youtube-dl: How to Save Live Streams from the Beginning on YouTube
How to Download YouTube Live Streams from the Beginning with youtube-dl
YouTube live streams are a great way to watch events, shows, games, and more in real time. But what if you want to download them for offline viewing, or catch up on what you missed from the start? In this article, we will show you how to use a powerful tool called youtube-dl to download YouTube live streams from the beginning, even if they are still ongoing. You will learn how to install and update youtube-dl, how to find and choose the format of the live stream, how to download it from the start, and some tips and tricks for using youtube-dl effectively.
What is youtube-dl and why use it?
youtube-dl is a command-line tool for downloading videos from various websites
youtube-dl is a free and open-source program that allows you to download videos from YouTube and many other websites. It is written in Python and runs on Windows, Mac, Linux, and other platforms. You can use it to download videos in various formats, resolutions, and qualities, as well as audio only files. You can also use it to extract subtitles, metadata, thumbnails, and more.
youtube-dl download live stream from beginning
youtube-dl supports downloading live streams, including YouTube live streams
One of the features of youtube-dl is that it can download live streams, which are videos that are broadcasted in real time. This includes YouTube live streams, which are very popular for streaming events, shows, games, and more. You can use youtube-dl to download YouTube live streams as they are happening, or after they have ended.
youtube-dl can download live streams from the beginning, even if they are still ongoing
Another feature of youtube-dl is that it can download live streams from the beginning, even if they are still ongoing. This means that you can start downloading a live stream from the moment it started, regardless of when you join it. This is useful if you want to watch a live stream from the start, or if you missed some parts of it. You can also use this feature to download multiple segments of a live stream at different times.
How to install and update youtube-dl?
youtube-dl can be installed from various sources, depending on your operating system
There are different ways to install youtube-dl, depending on your operating system. Here are some of them:
Windows: You can download the latest executable file from the official website, or use Chocolatey, a package manager for Windows.
Mac: You can use Homebrew, a package manager for Mac, or MacPorts, another package manager for Mac, to install youtube-dl.
Linux: You can use the package manager of your distribution, such as apt for Debian and Ubuntu, or yum for Fedora and CentOS, to install youtube-dl. You can also download the latest executable file from the official website and make it executable.
You can also install youtube-dl with pip, a package manager for Python, or snap, a universal app store for Linux.
youtube-dl can be updated with the -U option or by reinstalling it
youtube-dl is updated frequently to support new websites and fix bugs. You can update youtube-dl with the -U option, which will download and install the latest version automatically. For example:
youtube-dl -U
You can also update youtube-dl by reinstalling it from the source you used to install it. For example, if you used Chocolatey on Windows, you can run:
choco upgrade youtube-dl
If you used Homebrew on Mac, you can run:
How to use youtube-dl to download live streams in different formats
How to download YouTube live streams with Kapwing's video downloader
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How to download YouTube live streams with Streamlink
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How to use youtube-dl to download live streams from playlists or channels
brew upgrade youtube-dl
If you used apt on Debian or Ubuntu, you can run:
sudo apt update && sudo apt install youtube-dl
And so on.
How to download YouTube live streams from the beginning with youtube-dl?
Step 1: Find the URL of the YouTube live stream you want to download
The first step is to find the URL of the YouTube live stream you want to download. You can do this by opening the live stream in your browser and copying the URL from the address bar. Alternatively, you can use the search function of youtube-dl to find the live stream by its title or keywords. For example, if you want to download a live stream called "NASA Live: Official Stream of NASA TV", you can run:
youtube-dl "ytsearch:NASA Live: Official Stream of NASA TV"
This will show you the URL of the live stream, as well as some information about it. You can copy the URL and use it in the next steps.
Step 2: List the available formats for the live stream with the --list-formats option
The next step is to list the available formats for the live stream with the --list-formats option. This will show you the different video and audio qualities that you can download, as well as their codes and sizes. For example, if you run:
youtube-dl --list-formats "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=21X5lGlDOfg"
You will see something like this:
format codeextensionresolutionnote
91mp4256x144
92mp4426x240
93mp4640x360
94mp4854x480
95mp41280x720
96mp41920x1080
(best)
audio only formats:
format code extension resolution note:
139 m4a audio only DASH audio 50k , m4a_dash container, mp4a.40.5@ 48k (22050Hz), 1.58MiB:
140 m4a audio only DASH audio 129k , m4a_dash container, mp4a.40.2@128 k (44100Hz), 4.75MiB 141 m4a audio only DASH audio 255k , m4a_dash container, mp4a.40.2@256k (44100Hz), 9.38MiB 251 webm audio only DASH audio 160k , webm_dash container, opus @160k (48000Hz), 4.69MiB
You can choose the format you want to download based on your preferences and bandwidth. You can also use the keyword "best" to download the best quality available, or "worst" to download the worst quality available.
Step 3: Choose the format you want to download and get the HLS m3u8 URL with the -f and -g options
The next step is to choose the format you want to download and get the HLS m3u8 URL with the -f and -g options. The HLS m3u8 URL is a link to a playlist file that contains the segments of the live stream. You need this URL to download the live stream from the beginning. To get the HLS m3u8 URL, you need to specify the format code with the -f option, and use the -g option to get the URL only. For example, if you want to download the live stream in 1080p resolution, you can run:
youtube-dl -f 96 -g "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=21X5lGlDOfg"
This will output something like this:
https://manifest.googlevideo.com/api/manifest/hls_playlist/expire/1634817534/ei/7wJnYdO0FtKx1wLQrZ6oCw/ip/2601%3A647%3A5800%3Ae0b0%3Ae9c7%3Aa2d1%3Ae6c5%3Aa6b/id/21X5lGlDOfg.1/itag/96/source/yt_live_broadcast/requiressl/yes/ratebypass/yes/live/1/goi/160/sgoap/gir%3Dyes%3Bitag%3D140/sgovp/gir%3Dyes%3Bitag%3D137/hls_chunk_host/r2---sn-5hne6nsy.googlevideo.com/playlist_duration/30/manifest_duration/30/vprv/1/mh/M_/mm/44/mn/sn-5hne6nsy/ms/lva/mv/m/mvi/2/pl/32/dover/11/keepalive/yes/fexp/24001373,24007246/beids/9466587/sparams/expire,ei,ip,id,itag,source,requiressl,ratebypass,live,goi,sgoap,sgovp,hls_chunk_host,playlist_duration,manifest_duration,vprv,mh,mm,mn,ms,mv,mvi,pl/sig/AOq0QJ8wRAIgWZz9zVYsQxZKxVjHtWmTqGyRrRQjLsMfXZyEYKUqN9YCIFJcGmFQsPzHmTj7M0YUZLxIqNnT7yPdVrXjWcX8tR/cparams/id/initcwndbps/ip/ipbits/itag/mh/mm/mn/ms/mv/mvi/pl/source/expiry/key/cms1/cms_redirect/yes/mip/2601:647:5800:e0b0:e9c7:a2d1:e6c5:a6b/sparams/id,initcwndbps,ip,ipbits,itag,mh,mm,mn,ms,mv,mvi,pl,source,expiry/signature/AOq0QJ8wRQIhAKCtEJFySfG9TzLWzHxKsNjMwEoFVnYkUOoPZr2KXxSZAiBtXsCZlLdGqkWlPwMwBZoUHJ7EYzIYRyFmTz8aLw==
You can copy this URL and use it in the next step.
Step 4: Download the live stream from the beginning with the HLS m3u8 URL and the --hls-prefer-native option
The final step is to download the live stream from the beginning with the HLS m3u8 URL and the --hls-prefer-native option. The --hls-prefer-native option tells youtube-dl to use the native HLS downloader, which can handle live streams better than the default downloader. To download the live stream from the beginning, you just need to pass the HLS m3u8 URL as the input to youtube-dl, and use the --hls-prefer-native option. For example, if you run:
youtube-dl --hls-prefer-native "https://manifest.googlevideo.com/api/manifest/hls_playlist/expire/1634817534/ei/7wJnYdO0FtKx1wLQrZ6oCw/ip/2601%3A647%3A5800%3Ae0b0%3Ae9c7%3Aa2d1%3Ae6c5%3Aa6b/id/21X5lGlDOfg.1/itag/96/source/yt_live_broadcast/requiressl/yes/ratebypass/yes/live/1/goi/160/sgoap/gir%3Dyes%3Bitag%3D140/sgovp/gir%3Dyes%3Bitag%3D137/hls_chunk_host/r2---sn-5hne6nsy.googlevideo.com/playlist_duration/30/manifest_duration/30/vprv/1/mh/M_/mm/44/mn/sn-5hne6nsy/ms/lva/mv/m/mvi/2/pl/32/dover/11/keepalive/yes/fexp/24001373,24007246/beids/9466587/sparams/expire,ei,ip,id,itag,source,requiressl,ratebypass,live,goi,sgoap,sgovp,hls_chunk_host,playlist_duration,manifest_duration,vprv,mh,mm,mn,ms,mv,mvi,pl/sig/AOq0QJ8wRAIgWZz9zVYsQxZKxVjHtWmTqGyRrRQjLsMfXZyEYKUqN9YCIFJcGmFQsPzHmTj7M0YUZLxIqNnT7yPdVrXjWcX8tR/cparams/id/initcwndbps/ip/ipbits/itag/mh/mm/mn/ms/mv/mvi/pl/source/expiry/key/cms1/cms_redirect/yes/mip/2601:647:5800:e0b0:e9c7:a2d1:e6c5:a6b/sparams/id,initcwndbps,ip,ipbits,itag,mh,mm,mn,ms,mv,mvi,pl,source,expiry/signature/AOq0QJ8wRQIhAKCtEJFySfG9TzLWzHxKsNjMwEoFVnYkUOoPZr2KXxSZAiBtXsCZlLdGqkWlPwMwBZoUHJ7EYzIYRyFmTz8aLw=="
This will start downloading the live stream from the beginning to your current directory. You can also specify a different output file name with the -o option. For example:
youtube-dl --hls-prefer-native -o "NASA Live.mp4" "https://manifest.googlevideo.com/api/manifest/hls_playlist/expire/1634817534/ei/7wJnYdO0FtKx1wLQrZ6oCw/ip/2601%3A647%3A5800%3Ae0b0%3Ae9c7%3Aa2d1%3Ae6c5%3Aa6b/id/21X5lGlDOfg.1/itag/96/source/yt_live_broadcast/requiressl/yes/ratebypass/yes/live/1/goi/160/sgoap/gir%3Dyes%3Bitag%3D140/sgovp/gir%3Dyes%3Bitag%3D137/hls_chunk_host/r2---sn-5hne6nsy.googlevideo.com/playlist_duration/30/manifest_duration/30/vprv/1/mh/M_/mm/44/mn/sn-5hne6nsy/ms/lva/mv/m/mvi/2/pl/32/dover/11/keepalive/yes/fexp/240 01373,24007246/beids/9466587/sparams/expire,ei,ip,id,itag,source,requiressl,ratebypass,live,goi,sgoap,sgovp,hls_chunk_host,playlist_duration,manifest_duration,vprv,mh,mm,mn,ms,mv,mvi,pl/sig/AOq0QJ8wRAIgWZz9zVYsQxZKxVjHtWmTqGyRrRQjLsMfXZyEYKUqN9YCIFJcGmFQsPzHmTj7M0YUZLxIqNnT7yPdVrXjWcX8tR/cparams/id/initcwndbps/ip/ipbits/itag/mh/mm/mn/ms/mv/mvi/pl/source/expiry/key/cms1/cms_redirect/yes/mip/2601:647:5800:e0b0:e9c7:a2d1:e6c5:a6b/sparams/id,initcwndbps,ip,ipbits,itag,mh,mm,mn,ms,mv,mvi,pl,source,expiry/signature/AOq0QJ8wRQIhAKCtEJFySfG9TzLWzHxKsNjMwEoFVnYkUOoPZr2KXxSZAiBtXsCZlLdGqkWlPwMwBZoUHJ7EYzIYRyFmTz8aLw=="
This will save the live stream as "NASA Live.mp4" in your current directory.
Tips and tricks for downloading YouTube live streams with youtube-dl
Use the --no-part option to avoid creating temporary files
By default, youtube-dl will create temporary files for each segment of the live stream, and merge them into the final file when the download is complete. This can take up a lot of disk space and slow down the download process. You can use the --no-part option to avoid creating temporary files and download the live stream directly to the final file. For example:
youtube-dl --hls-prefer-native --no-part -o "NASA Live.mp4" "https://manifest.googlevideo.com/api/manifest/hls_playlist/expire/1634817534/ei/7wJnYdO0FtKx1wLQrZ6oCw/ip/2601%3A647%3A5800%3Ae0b0%3Ae9c7%3Aa2d1%3Ae6c5%3Aa6b/id/21X5lGlDOfg.1/itag/96/source/yt_live_broadcast/requiressl/yes/ratebypass/yes/live/1/goi/160/sgoap/gir%3Dyes%3Bitag%3D140/sgovp/gir%3Dyes%3Bitag%3D137/hls_chunk_host/r2---sn-5hne6nsy.googlevideo.com/playlist_duration/30/manifest_duration/30/vprv/1/mh/M_/mm/44/mn/sn-5hne6nsy/ms/lva/mv/m/mvi/2/pl/32/dover/11/keepalive/yes/fexp/24001373,24007246/beids/9466587/sparams/expire,ei,ip,id,itag,source,requiressl,ratebypass,live,goi,sgoap,sgovp,hls_chunk_host,playlist_duration,manifest_duration,vprv,mh,mm,mn,ms,mv,mvi,pl/sig/AOq0QJ8wRAIgWZz9zVYsQxZKxVjHtWmTqGyRrRQjLsMfXZyEYKUqN9YCIFJcGmFQsPzHmTj7M0YUZLxIqNnT7yPdVrXjWcX8tR/cparams/id/initcwndbps/ip/ipbits/itag/mh/mm/mn/ms/mv/mvi/pl/source/expiry/key/cms1/cms_redirect/yes/mip/2601:647:5800:e0b0:e9c7:a2d1:e6c5:a6b/sparams/id,initcwndbps,ip,ipbits,itag,mh,mm,m n,ms,mv,mvi,pl,source,expiry/signature/AOq0QJ8wRQIhAKCtEJFySfG9TzLWzHxKsNjMwEoFVnYkUOoPZr2KXxSZAiBtXsCZlLdGqkWlPwMwBZoUHJ7EYzIYRyFmTz8aLw=="
This will download the live stream without creating any temporary files.
Use the --hls-use-mpegts option to avoid file corruption if the download is interrupted
Another tip is to use the --hls-use-mpegts option to avoid file corruption if the download is interrupted. By default, youtube-dl will download the live stream segments as MP4 files and merge them into a final MP4 file. However, if the download is interrupted, the final MP4 file may be corrupted and unplayable. You can use the --hls-use-mpegts option to download the live stream segments as MPEG-TS files and merge them into a final MPEG-TS file. This format is more resilient to interruptions and can be played by most media players. For example:
youtube-dl --hls-prefer-native --hls-use-mpegts -o "NASA Live.ts" "https://manifest.googlevideo.com/api/manifest/hls_playlist/expire/1634817534/ei/7wJnYdO0FtKx1wLQrZ6oCw/ip/2601%3A647%3A5800%3Ae0b0%3Ae9c7%3Aa2d1%3Ae6c5%3Aa6b/id/21X5lGlDOfg.1/itag/96/source/yt_live_broadcast/requiressl/yes/ratebypass/yes/live/1/goi/160/sgoap/gir%3Dyes%3Bitag%3D140/sgovp/gir%3Dyes%3Bitag%3D137/hls_chunk_host/r2---sn-5hne6nsy.googlevideo.com/playlist_duration/30/manifest_duration/30/vprv/1/mh/M_/mm/44/mn/sn-5hne6nsy/ms/lva/mv/m/mvi/2/pl/32/dover/11/keepalive/yes/fexp/24001373,24007246/beids/9466587/sparams/expire,ei,ip,id,itag,source,requiressl,ratebypass,live,goi,sgoap,sgovp,hls_chunk_host,playlist_duration,manifest_duration,vprv,mh,mm,mn,ms,mv,mvi,pl/sig/AOq0QJ8wRAIgWZz9zVYsQxZKxVjHtWmTqGyRrRQjLsMfXZyEYKUqN9YCIFJcGmFQsPzHmTj7M0YUZLxIqNnT7yPdVrXjWcX8tR/cparams/id/initcwndbps/ip/ipbits/itag/mh/mm/mn/ms/mv/mvi/pl/source/expiry/key/cms1/cms_redirect/yes/mip/2601:647:5800:e0b0:e9c7:a2d1:e6c5:a6b/sparams/id,initcwndbps,ip,ipbits,itag,mh,mm,mn,ms,mv,mvi,pl,source,expiry/signature/AOq0QJ8wRQIhAKCtEJFySfG9TzLWzHxKsNjMwEoFVnYkUOoPZr2KXxSZAiBtXsCZlLdGqkWlPwMwBZoUHJ7EYzIYRyFmTz8aLw=="
This will save the live stream as "NASA Live.ts" in your current directory.
Use the --wait-live option to wait until a live stream starts before downloading it
The last tip is to use the --wait-live option to wait until a live stream starts before downloading it. This is useful if you want to download a live stream that has not started yet, but you know the URL of it. You can use the --wait-live option to tell youtube -dl to wait until the live stream is online, and then start downloading it from the beginning. For example, if you run:
youtube-dl --wait-live --hls-prefer-native -o "NASA Live.mp4" "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=21X5lGlDOfg"
This will wait until the live stream is online, and then download it from the beginning as "NASA Live.mp4" in your current directory.
Conclusion and FAQs
In this article, we have shown you how to use youtube-dl to download YouTube live streams from the beginning, even if they are still ongoing. You have learned how to install and update youtube-dl, how to find and choose the format of the live stream, how to download it from the start, and some tips and tricks for using youtube-dl effectively. We hope you have found this article helpful and informative. If you have any questions or feedback, please feel free to leave a comment below. Here are some FAQs that may answer some of your queries:
Q: Can I download YouTube live streams after they have ended?
A: Yes, you can download YouTube live streams after they have ended, as long as they are still available on YouTube. You can use the same steps as above, but you don't need to use the --hls-prefer-native option or the HLS m3u8 URL. You can just use the normal YouTube URL of the live stream and youtube-dl will download it as a normal video.
Q: Can I download YouTube live streams in different formats or qualities?
A: Yes, you can download YouTube live streams in different formats or qualities, as long as they are available on YouTube. You can use the --list-formats option to see the available formats for the live stream, and use the -f option to specify the format code you want to download. You can also use the -F option to see the available formats for both video and audio, and use the -f option to specify a combination of video and audio formats. For example, if you want to download a live stream in 720p resolution with best audio quality, you can run:
youtube-dl -f 95+best "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=21X5lGlDOfg"
This will download the live stream in 720p resolution with best audio quality.
Q: Can I resume a partially downloaded YouTube live stream?
A: Yes, you can resume a partially downloaded YouTube live stream, as long as you have not deleted or moved the temporary files or the final file. You can use the -c option to continue a pa