YouTube Channel Downloader

This application is a desktop tool developed for downloading content from YouTube channels, playlists, and videos.

🚀 Quick Start

Option 1: Use Pre-built Executable (Recommended)

You can run the application directly without installing Python:

1. Download the latest executable from the Releases page
2. Or use the pre-built executable in the dist folder:

   # Windows
   dist/YouTube-Downloader.exe

3. Double-click the executable to run the application
4. No Python installation required!

Option 2: Run from Source

If you want to run from source code:

1. Python 3.7+ must be installed
2. Install the required packages:

   pip install -r requirements.txt

3. Install yt-dlp:

   pip install yt-dlp

4. Run the application:

   python main.py

🎯 Features

• Download from YouTube channels, playlists, and videos
• Cookies support for member-only videos
• Automatic cookie extraction (from Edge, Chrome, and Firefox)
• Video quality selection
• Subtitle download option
• Concurrent download settings
• Modern and user-friendly interface
• Real-time download progress
• Portable executable - no installation required

🚀 Usage

1. Using the executable (easiest):

   • Double-click dist/YouTube-Downloader.exe
   • Or run from command line: dist/YouTube-Downloader.exe

2. Using Python source:

   python main.py

3. In the opened interface, select the download type (Channel, Playlist, Video)

4. Enter the YouTube URL and click the "Validate" button

5. Configure the download settings:

   • Video quality
   • Subtitle download
   • Download folder
   • Cookies file (for member-only videos)
   • Number of concurrent downloads

6. Click the "Start Download" button to begin downloading

7. You can track the download progress in the interface

🍪 Using Cookies for Member-Only Videos

To download member-only videos, you need to use your YouTube cookies file:

Method 1: Automatic Cookie Extraction (Recommended)

Click the "Extract from Browser" button in the application to automatically extract cookies from your browser.

Method 2: Manual Cookie Extractor

Run the cookie extractor from the command line:

# Automatic (tries Edge, then Chrome, then Firefox)
python cookie_extractor.py

# Only from Edge
python cookie_extractor.py --browser edge

# Only from Chrome
python cookie_extractor.py --browser chrome

# Only from Firefox
python cookie_extractor.py --browser firefox

Method 3: Browser Extension

1. Install "Get cookies.txt" or "Cookie Quick Manager" extension for Chrome/Firefox
2. Log in to YouTube
3. Use the extension to download the cookies.txt file

Method 4: Manual Export

1. Log in to YouTube from your browser
2. Open Developer Tools (F12)
3. Go to the Application/Storage tab
4. Cookies > https://youtube.com
5. Copy all cookies and save them in the following format:

# Netscape HTTP Cookie File
.youtube.com	TRUE	/	FALSE	1735689600	VISITOR_INFO1_LIVE	...
.youtube.com	TRUE	/	FALSE	1735689600	LOGIN_INFO	...

Using the Cookies File:

1. Click the "Select Cookies" button in the application
2. Select the cookies.txt file you created
3. You can now download member-only videos

⚡ Cookie Extractor Features

• Automatic Browser Detection: Automatically finds Edge, Chrome, and Firefox
• Multi-Platform Support: Windows, macOS, and Linux
• Edge Profile Support: Automatically detects different Edge profile folders
• Secure Decryption: Uses Windows DPAPI for secure decryption
• Netscape Format: Compatible with yt-dlp
• Error Handling: Comprehensive error control and user-friendly messages
• Works While Browser is Open: Can extract cookies even if Edge is open

🔒 Security Notes

• Keep your cookies file secure, do not share it with others
• The cookies file grants access to your YouTube account
• Update your cookies file regularly
• The cookie extractor only extracts YouTube cookies

🔧 Troubleshooting

"yt-dlp is not installed" Error

pip install yt-dlp

Cookie Extractor Error

# Install required dependencies
pip install pycryptodome pywin32 cryptography

Edge Cookies Error

• If cookies cannot be extracted while Edge is open, close Edge and try again
• Or type 'y' when the script asks you to continue
• Automatically detects different Edge profile folders

Member-only Video Error

• Make sure the cookies file is in the correct format
• Make sure your YouTube account is a member
• Make sure the cookies file is up to date
• Make sure you are logged in to YouTube in your browser

Download Errors

• Check your internet connection
• Make sure the URL is correct
• Make sure you have enough disk space

Executable Issues

• If the executable doesn't run, try running it as administrator
• Make sure Windows Defender isn't blocking the file
• Check that you have the latest Windows updates

📦 Building Executable

To create standalone executables for all platforms:

🪟 Windows

# Method 1: Using build script (Recommended)
build_exe.bat

# Method 2: Manual build
pip install pyinstaller
python -c "from downloader import Downloader; d = Downloader(); d.setup_ffmpeg()"
pyinstaller youtube_downloader.spec --clean --noconfirm

🐧 Linux

# Make script executable
chmod +x build_linux.sh

# Run build script
./build_linux.sh

# Manual build
pip3 install pyinstaller
python3 -c "from downloader import Downloader; d = Downloader(); d.setup_ffmpeg()"
pyinstaller youtube_downloader_linux.spec --clean --noconfirm

🍎 macOS

# Make script executable
chmod +x build_macos.sh

# Run build script
./build_macos.sh

# Manual build
pip3 install pyinstaller
python3 -c "from downloader import Downloader; d = Downloader(); d.setup_ffmpeg()"
pyinstaller youtube_downloader_macos.spec --clean --noconfirm

🚀 Automated Multi-Platform Release

For maintainers to create releases for all platforms:

# Prepare and create a new release
python prepare_release.py --version patch

# Options:
# --version major|minor|patch (default: patch)
# --dry-run (preview changes)
# --skip-build (skip local build test)
# --force (ignore uncommitted changes)

This will:

1. Create a new version tag
2. Push to GitHub
3. Trigger GitHub Actions to build for Windows, Linux, and macOS
4. Automatically create a GitHub release with all executables

📦 Executable Features

• Cross-Platform: Windows (.exe), Linux (binary), macOS (.app + .dmg)
• Single File: Everything bundled into one executable
• No Dependencies: No need to install Python or any packages
• FFmpeg Included: Video merging works out of the box
• Portable: Can be run on any compatible machine
• Size: Approximately 70-80MB per platform
• Ready to Use: Pre-built executable available in dist/ folder

📁 Distribution Files

• Windows: YouTube-Downloader.exe (77MB) - Available in dist/ folder
• Linux: YouTube-Downloader-Linux (75MB)
• macOS: YouTube-Downloader-macOS.app bundle or .dmg (80MB)

Each executable contains:

• Python runtime
• All required libraries (flet, yt-dlp, cryptography, etc.)
• FFmpeg binary
• Application code

📥 Download Options

Pre-built Executable (Recommended)

• Direct Download: Use the executable in dist/YouTube-Downloader.exe
• GitHub Releases: Download from the Releases page
• No Installation Required: Just download and run

Source Code

• Clone Repository: git clone https://github.com/your-username/ytdlp-gui.git
• Download ZIP: Download source code from GitHub
• Requires Python: Python 3.7+ and dependencies needed

📄 License

This project is licensed under the MIT License.