For Windows, the recommended installer is the x64 setup file from the latest GitHub release. On first launch, choose a download folder and set a default format so new jobs have a destination and starting file type. Open Video Downloader is also available for macOS and Linux.
The program is open source under the GNU AGPL v3 and has no ads or paid version. Its Windows interface is built with Tauri, Vue, and Rust around yt-dlp, providing a desktop workflow for people who would rather manage downloads in a window than use command-line options directly.
After setup, paste a video or playlist URL and select quality, frame rate, and a format such as MP4 or MKV; Open Video Downloader then uses yt-dlp to retrieve content from YouTube and hundreds of other supported sites.
Choose what to save
A download can contain the full video, or the program can extract only its audio track. For a playlist, it can process the collection in one go rather than requiring each item to be entered separately. These options make the same basic workflow useful for individual clips and longer sets of videos.
When captions and video information are available, the program can save subtitles and metadata alongside the downloaded file. The resulting files therefore can include more than the media stream itself, which is useful when captions or descriptive information matter to how the content is kept or organized.
Several downloads can be managed in a queue, allowing jobs to proceed without making the computer unresponsive. The app also supports cookie files, basic authentication, and video passwords for content the user is authorized to access. These access methods do not change the need to follow the rules that apply to each source.
Updates and practical limits
The GitHub build updates both the application and yt-dlp automatically. Because the downloader depends on yt-dlp to handle supported sites, a site change can interrupt downloads until the relevant support is updated. The Microsoft Store version cannot update yt-dlp itself, so the recommended installer is the GitHub x64 setup file.
The interface covers common choices such as format, quality, audio extraction, playlists, and captions, while offering fewer advanced controls than direct use of yt-dlp. People who need those deeper controls may find the graphical workflow more limited, but the available settings keep routine downloads in one place.
Use downloads responsibly
Whether a download is permitted depends on the site's terms and the rights attached to the content. YouTube and other services may prohibit downloading unless they provide their own download option, and copyright rules may also apply. Use the program only for material you are entitled to save and check the relevant site's terms before starting a download.
