MacYTDL

MacYTDL

MacYTDL is a utility which downloads videos using the yt-dlp video downloader script. yt-dlp is able to download videos from a great many web sites. MacYTDL runs on any Apple Mac with macOS 10.10 or later and has been developed mostly in AppleScript. The key external components, yt-dlp, FFmpeg and Deno, are installed by MacYTDL. The code is not accessable from within the applet. However, text exports of the code are in the “Code” folder above and can be opened in Script Editor. MacYTDL itself and the MacYTDL-v1.32.dmg file are code signed and notarized. Code signing ensures that the app has not been altered after it has been signed by the developer. Notarized apps and images have been scanned by Apple for known malware.

Download from here.

Main dialog

Features

• Download individual videos and playlists.
• Download multiple videos in separate processes, in one process (sequentially) or in separate processes (parallel).
  • Parallel downloading is available for playlists, multiple downloads, batches and ABC iView (Australia)
• Works with all sites supported by yt-dlp.
• Can cancel individual downloads.
• Can pause/resume downloads.
• By default, will resume interrupted downloads if passed the URL.
• Can pass through any custom settings to yt-dlp.
• Settings for level of yt-dlp feedback, download folder, file format, remuxing format, merge format, recoding, download speed, proxy URL, extract cookies, Quicktime compatibility, custom file name template etc.
• Batch downloads.
• Provides option for choosing episodes of shows available on ABC iView (Australia).
• PDF help file which describes how to use all features.
• Download a text description of the video (if available).
• Option to choose from list of available download files (called “formats”) which can then be merged.
• Switch between stable and nightly builds of yt-dlp.
• Localisation – currently Spanish, simple Chinese, Italian, French and German are available (switching languages is supported in macOS 10.15 and later).
  • Localisation for Italian, French and German is very out-of-date.
• Download and embed subtitles in chosen format and language including auto-generated captions from YouTube.
• Download and optionally embed thumbnail images and metadata.
• Download or extract audio-only files in chosen format (conversion is done automatically when necessary).
• Optional macOS Service which gets the current text selection, clipboard contents or active web browser URL, switches to MacYTDL and pastes URL of video to be downloaded.
• The Service can be set to automatically download from the URL using current settings without showing the Main dialog.
• Settings can be saved, restored and reset to default.
• MacYTDL requires yt-dlp and FFmpeg which are downloaded and installed and can be updated by the app. This is controlled by the user.
  • Other components are bundled in MacYTDL.
  • Deno is an optional but highly recommended install for downloads from YouTube.
• Issues notifications (via Alerter) when downloads are finished with option to play videos in default player.
• A separate log file is retained for each download enabling problem solving if a download fails.
• Has a built-in uninstaller which moves all components for all users to Trash/Bin.
• Includes a range of simple utilities.
• Uses arm64 or x86_64 code according to user’s Mac.

Requirements

An Apple Mac running macOS 10.10 Yosemite and higher is required to use MacYTDL. A future version of MacYTDL, perhaps v1.33, will be restricted to macOS 10.15+. There are many limitations in yt-dlp for users on versions of macOS prior to 10.15.

yt-dlp is the default for all Macs. Python is supplied with the yt-dlp executable. However, Homebrew and MacPorts installs can be used. Detail is in the Help.

youtube-dl can be used with all versions of macOS up to Monterey 12.2.1. However youtube-dl has not been updated since December 2021 and so is very out-of-date. Users on Macs running macOS 10.15 to 12.2.1 can switch from youtube-dl to yt-dlp.

How to install for the first time

• Download and open the DMG file.
• Click and drag MacYTDL to any location - it’s best to use the Applications folder.
• Open MacYTDL.
• When asked, click on “Yes” to install various components and create a preferences folder.
• Wait.
• Provide administrator credentials when asked.
• Wait – it can take time to download and install yt-dlp and FFmpeg.
• MacYTDL main dialog is displayed.

How to update

• Download and open the DMG file.
• Click and drag MacYTDL to your usual location – make sure to replace the old version.
• Open MacYTDL. Components such as the preferences file are updated as required.
• There is a facility to download an update, if more recent, in “Utilities”.

More detail is available in the Help file (4.9MB).

Bugs, problems, questions

To report bugs, problems etc., get a Github account, click on the “Issues” tab above and open a new issue. Alternatively, open an item in “Discussions” above or send an email to [email protected].

Acknowledgements

MacYTDL would be useless without yt-dlp. It is a remarkable, feature rich tool maintained by the most dedicated group of volunteers.

Much is owed to Shane Stanley, for his many contributions solving problems with MacYTDL. Shane developed Dialog Toolkit Plus and Myriad Tables Lib which provide the dialogs in MacYTDL. MacYTDL is developed in Script Debugger. Many thanks to Mark Alldritt and Shane for their 30 years of dedication to SD and the SD users. SD will be sorely missed.

Ideas for this GUI front-end came from many sources including:

• Adam Albrec, author of PPC Media Centre.

• Michael Page (http://techion.com.au), author of the Video Hoarder automator script.

• “kopurando” (https://github.com/kopurando), author of the Virga downloader.

• “Tombs” (https://forum.videohelp.com/members/235982-Tombs) an active contributor to Whirlpool and author of the URLDown Dropper utility for Windows.

• MacYTDL user Michel who maintains contact from release to release providing early warning of bugs and Spanish language help.

• Anonymous (https://cresstone.com/apps/youtubeDLFrontEnd/), author of youtubeDLFrontEnd.

• Trevor, Tony, Frank, Peter, Geoff, John, Santo and Walter, fellow members of the ACT Apple Users Group.

• MacYTDL users: 1alessandro1, 11lucasarr11, Adam, adam01212, adenosslept, Adrenalyzer, anthonyalayo, Ashley, AirMarty, Alex, Alex Luis, alikaylan, alphabitnz, Andy, andyrb412, Anjum, Antaro, antdude, artcore-c, avcodex, barney1903, Başar, BobShuster, Bohdan, BigJoe309, bootyberry, bovirus, Brandon, CdrSpock, CharlesLai0307, Chris, clubizarre, ComfortableMilk4454, Dantha, darbid, defcon5at, Didier EuronymousDeadOhlin, Dorkington, dragonlord66666, EricTheDerek, Fred B, frissonlabs, froggyking3, Fun Jug, Gábor Librecz, Grady, GrantGochnauer, gustavosaez, Hamza, heviiguy, hunterbr3193, Hussain, iluvcrap2000, inb4ohnoes, Infinivibex, ItsMorePaul, lxne, Jack, JAKHIGDON, janvdvelde, JeanT, jeremydouglass, John @ TRIAL Media, John E, Joshua, Kevin-413, kuglee, L-Kiewa, Labhansh-Sharma, Labhansh-Sharma, Larry, lebanggit, LeonardoMaracino, leon-chen-wen-jia, LordB54, lxne, marksinclair1, macmeister1967, macmeister1967, MalEbenSo, Marius, marksinclair1, martinbenny, martinsstuff, mcdiarmid1, meiwechner, michel-GH, Mihokas99, Mike, minkses, mmaslar, mmicha, MrJmpl3, Nellio, noimdan, NorthEndVA, nottooloud, omppumetro, onaforeignshore, opartensky, palomnik, pedrocadiz13, Peter, QAQDE, Rick, Raymond-Adams, roelc500, roest01, Ruben, Scott, Stephenzero, SwineBurglar, tabascoman77, Ted, Tenz14, thejasonparker, tht7, tigrr, Tobias, Tom, TomasCarlson, tryitagain, upekshapriya, VersionThis, Vinsamlegast78, virtuecho, vorob1, watto23, williamcorney, Woolfy025, Yehushupat, zhuojianlook, zxzzz8.

  Please forgive me if I’ve left you off this list.

MacYTDL is free

MacYTDL is a retirement project for me and will always be free. Please consider sponsoring the yt-dlp team. Detail on sponsorships is available here: https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/blob/master/Maintainers.md#maintainers.

If you use other shareware or open source software consider making a donation to the developers – let them know they are appreciated.