YouTube Video Downloader

The YouTube Video Downloader is a cross-platform desktop application that provides a graphical user interface (GUI) for downloading videos and audio from YouTube. Built with the Tkinter library and utilizing yt-dlp for media retrieval, this application simplifies the process of obtaining YouTube content without requiring command-line expertise.

Quick Start

Prerequisites

• Python 3.8 or later must be installed on your system.

• yt-dlp will be installed automatically by the application if not already present. Alternatively, you may install it manually:

  pip install yt-dlp

• ffmpeg is recommended for merging separate video and audio streams into a single file. It can be installed via your platform’s package manager:

  • Linux (Debian/Ubuntu):

    sudo apt update
    sudo apt install ffmpeg

  • macOS (Homebrew):

    brew install ffmpeg

  • Windows: Download and install from the official ffmpeg website and ensure the executable is available in your PATH.

Clone the Repository

Clone the project from GitHub:

git clone https://github.com/foxxfiles/YouTubeVideoDownloader.git
cd YouTubeVideoDownloader

Setting Up a Virtual Environment

It is recommended to use a virtual environment to isolate dependencies.

• Linux/macOS:

  python3 -m venv venv
  source venv/bin/activate
  pip install -r requirements.txt

• Windows (PowerShell):

  python -m venv venv
  .\venv\Scripts\activate
  pip install -r requirements.txt

  Ensure requirements.txt includes:

  yt-dlp
  

Running the Application

Once dependencies are installed, launch the GUI:

python ytd.py

The main window will appear, allowing you to enter a YouTube URL, choose download options, and initiate the retrieval process.

Usage Guide

Entering a Video URL

1. URL Field: Enter the full YouTube video URL (e.g., https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xxxxxxxxxxx).
2. Save Directory: By default, the application uses your system’s Downloads folder. To change, click Browse and select a new folder.
3. Format Selection:
   • Choose between MP4 (Video) or MP3 (Audio) by selecting the corresponding radio button.
   • To select a specific format or quality, click View Formats. This retrieves available media streams via yt-dlp and displays them in a dropdown. Selecting an entry populates the Custom Format field with the appropriate format code (e.g., 137+140 for 1080p video + high-quality audio) citeturn1search3.
4. Download:
   • Click Download to start the retrieval process. The status bar will display real-time output from yt-dlp, and the progress bar indicates completion percentage.
   • If downloading an MP3, the application downloads the best M4A audio and renames it to .mp3.
   • If combining separate streams, ffmpeg is invoked to merge video and audio into a single MP4 container.
5. Stop:
   • At any point, click Stop to terminate the ongoing download. Any incomplete files will be cleaned up automatically.
6. Clear:
   • Click Clear to reset all fields and progress indicators to their default state.

Footer

For additional tutorials and updates, visit our YouTube channel:

https://www.youtube.com/@efoxxfiles