Receive 403 error on 17th or 18th video in Udemy Course

[MarkLFT]

Checklist

• I'm reporting a broken site support issue
• I've verified that I'm running youtube-dl version 2019.08.13
• I've checked that all provided URLs are alive and playable in a browser
• [x ] I've checked that all URLs and arguments with special characters are properly quoted or escaped
• I've searched the bugtracker for similar bug reports including closed ones
• I've read bugs section in FAQ

Verbose log

youtube-dl -u ****@*****.net -p ********* -o %(playlist)s/%(chapter_number)s-%(chapter)s/%(playlist_index)s-%(title)s.%(ext)s https://www.udemy.com/the-ultimate-digital-painting-course-beginner-to-advanced/learn/v4/ --verbose
[debug] System config: []
[debug] User config: []
[debug] Custom config: []
[debug] Command-line args: ['-u', 'PRIVATE', '-p', 'PRIVATE', '-o', '%(playlist)s/%(chapter_number)s-%(chapter)s/%(playlist_index)s-%(title)s.%(ext)s', 'https://www.udemy.com/the-ultimate-digital-painting-course-beginner-to-advanced/learn/v4/', '--verbose']
[debug] Encodings: locale cp1252, fs mbcs, out cp850, pref cp1252
[debug] youtube-dl version 2019.08.13
[debug] Python version 3.4.4 (CPython) - Windows-10-10.0.17763
[debug] exe versions: none
[debug] Proxy map: {}
[udemy:course] Downloading login popup
[udemy:course] Logging in
[udemy:course] the-ultimate-digital-painting-course-beginner-to-advanced: Downloading webpage
[udemy:course] 869812: Downloading course curriculum
[download] Downloading playlist: 869812
[udemy:course] playlist 869812: Collected 124 video ids (downloading 124 of them)
[download] Downloading video 1 of 124
[udemy] Downloading login popup
[udemy] 15647678: Downloading webpage
[udemy] 15647678: Downloading lecture JSON
[udemy] 19199838: Downloading m3u8 information
[debug] Default format spec: best/bestvideo+bestaudio
[debug] Invoking downloader on 'https://h.udemycdn-a.com/869812/19199838/2019-07-29_12-26-54-1bca893ff72d4306aa14a46121138087/hls/hls_1080/aa0077aec149f600b24e3de0aa49c088f3e8.m3u8'
[download] 869812\1-Getting Started With The Course\001-Intro.mp4 has already been downloaded
[download] 100% of 81.65MiB
WARNING: 19199838: malformed AAC bitstream detected. Install ffmpeg or avconv to fix this automatically.
[download] Downloading video 2 of 124
[udemy] 15580896: Downloading webpage
[udemy] 15580896: Downloading lecture JSON
[debug] Default format spec: best/bestvideo+bestaudio
[debug] Invoking downloader on 'https://a.udemycdn.com/2019-07-23_23-07-54-8bbbda3bdd472e5acc702355d905e994/WebHD_720p.mp4?nva=20190820110741&token=094d7713839cf68c6f3e9'
[download] 869812\1-Getting Started With The Course\002-Tools and Software.mp4 has already been downloaded
[download] 100% of 34.19MiB
[download] Downloading video 3 of 124
[udemy] 15648148: Downloading webpage
[udemy] 15648148: Downloading lecture JSON
[udemy] 19200220: Downloading m3u8 information
[debug] Default format spec: best/bestvideo+bestaudio
[debug] Invoking downloader on 'https://h.udemycdn-a.com/869812/19200220/2019-07-29_13-01-45-e94fb006614476f1f1196a59eada2829/hls/hls_1080/aa005d2fce74383797ba7aa150481c357dce.m3u8'
[download] 869812\1-Getting Started With The Course\003-Join The Facebook Groups!.mp4 has already been downloaded
[download] 100% of 57.06MiB
WARNING: 19200220: malformed AAC bitstream detected. Install ffmpeg or avconv to fix this automatically.
[download] Downloading video 4 of 124
[udemy] 15564158: Downloading webpage
[udemy] 15564158: Downloading lecture JSON
[debug] Default format spec: best/bestvideo+bestaudio
[debug] Invoking downloader on 'https://a2.udemycdn.com/2019-07-23_22-59-31-4cbe29e08b173e5d0c704e4d794374a5/WebHD_720p.mp4?nva=20190820110745&token=05d36fefdfe7a857fcbeb'
[download] 869812\2-Anyone Can Learn to Digitally Paint\004-Canvas Settings.mp4 has already been downloaded
[download] 100% of 8.32MiB
[download] Downloading video 5 of 124
[udemy] 15566436: Downloading webpage
[udemy] 15566436: Downloading lecture JSON
[debug] Default format spec: best/bestvideo+bestaudio
[debug] Invoking downloader on 'https://a.udemycdn.com/2019-07-22_19-34-10-188a1358503663b9623bff80f16135e7/WebHD_720p.mp4?nva=20190820110747&token=0020e7233f66a0a266710'
[download] 869812\2-Anyone Can Learn to Digitally Paint\005-Drawing The Human Eye.mp4 has already been downloaded
[download] 100% of 44.82MiB
[download] Downloading video 6 of 124
[udemy] 15566498: Downloading webpage
[udemy] 15566498: Downloading lecture JSON
[debug] Default format spec: best/bestvideo+bestaudio
[debug] Invoking downloader on 'https://a2.udemycdn.com/2019-07-22_19-57-12-9ba6c85ae27c24e5be2dcf328b10d391/WebHD_720p.mp4?nva=20190820110749&token=0b0891915fc2a1c381531'
[download] 869812\2-Anyone Can Learn to Digitally Paint\006-Painting The Eye Part 1.mp4 has already been downloaded
[download] 100% of 226.08MiB
[download] Downloading video 7 of 124
[udemy] 15566524: Downloading webpage
[udemy] 15566524: Downloading lecture JSON
[debug] Default format spec: best/bestvideo+bestaudio
[debug] Invoking downloader on 'https://a.udemycdn.com/2019-07-22_19-58-05-eb3b0aa3b58c3b09202b651e6e134da0/WebHD_720p.mp4?nva=20190820110751&token=02c888b8c70a19e224c76'
[download] 869812\2-Anyone Can Learn to Digitally Paint\007-Painting The Eye Part 2.mp4 has already been downloaded
[download] 100% of 223.89MiB
[download] Downloading video 8 of 124
[udemy] 15588396: Downloading webpage
[udemy] 15588396: Downloading lecture JSON
[debug] Default format spec: best/bestvideo+bestaudio
[debug] Invoking downloader on 'https://a2.udemycdn.com/2019-07-24_16-38-04-dfe2f7b13c08ecd8d9fa989506e2b4f4/WebHD_720p.mp4?nva=20190820110752&token=015f4f70acc80c6e4d179'
[download] 869812\3-Learning to Use a Digital Brush\008-Opacity, Flow, and Size.mp4 has already been downloaded
[download] 100% of 44.67MiB
[download] Downloading video 9 of 124
[udemy] 15588422: Downloading webpage
[udemy] 15588422: Downloading lecture JSON
[debug] Default format spec: best/bestvideo+bestaudio
[debug] Invoking downloader on 'https://a.udemycdn.com/2019-07-24_16-38-54-571af31ba169c1bd570ecbf3935eeb68/WebHD_720p.mp4?nva=20190820110757&token=0a2a9f90ed350d0d41c77'
[download] 869812\3-Learning to Use a Digital Brush\009-Drawing and Painting Brushes.mp4 has already been downloaded
[download] 100% of 73.34MiB
[download] Downloading video 10 of 124
[udemy] 15588430: Downloading webpage
[udemy] 15588430: Downloading lecture JSON
[debug] Default format spec: best/bestvideo+bestaudio
[debug] Invoking downloader on 'https://a2.udemycdn.com/2019-07-24_16-38-58-dabe23c6f80885e6515aaeaa52fc4bac/WebHD_720p.mp4?nva=20190820110759&token=01e25ad6f5bd9eac9ffdf'
[download] 869812\3-Learning to Use a Digital Brush\010-Texture Brushes.mp4 has already been downloaded
[download] 100% of 33.21MiB
[download] Downloading video 11 of 124
[udemy] 15588452: Downloading webpage
[udemy] 15588452: Downloading lecture JSON
[debug] Default format spec: best/bestvideo+bestaudio
[debug] Invoking downloader on 'https://a2.udemycdn.com/2019-07-24_16-40-02-fd582950bb0fe3f7ac098f1348cf332b/WebHD_720p.mp4?nva=20190820110801&token=0e932083475e622520ed2'
[download] 869812\3-Learning to Use a Digital Brush\011-Special Brushes.mp4 has already been downloaded
[download] 100% of 73.32MiB
[download] Downloading video 12 of 124
[udemy] 15566570: Downloading webpage
[udemy] 15566570: Downloading lecture JSON
[debug] Default format spec: best/bestvideo+bestaudio
[debug] Invoking downloader on 'https://a.udemycdn.com/2019-07-22_19-44-06-2e417f9c9734d058bf20668f480a50dd/WebHD_720p.mp4?nva=20190820110803&token=0b96f8ffb2c7d3f83b810'
[download] 869812\4-Learn The Fundamentals of Drawing\012-The Drawing Fundamental Pyramid - IMPORTANT!.mp4 has already been downloaded
[download] 100% of 31.17MiB
[download] Downloading video 13 of 124
[udemy] 15579768: Downloading webpage
[udemy] 15579768: Downloading lecture JSON
[debug] Default format spec: best/bestvideo+bestaudio
[debug] Invoking downloader on 'https://a2.udemycdn.com/2019-07-23_15-13-02-83197c22dd0dd9e3e08b99b5f54f6952/WebHD_720p.mp4?nva=20190820110805&token=01bc5960bcf108f9b0f01'
[download] 869812\4-Learn The Fundamentals of Drawing\013-Line Fundamentals.mp4 has already been downloaded
[download] 100% of 58.75MiB
[download] Downloading video 14 of 124
[udemy] 15579802: Downloading webpage
[udemy] 15579802: Downloading lecture JSON
[debug] Default format spec: best/bestvideo+bestaudio
[debug] Invoking downloader on 'https://a2.udemycdn.com/2019-07-23_15-13-12-e8886fc059adec0ec12bdb32d53e26b9/WebHD_720p.mp4?nva=20190820110807&token=097c4dc459a839575bbdb'
[download] 869812\4-Learn The Fundamentals of Drawing\014-Contour Line Fundamentals.mp4 has already been downloaded
[download] 100% of 126.09MiB
[download] Downloading video 15 of 124
[udemy] 15579834: Downloading webpage
[udemy] 15579834: Downloading lecture JSON
[debug] Default format spec: best/bestvideo+bestaudio
[debug] Invoking downloader on 'https://a2.udemycdn.com/2019-08-09_15-46-33-26291de76525a7ed15c40f4695b45172/WebHD_720p.mp4?nva=20190820110810&token=06ad50957c38d08bf75b5'
[download] 869812\4-Learn The Fundamentals of Drawing\015-Shape Fundamentals.mp4 has already been downloaded
[download] 100% of 118.78MiB
[download] Downloading video 16 of 124
[udemy] 15579850: Downloading webpage
[udemy] 15579850: Downloading lecture JSON
[debug] Default format spec: best/bestvideo+bestaudio
[debug] Invoking downloader on 'https://a2.udemycdn.com/2019-07-23_15-13-16-2a4011aac44e61fe171a87921cda5eaf/WebHD_720p.mp4?nva=20190820110812&token=056efd7529346b4bc1ba3'
[download] 869812\4-Learn The Fundamentals of Drawing\016-Blocking Out Drawings With Shapes.mp4 has already been downloaded
[download] 100% of 60.59MiB
[download] Downloading video 17 of 124
[udemy] 15588460: Downloading webpage
ERROR: Unable to download webpage: HTTP Error 403: Forbidden (caused by HTTPError()); please report this issue on https://yt-dl.org/bug . Make sure you are using the latest version; type  youtube-dl -U  to update. Be sure to call youtube-dl with the --verbose flag and include its complete output.
  File "C:\Users\dst\AppData\Roaming\Build archive\youtube-dl\ytdl-org\tmp5b8vs72_\build\youtube_dl\extractor\common.py", line 627, in _request_webpage
  File "C:\Users\dst\AppData\Roaming\Build archive\youtube-dl\ytdl-org\tmp5b8vs72_\build\youtube_dl\YoutubeDL.py", line 2229, in urlopen
  File "C:\Python\Python34\lib\urllib\request.py", line 470, in open
  File "C:\Python\Python34\lib\urllib\request.py", line 580, in http_response
  File "C:\Python\Python34\lib\urllib\request.py", line 508, in error
  File "C:\Python\Python34\lib\urllib\request.py", line 442, in _call_chain
  File "C:\Python\Python34\lib\urllib\request.py", line 588, in http_error_default

Description

The download begins and works fine until it reaches the 16th ot 17th video, the failing video is different each time. When it reaches the failing video I recieve a 403 error.

I have tried using id and password, I have also tried using cookies, the result is the same.

The videos already downloaded work fine, so I am guessing I am logged in correctly.

[Abu3safeer]

I have this issue on all videos:

youtube-dl --cookies "cookies.txt"  --verbose https://www.udemy.com/course/.../
[debug] System config: []
[debug] User config: []
[debug] Custom config: []
[debug] Command-line args: ['--cookies', 'cookies.txt', '--verbose', 'https://www.udemy.com/course/.../']
[debug] Encodings: locale cp1256, fs mbcs, out cp720, pref cp1256
[debug] youtube-dl version 2019.08.13
[debug] Python version 3.4.4 (CPython) - Windows-10-10.0.18362
[debug] exe versions: ffmpeg 4.1.1, ffprobe 4.1.1, rtmpdump 2.4
[debug] Proxy map: {}
[udemy:course] course: Downloading webpage
[udemy:course] 1366282: Downloading course curriculum
[download] Downloading playlist: 1366282
[udemy:course] playlist 1366282: Collected 46 video ids (downloading 46 of them)
[download] Downloading video 1 of 46
[udemy] 8122690: Downloading webpage
[udemy] 8122690: Downloading lecture JSON
[udemy] 8122690: Downloading lecture JSON
ERROR: Unable to download JSON metadata: HTTP Error 403: Forbidden (caused by HTTPError()); please report this issue on https://yt-dl.org/bug . Make sure you are using the latest version; type  youtube-dl -U  to update. Be sure to call youtube-dl with the --verbose flag and include its complete output.
  File "C:\Users\dst\AppData\Roaming\Build archive\youtube-dl\ytdl-org\tmp5b8vs72_\build\youtube_dl\extractor\common.py", line 627, in _request_webpage
  File "C:\Users\dst\AppData\Roaming\Build archive\youtube-dl\ytdl-org\tmp5b8vs72_\build\youtube_dl\YoutubeDL.py", line 2229, in urlopen
  File "C:\Python\Python34\lib\urllib\request.py", line 470, in open
  File "C:\Python\Python34\lib\urllib\request.py", line 580, in http_response
  File "C:\Python\Python34\lib\urllib\request.py", line 508, in error
  File "C:\Python\Python34\lib\urllib\request.py", line 442, in _call_chain
  File "C:\Python\Python34\lib\urllib\request.py", line 588, in http_error_default

[callmefinn-cyber]

I am also having the same issue when I started it's quite fine but later

"ERROR: Unable to download JSON metadata: HTTP Error 403: Forbidden (caused by HTTPError());"

[dayarbro1]

I also am getting Udemy download error: "ERROR: Unable to download JSON metadata: HTTP Error 403: Forbidden (caused by HTTPError());"

Here is my whole verbose:

tiger:/Volumes/bigsilver/udemy/arduino bootcamp squirrel2$ youtube-dl -o '/MyVideos/%(playlist)s/%(chapter_number)s - %(chapter)s/%(title)s.%(ext)s' https://www.udemy.com/course/arduino-bootcamp/
[debug] System config: []
[debug] User config: [u'-o', u'/Movies/%(playlist)s/%(playlist_index)s - %(title)s-%(id)s.%(ext)s', u'--restrict-filenames', u'--netrc', u'-C', u'-v', u'--write-sub', u'--fixup', u'detect_or_warn', u'--download-archive', u'/Volumes/bigsilver/video_log/archive.txt']
[debug] Custom config: []
[debug] Command-line args: [u'-o', u'~/MyVideos/%(playlist)s/%(chapter_number)s - %(chapter)s/%(title)s.%(ext)s', u'https://www.udemy.com/course/arduino-bootcamp/']
[debug] Encodings: locale UTF-8, fs utf-8, out UTF-8, pref UTF-8
[debug] youtube-dl version 2019.08.13
[debug] Python version 2.7.14 (CPython) - Darwin-18.7.0-x86_64-i386-64bit
[debug] exe versions: none
[debug] Proxy map: {}
[debug] Public IP address: 69.174.153.192
[udemy:course] Downloading login popup
[udemy:course] Logging in
[udemy:course] course: Downloading webpage
[udemy:course] 1001214: Downloading course curriculum
[download] Downloading playlist: 1001214
[udemy:course] playlist 1001214: Collected 47 video ids (downloading 47 of them)
[download] Downloading video 1 of 47
[udemy] Downloading login popup
[udemy] 6012140: Downloading webpage
[udemy] 6012140: Downloading lecture JSON
[udemy] 6012140: Downloading lecture JSON
ERROR: Unable to download JSON metadata: HTTP Error 403: Forbidden (caused by HTTPError()); please report this issue on https://yt-dl.org/bug . Make sure you are using the latest version; type youtube-dl -U to update. Be sure to call youtube-dl with the --verbose flag and include its complete output.
File "/usr/local/bin/youtube-dl/youtube_dl/extractor/common.py", line 627, in _request_webpage
return self._downloader.urlopen(url_or_request)
File "/usr/local/bin/youtube-dl/youtube_dl/YoutubeDL.py", line 2229, in urlopen
return self._opener.open(req, timeout=self._socket_timeout)
File "/usr/local/lib/python2.7/urllib2.py", line 435, in open
response = meth(req, response)
File "/usr/local/lib/python2.7/urllib2.py", line 548, in http_response
'http', request, response, code, msg, hdrs)
File "/usr/local/lib/python2.7/urllib2.py", line 473, in error
return self._call_chain(*args)
File "/usr/local/lib/python2.7/urllib2.py", line 407, in _call_chain
result = func(*args)
File "/usr/local/lib/python2.7/urllib2.py", line 556, in http_error_default
raise HTTPError(req.get_full_url(), code, msg, hdrs, fp)

Also, how do I tell it to use python3.7 (.3 or .4) with an alias? On a Mac the default python is 2.7 which I have update to 2.7.14. I have other pythons installed under .pyven directories.

Thank you.

[DarissAK]

I suspect a rate limit by Udemy. I tried a new cookie with incognito window and no change - I suspect it's by IP.

[numToStr]

@DarissAK I also think Rate Limit is the culprit. I got this error when I was downloading my second course. The first course was downloaded just fine.

[luizconrado]

Have you guys found a solution? I am waiting for a solution for several weeks now...

[vlur]

@luizconrado Recently I had a similar problem with being throttled/rate limited by YouTube.

Try experimenting with the --http-chunk-size flag (in my case I think I set it to 1M). You could also perhaps try different values of --limit-rate.

After waiting several minutes between attempts, this now seems to be working for Udemy as well.

[esturniolo]

I tried the @vlur method with any luck.
I followed the instructions from here: How to download your Udemy course videos using youtube-dl

[dlin28690]

I have also encountered this issue but have some had some success using the --playlist-start number option. This is not a solution but might qualify as a workaround.