To install "youtube-dl" first:
sudo apt install youtube-dl
In the following examples, we use a "Amazing Grace" youtube video for illustrations.
The video is available at the following link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CDdvReNKKuk
To download a video with default format:
youtube-dl https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CDdvReNKKuk
To download a youtube audio with default format:
youtube-dl -x https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CDdvReNKKuk
To download video / audio with specific formats, please read examples below:
To check available format for a video:
youtube-dl -F https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CDdvReNKKuk
Terminal output:
[youtube] CDdvReNKKuk: Downloading webpage
[youtube] CDdvReNKKuk: Downloading video info webpage
[info] Available formats for CDdvReNKKuk:
format code extension resolution note
249 webm audio only tiny 67k , opus @ 50k (48000Hz), 1.79MiB
250 webm audio only tiny 83k , opus @ 70k (48000Hz), 2.32MiB
140 m4a audio only tiny 130k , m4a_dash container, mp4a.40.2@128k (44100Hz), 4.84MiB
251 webm audio only tiny 148k , opus @160k (48000Hz), 4.43MiB
160 mp4 256x144 144p 36k , avc1.4d400c, 30fps, video only, 664.49KiB
394 mp4 256x144 144p 51k , av01.0.00M.08, 30fps, video only, 1.40MiB
133 mp4 426x240 240p 62k , avc1.4d4015, 30fps, video only, 1.19MiB
395 mp4 426x240 240p 69k , av01.0.00M.08, 30fps, video only, 2.00MiB
242 webm 426x240 240p 84k , vp9, 30fps, video only, 2.10MiB
278 webm 256x144 144p 88k , webm container, vp9, 30fps, video only, 1.54MiB
134 mp4 640x360 360p 123k , avc1.4d401e, 30fps, video only, 2.64MiB
243 webm 640x360 360p 133k , vp9, 30fps, video only, 4.00MiB
396 mp4 640x360 360p 156k , av01.0.01M.08, 30fps, video only, 4.19MiB
244 webm 854x480 480p 230k , vp9, 30fps, video only, 6.88MiB
397 mp4 854x480 480p 233k , av01.0.04M.08, 30fps, video only, 5.53MiB
135 mp4 854x480 480p 242k , avc1.4d401f, 30fps, video only, 4.50MiB
247 webm 1280x720 720p 525k , vp9, 30fps, video only, 10.81MiB
136 mp4 1280x720 720p 528k , avc1.4d401f, 30fps, video only, 8.76MiB
18 mp4 640x360 360p 342k , avc1.42001E, mp4a.40.2@ 96k (44100Hz), 12.79MiB (best)
For example to dowload the last one with format of "mp4 640x360":
youtube-dl -f 18 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CDdvReNKKuk
youtube-dl -f bestvideo[ext=mp4]+bestaudio[ext=m4a]/mp4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CDdvReNKKuk
youtube-dl -x --audio-format mp3 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CDdvReNKKuk
At the moment of writing, WSL doesn't support audio, but you can easily open the files with a Windows app.
First, open Windows "File Explorer" from where your video / audio file is located:
explorer.exe .
[Remarks: Don't forget the dot "." at the end of the command line above.]
Second, double-click your video / audio file.