yt-dlp Commands Cheat Sheet (The Ones You'll Actually Use)
A practical yt-dlp commands cheat sheet — download, pick quality, extract audio, playlists, subtitles, sections, cookies, and output templates. Copy-paste ready.
Dalvo · Updated July 17, 2026
The handful of yt-dlp commands you'll reach for again and again, in one place. New to yt-dlp? Start with the how-to-use guide; this page is the quick reference.
The essentials
| Goal | Command |
|---|---|
| Download best quality | yt-dlp "URL" |
| List available formats | yt-dlp -F "URL" |
| Cap resolution (≤1080p) | yt-dlp -S "res:1080" "URL" |
| Best MP4 | yt-dlp -f "bv*[ext=mp4]+ba[ext=m4a]/b" "URL" |
| Audio only → MP3 | yt-dlp -x --audio-format mp3 "URL" |
| Download a playlist | yt-dlp "PLAYLIST_URL" |
| Just one section | yt-dlp --download-sections "*1:30-2:45" "URL" |
| Subtitles | yt-dlp --write-subs --sub-lang en "URL" |
| Name output file | yt-dlp -o "%(title)s.%(ext)s" "URL" |
| Pass browser cookies | yt-dlp --cookies-from-browser chrome "URL" |
| Update yt-dlp | yt-dlp -U |
Format selection
# See every stream, then pick by ID
yt-dlp -F "URL"
yt-dlp -f "137+140" "URL" # video id 137 + audio id 140
# Or sort by preference and let yt-dlp choose
yt-dlp -S "res:1080,fps,vcodec:av01" "URL"
Output templates
# Organize downloads into folders
yt-dlp -o "%(uploader)s/%(title)s [%(id)s].%(ext)s" "URL"
# Playlist with index numbers
yt-dlp -o "%(playlist_index)s - %(title)s.%(ext)s" "PLAYLIST_URL"
Rate limiting (avoid bot flags)
yt-dlp --sleep-requests 2 --sleep-interval 5 --max-sleep-interval 15 --limit-rate 2M "URL"
When commands aren't the problem
If a command that used to work suddenly errors with 403 Forbidden or a bot check, it's usually a stale version or a flagged IP — not your flags.
Prefer one endpoint over a page of flags?
Send a URL to our API with a format and get a direct download link — no flag juggling, no updates.
Start freeFrequently asked questions
How do I download a specific quality with yt-dlp?+
Use -S to sort by preference, e.g. -S "res:1080" for up to 1080p, or list formats with -F and pick exact IDs with -f "137+140".
How do I download only part of a video?+
Use --download-sections with a timestamp range, e.g. --download-sections "*1:30-2:45". It downloads just that segment instead of the whole video.