-line audio/video downloader

Quick answer: yt-dlp is a media app for macOS. Install it with brew install yt-dlp. It is distributed under the Unlicense licence. It has 54,231 Homebrew installs in the last 30 days.

What yt-dlp is

yt-dlp is a media app for macOS: feature-rich command-line audio/video downloader.

It is distributed as a Homebrew formula, which builds or pours a binary and puts it on your PATH. The project is open source and lives at https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp.

How to install yt-dlp

  1. Open Terminal (press ⌘ + Space and type “Terminal”).
  2. If Homebrew is not installed yet, run the installer below once.
  3. Run brew install yt-dlp.

Homebrew installer, if you need it:

Prefer a graphical installer? Download it from the official site. MacPicks never hosts or mirrors binaries — the Homebrew command always pulls from the vendor's own release.

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Frequently asked questions

How do I install yt-dlp on Mac?

Run brew install yt-dlp in Terminal. This requires Homebrew; if you do not have it, install it first with the command below.

Is yt-dlp open source?

Yes — Homebrew distributes it under the Unlicense licence.

Does yt-dlp run on Apple silicon?

Homebrew publishes this formula for macOS. If upstream does not ship an Apple silicon build, Rosetta 2 handles the Intel binary.

How popular is yt-dlp?

It was installed 54,231 times in the last 30 days according to Homebrew analytics, ranking #28 in this catalogue.

What version of yt-dlp is current?

The latest packaged version is 2026.10.21.