Repository: yt-dlp
Issue: 🚨[IMPORTANT]🚨 KNOWN ISSUES/FAQ
Labels: discussion/announcement

Some known common issues. Make sure to always check this before opening issues. **Duplicates of these will be strictly treated as spam!**

**Useful issue tracker filters:**

[[Core Issues]](https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/issues?q=is%3Aopen+is%3Aissue+label%3Aenhancement%2Cbug%2Ccore%3Adownloader%2Ccore%3Apost-processor%2Ccore%3Aextractor%2Ccore%3Anetworking%2Ccore%3Acookies) [[Site Issues]](https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/issues?q=is%3Aopen+is%3Aissue+label%3Asite-request%2Csite-enhancement%2Csite-bug) [[YouTube issues]](https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/issues?q=is%3Aopen+is%3Aissue+label%3Asite%3Ayoutube) [[Good issues for new devs]](https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/issues?q=is%3Aopen+is%3Aissue+label%3A%22good+first+issue%22)

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## High priority issues

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## Intractable issues

* https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/issues/11868
* https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/issues/10085
	- Do **not** pass cookies; do **not** log in with OAuth.
	- Try passing a [PO Token](https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/wiki/Extractors#po-token-guide) **to avoid getting blocked.**
* https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/issues/10128
	- Your IP has been blocked by YouTube while you are logged out. You can [pass logged-in cookies](https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/wiki/Extractors#exporting-youtube-cookies); however, doing so may get your account blocked. The safer solution is to use a different IP.
	- To prevent this, [try passing a PO Token](https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/wiki/Extractors#po-token-guide), though it will not help if your IP is already blocked.
* https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/issues/10108
	- Your IP has been blocked by Youtube.
	- You can try `--force-ipv6` or `--force-ipv4` to switch b/w IPv4 and IPv6 IPs if you have them.
* https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/issues/11296
	- The age-restriction workaround is mostly broken. You must [pass logged-in cookies](https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/wiki/Extractors#exporting-youtube-cookies); however, doing so may get your account blocked
* https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/issues/8227
	- [How to effectively export YouTube cookies](https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/wiki/Extractors#exporting-youtube-cookies)
* https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/issues/11426
	- You are exceeding the rate limit. [Workarounds](https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/issues/11426#issuecomment-2453572797)

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# Recently solved bugs

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### Use [nightly/master builds](https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp#update-channels), pip install [nightly](https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/wiki/Installation#pip-nightly) or [master](https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/wiki/Installation#pip-master), or wait for release


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### Update to latest version

* https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/issues/12103
* https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/issues/11514
* https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/issues/11959
* https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/issues/12085
* https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/issues/11744
* https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/issues/11748
* https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/issues/11798
* https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/issues/11524
* https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/issues/11497
* https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/issues/11666
* https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/issues/11753
* https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/issues/11630
* https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/issues/11665
* https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/issues/6564
* https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/issues/11034
* https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/issues/4547
* https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/issues/6247

# Bugs
* https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/issues/11811
* https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/issues/11130
* https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/issues/10422
* https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/issues/11195
* https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/issues/7058
	- Do not pass cookies to yt-dlp
* https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/issues/4311
* https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/issues/4394
* https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/issues/7165
* https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/issues/5967
* https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/issues/2188
* https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/issues/622 / https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/issues/5546
	- Metadata from youtube.com is used for ytmusic
* https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/issues/4280
	- Use `--fixup never`
* https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/issues/1164
* https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/issues/2314
	- Use `-o %(title).200B.%(ext)s`
* https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/issues/3564
* https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/issues/6539
* https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/issues/2740
* https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/issues/6482
* https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/issues/5374
* https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/issues/9667
* https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/issues/11178
* https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/issues/11385
* https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/issues/12082
* https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/issues/12209

# External issues
* https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/issues/7271
    - Try after closing chrome completely OR
	- Launch chrome from command line w/ `chrome.exe --disable-features=LockProfileCookieDatabase`
	- Alternatively, you can [install](https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp#installing-plugins) the [ChomeCookieUnlock yt-dlp plugin](https://github.com/seproDev/yt-dlp-ChromeCookieUnlock)
* https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/issues/10927
* https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/issues/11262
* https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/issues/9903
	- Use `--extractor-arg "youtube:player_client=android_vr,default"`
* https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/issues/10443
	- [Workarounds](https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/issues/10443#issuecomment-2248940967)
* https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/issues/8854
* https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/issues/10394
    - Don't use `--extractor-retries infinite`
* https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/issues/8641
	- Regression in ffmpeg 6.1. Upgrade to ffmpeg 6.1.1 or to [master build](https://github.com/yt-dlp/FFmpeg-Builds/releases) revision `N-112916` or later
* https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/issues/7541
	- ffmpeg bug. Upgrade to ffmpeg 7.0.1 or to the latest [master build](https://github.com/yt-dlp/FFmpeg-Builds/releases)
* https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/issues/7824
	- Use `-S proto:https` or `--extractor-args "youtube:player_client=default,-ios"`
* https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/issues/8149
	- Disable pi-hole or whitelist `s.youtube.com`
* https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/issues/6859
	- ffmpeg regression. Use https://github.com/yt-dlp/FFmpeg-Builds or upgrade to 6.1.1 or newer
* https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/issues/25
	- It's a false positive. Complain to your vendor. There is nothing we can do
* https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/issues/1787
	- Broken from Youtube's side. If downloading comments, use `-i` to ignore the error
* https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/issues/3087
	- Workaround: `--parse-metadata "%(release_year,upload_date).4s:(?P<meta_date>.+)"`
* https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/issues/10294
* https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/issues/10425

# FAQ

See https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/wiki/FAQ

* [Filename too long](https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/issues/1136#issuecomment-932077195)
    - `-o %(title).200B.%(ext)s`
* https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/issues/979#issuecomment-919629354
	- Generally do not use `ba*`
* https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/pull/302
	- Check `playlist_autonumber` and `--compat-option playlist-index`
* https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/issues/3845
	- Use `bundle/pyinstaller.py`
* https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/issues/630#issuecomment-893659460
	- Use `--compat-option no-keep-subs`
* https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/issues/4216 / https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/issues/5080
	- Use `--force-keyframes-at-cuts`
* https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/issues/4202
* [How to check in browser if the video is DRM protected](https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/issues/4062#issuecomment-1153474056)
* #2903
* https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/issues/4262#issuecomment-1173133105
* #4640
* https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/issues/4836 / https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/issues/5014
* https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/issues/1803
* https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/issues/429#issuecomment-2282554440
* Download only videos with subtitles
   - `--parse-metadata "%(subtitles.\:.0.ext|)s:^(?!\[\])(?P<has_subs>.)" -v --match-filter has_subs`
* https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/issues/5692
* Remove specific fields from info-json - https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/issues/455#issuecomment-1367741786
* About subtitles in mp4 container - https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/issues/5833#issuecomment-1358246240
* https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/issues/5859#issuecomment-1363938900
	* Use https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/blob/master/devscripts/cli_to_api.py
* https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/issues/3875
* https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/issues/1232#issuecomment-939635345
* https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/issues/7322
* https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/issues/2372#issuecomment-1506413976
* https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/issues/7607#issuecomment-1636960750
* https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/issues/8880

**PS**: These are just the most common issues at the moment. Make sure to [search for duplicates](https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/issues?q=) in general before opening issues. Looking at this is not an excuse to not search for other duplicates!