What Is youtube-dl
youtube-dl is a popular and open-source command-line tool written in Python that allows users to download video and audio files from online video websites. It was created in 2006, and initially, only YouTube was supported, but as it grew, it began supporting other video-sharing websites.
With youtube-dl, users can download videos from a wide range of websites, convert them into different formats, extract audio from video files, and even download entire playlists or channels. It can be used on multiple platforms, including Windows, macOS, and Linux.
However, because youtube-dl is an open-source program, it sometimes faces challenges due to the ongoing development in web technologies and platform updates. If YouTube or other platforms update their API or make changes to their site structure, youtube-dl may crash and stop working.
Why Is youtube-dl Not Working & How to Fix
There are several reasons why youtube-dl may stop working or fail to download content as expected. I’ve summarized some of the most common ones as follows:
1. Outdated Version of youtube-dl
One of the most frequent reasons youtube-dl stops working is that you’re using an outdated version of the tool. YouTube and other video platforms frequently update their websites, and youtube-dl relies on these platforms’ specific HTML structures and APIs to download videos. If the tool isn’t updated regularly, it may fail to work. To resolve this, you need to make sure you’re using the latest version of youtube-dl.
2. Network or Connectivity Issues
Sometimes, youtube-dl might not work simply because of network or connectivity issues. If your Internet connection is slow, unstable, or blocked by a firewall, you may not be able to establish a connection to the target site, or it may time out during the download process.
To fix it, check your Internet connection and try downloading the video again. If you’re using a VPN, proxy server, or firewall, make sure it doesn’t block youtube-dl from accessing the site.
3. Blocked or Restricted Content
Some content may be region-blocked or restricted, which means that youtube-dl may not be able to access or download it. This can occur if the video is not available in your geographic location or if it is set as private or age-restricted. You can fix it by using a VPN to change your IP address to a region where the video is available.
4. youtube-dl Has Been Taken Down (Legal Issues)
In certain cases, youtube-dl may not work due to legal issues. In 2020, the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) issued a takedown notice to GitHub, claiming that youtube-dl facilitates copyright infringement. Although the repository was later reinstated, there may be temporary outages or legal challenges that affect youtube-dl’s availability.
If so, there’s nothing you can do except look for youtube-dl alternatives to download YouTube videos. You can find the best alternatives to youtube-dl in the next section!
Best youtube-dl Alternatives
If you’ve tried the possible fixes above but still can’t use youtube-dl, here are the practical tools that can replace youtube-dl:
#MiniTool Video Converter
In terms of the youtube-dl alternative, MiniTool Video Converter is your best choice. It allows for downloading YouTube videos, music, playlists, podcasts, audiobooks, subtitles, etc. for free. This easy-to-use video downloader supports batch downloading, letting you download up to 10 videos at the same time.
To download videos from YouTube, you can utilize its built-in YouTube browser to search for and download videos directly, or you can simply copy and paste the video URL. Its supported output formats include MP4, WebM, MP3, and WAV. Click the button below to experience it now!
MiniTool Video ConverterClick to Download100%Clean & Safe
#Online Video Downloader on viddown.net
If you want to download videos not only from YouTube, Online Video Downloader on viddown.net is what you need. Besides YouTube, it also supports Instagram, X, Facebook, Vimeo, and TikTok.
Plus, as an online youtube-dl alternative, it doesn’t require download and installation or registration. It’s compatible with most common browsers (Edge, Chrome, Firefox, Opera, etc.) and devices (desktops, smartphones, tablets, etc.). With it, unlimited videos can be downloaded to your device for free.
Conclusion
Youtube-dl is a robust tool for downloading videos. If you encounter the youtube-dl not working issue, you can try the methods in this post to fix it. Alternatively, consider exploring YouTube-dl alternatives if the methods do not work.
About The Author
Position: Columnist
Lydia is always interested in new things and has been attracted deeply by writing. Her love for writing makes her become an English editor about multimedia in MiniTool. She’s determined to write articles about photos, audio, video, and other news to offer readers useful suggestions. In her spare time, she enjoys traveling, reading, photography, and having fun with friends.