How to Download YouTube Videos as MP3: A Comprehensive Guide

• What is yt-dlp?
• How to Use yt-dlp?
• Download YouTube Video to MP3 with yt-dlp
• Download YouTube Playlist as MP3 with yt-dlp
• Download YouTube Shorts to MP3 with yt-dlp
• FAQ

What is yt-dlp?

yt-dlp is a popular command-line tool for downloading YouTube videos and audio in various formats, including MP3. It is a fork of the original tool youtube-dl, which has been around for many years and is well-known for its functionality and ease of use.

How to Use yt-dlp?

Before you can use yt-dlp, you need to install it on your computer. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to do that for Windows, Mac, and Linux:

• Windows:

  1. Download the latest release of yt-dlp from here.

  2. Extract the contents of the zip file to a directory of your choice.

  3. Open a command prompt and navigate to the directory where yt-dlp is located.

  4. Type yt-dlp --help to check if the installation was successful.

• Mac:

  1. Open a terminal and type brew install yt-dlp. If you don’t have Homebrew installed, follow the instructions on here to install it first.

  2. Type yt-dlp --help to check if the installation was successful.

• Linux:

  1. Open a terminal and type sudo apt install yt-dlp or sudo pacman -S yt-dlp or sudo dnf install yt-dlp, depending on your distribution.

  2. Type yt-dlp --help to check if the installation was successful.

Download YouTube Video to MP3 with yt-dlp

Once you have yt-dlp installed, you can use it to download YouTube videos as MP3. Here’s how to do it:

1. Open a command prompt or terminal and navigate to https://www.mp3yt.info/ the directory where yt-dlp is located.

2. Copy the URL of the YouTube video you want to download.

3. Type yt-dlp -x --audio-format mp3 [URL], replacing [URL] with the URL of the video.

4. Press enter to start the download.

Download YouTube Playlist as MP3 with yt-dlp

To download an entire YouTube playlist as MP3 with yt-dlp, follow these steps:

1. Open a command prompt or terminal and navigate to the directory where yt-dlp is located.

2. Copy the URL of the YouTube playlist you want to download.

3. Type yt-dlp -x --audio-format mp3 [URL], replacing [URL] with the URL of the playlist.

4. Press enter to start the download.

Download YouTube Shorts to MP3 with yt-dlp

To download a YouTube Short as MP3 with yt-dlp, follow these steps:

1. Open a command prompt or terminal and navigate to the directory where yt-dlp is located.

2. Copy the URL of the YouTube Short you want to download.

3. Type yt-dlp -x --audio-format mp3 [URL], replacing [URL] with the URL of the Short.

4. Press enter to start the download.

FAQ

Here are some frequently asked questions about yt-dlp:

• Can I download private YouTube videos with yt-dlp?

  No, you cannot download private YouTube videos with yt-dlp or any other tool. You need to have permission from the video owner to download their content.

• Can I download copyrighted YouTube videos with yt-dlp?

  No, you should not download copyrighted YouTube videos with yt-dlp or any other tool without the permission of the copyright holder. Doing so could result in legal consequences.

• Is it legal to download YouTube videos with yt-dlp?

  It depends on the content of the video. Downloading non-copyrighted videos or videos that have been released under a Creative Commons license is generally legal. However, downloading copyrighted videos without the permission of the copyright holder is not legal.

• Can I use yt-dlp on my mobile device?

  While it is technically possible to install yt-dlp on a mobile device using a terminal emulator app, it is not the most convenient or practical way to download YouTube videos as MP3. It’s recommended to use yt-dlp on a desktop or laptop computer instead.