Downloading YouTube videos in Termux is very easy. You can use a tool called yt-dlp to download videos, songs, and even full playlists on your phone. You can also choose video quality and save the file in your storage. In this guide, I will show you everything step by step in a very simple way.
Installation Commands
Update and upgrade all Termux packages:
pkg update && pkg upgrade
Install required packages:
pkg install python ffmpeg
Install yt-dlp using pip:
pip install yt-dlp
Check if yt-dlp is installed successfully:
yt-dlp --version
Storage Setup (Important)
Give Termux access to your phone storage:
termux-setup-storage
After running this command, allow the permission popup. Now your downloads will be available at: /storage/emulated/0/
Usage Commands
Download a YouTube video:
yt-dlp [video_link]
Download video in best quality:
yt-dlp -f best [video_link]
Download audio only (MP3):
yt-dlp -x --audio-format mp3 [video_link]
Download a full playlist:
yt-dlp [video_link]
Show all available video qualities:
yt-dlp -F [video_link]
Download a specific quality (example: 720p):
yt-dlp -f 22 [video_link]
Video Quality Format List (Example)
After running -F, you may see formats like:
- 18 → 360p
- 22 → 720p
- 137 → 1080p (video only)
- 140 → audio only
You can combine video + audio like this:
yt-dlp -f 137+140 [video_link]
Move Video to Gallery Storage
By default, files are saved in the Termux home directory.
Move video to your phone storage (Download folder):
mv *.mp4 *.webm /storage/emulated/0/Download/
Move audio files (MP3):
mv *.mp3 /storage/emulated/0/Music/
Now you can open your Gallery or File Manager and access the downloaded files easily.
