How exactly do I get this to work/install? (Windows)

[tenminute]

Please follow the guide below

• You will be asked some questions and requested to provide some information, please read them carefully and answer honestly
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Make sure you are using the latest version: run youtube-dl --version and ensure your version is 2016.11.18. If it's not read this FAQ entry and update. Issues with outdated version will be rejected.

• I've verified and I assure that I'm running youtube-dl 2016.11.18

Before submitting an issue make sure you have:

• At least skimmed through README and most notably FAQ and BUGS sections
• Searched the bugtracker for similar issues including closed ones

What is the purpose of your issue?

• Bug report (encountered problems with youtube-dl)
• Site support request (request for adding support for a new site)
• Feature request (request for a new functionality)
• Question
• Other

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The following sections concretize particular purposed issues, you can erase any section (the contents between triple ---) not applicable to your issue

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If the purpose of this issue is a bug report, site support request or you are not completely sure provide the full verbose output as follows:

Add -v flag to your command line you run youtube-dl with, copy the whole output and insert it here. It should look similar to one below (replace it with your log inserted between triple ```):

$ youtube-dl -v <your command line>
[debug] System config: []
[debug] User config: []
[debug] Command-line args: [u'-v', u'http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BaW_jenozKcj']
[debug] Encodings: locale cp1251, fs mbcs, out cp866, pref cp1251
[debug] youtube-dl version 2016.11.18
[debug] Python version 2.7.11 - Windows-2003Server-5.2.3790-SP2
[debug] exe versions: ffmpeg N-75573-g1d0487f, ffprobe N-75573-g1d0487f, rtmpdump 2.4
[debug] Proxy map: {}
...
<end of log>

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If the purpose of this issue is a site support request please provide all kinds of example URLs support for which should be included (replace following example URLs by yours):

• Single video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BaW_jenozKc
• Single video: https://youtu.be/BaW_jenozKc
• Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL4lCao7KL_QFVb7Iudeipvc2BCavECqzc

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Description of your issue, suggested solution and other information

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First time noob here. How exactly do I use/install the Windows .exe? It doesn't actually "install" install right? I downloaded it, put it in a folder, pressed Shift+right-clicked "Open command window here" (Command Prompt opens), I type "youtube-dl.exe https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DW5jfjN-5RI" (without quotes), and pressed enter.

I seemed to have worked? But where is file? I can't find it anywhere! Is there a way to change the output directory (sorry, haven't looked that up yet)?

Last but not least, how would I enter a live stream to work and not for a download? Just enter the url after "youtube-dl.exe"?

Edit: Do I, or do I not need Python with the Windows .exe?

[yan12125]

You already know everything to make it working :)

But where is file?

In C:\Program Files\youtube-dl. See the prompt in CMD

Is there a way to change the output directory

There's an option -o. Some examples

how would I enter a live stream to work and not for a download?

Live streams are tricky. If you want to watch before the download is completed, add --hls-use-mpegts

Do I, or do I not need Python with the Windows .exe?

Both are fine. youtube-dl comes with its own Python

[tenminute]

Thanks @yan12125

I even tried it twice and it says that it's downloaded already. I know that's normal (from reading/searching), but the file is not there. I can not find it anywhere!

[yan12125]

What's the result if you type dir in CMD?

[tenminute]

This?

[yan12125]

Sorry that's out of my knowledge. Maybe cd to Desktop first is better

[tenminute]

Ughhh... don't want it that way. But I guess I may have to do so.

Last question though, if you don't mind answering. Streams are really that tricky, though? If that's really the case and youtube-dl doesn't work for streams... then I will just stick with Livestreamer/Streamlink.

(I was looking for an alternative and I thought this was the way to go for STREAMING)

[yan12125]

Reports have that livestreamer is better on handling live streams (#9349), so I guess your answer is there

[tenminute]

Well... I'm still trying to find that file I downloaded! =/

Thanks again!

[jdunn0]

Write access to directories like C:\Program Files are restricted to Administrators on Windows Vista and higher.
For compatibility with older programs that just assume they can write to that directory, Windows will automatically redirect any files written to that directory by a an application without the correct privileges to a VirtualStore folder in your local appdata directory.
If you ran the Command Prompt without Administrator Access (the default) and the current directory was C:\Program Files\youtube-dl then the file you downloaded with youtube-dl is probably in the directory %LocalAppData%\VirtualStore\Program Files\youtube-dl.
You could run the Command Prompt with Administrator Access and the file write wouldn't get redirected but that is less secure and would be more hassle as you would need to go through a UAC prompt each time you opened the Command Prompt.

In the future, you should set your current directory to a folder you have write access to like %USERPROFILE% (Which is the initial directory Command Prompt opens to) and then run youtube-dl from there.
In that case you will need to either run youtube-dl by typing out the full path "C:\Program Files\youtube-dl\youtube-dl.exe" or add C:\Program Files\youtube-dl to your PATH environment variable and you can just type youtube-dl.exe regardless of the current directory you are in.

Note on Variables:
In File Explorer, Command Prompt and other places, an environment variable will automatically be expanded but just for reference, here are the default directories the mentioned environment variables expand to (assuming your username is JohnDoe).
%USERPROFILE% would be C:\Users\JohnDoe
%LOCALAPPDATA% would be C:\Users\JohnDoe\AppData\Local

[tenminute]

@jdunn0 Totally forgot about this... but yep! That's where it was, Thanks!