> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://mintlify.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Post-Processing

> Advanced post-processing options for downloaded media

## Overview

Post-processing in yt-dlp allows you to automatically manipulate downloaded files through various operations like format conversion, metadata embedding, subtitle processing, and custom commands.

## Post-Processing Pipeline

Post-processors run in this order:

1. **Pre-process**: After video extraction, before format selection
2. **After filter**: After video passes filters
3. **Video**: After format selection, before download
4. **Before download**: Before each video download
5. **Post-process**: After each video download (default)
6. **After move**: After moving to final location
7. **After video**: After processing all formats of a video
8. **Playlist**: At end of playlist

## Audio Extraction

Convert videos to audio-only files:

<CodeGroup>
  ```bash Basic Extraction theme={null}
  # Extract audio in best format
  yt-dlp -x URL

  # Extract as MP3
  yt-dlp -x --audio-format mp3 URL
  ```

  ```bash With Quality theme={null}
  # VBR quality (0=best, 10=worst)
  yt-dlp -x --audio-format mp3 --audio-quality 0 URL

  # Specific bitrate
  yt-dlp -x --audio-format mp3 --audio-quality 320K URL
  ```

  ```bash Keep Video theme={null}
  # Keep original video file after extraction
  yt-dlp -x --keep-video URL
  ```
</CodeGroup>

<Tip>
  See the [Audio Extraction guide](/guides/audio-extraction) for detailed examples.
</Tip>

## Format Conversion

### Remuxing

Change container without re-encoding:

```bash theme={null}
# Remux to MP4 if necessary
yt-dlp --remux-video mp4 URL

# Conditional remuxing
yt-dlp --remux-video "aac>m4a/mov>mp4/mkv" URL
```

### Re-encoding

<Warning>
  Re-encoding reduces quality and takes longer. Use only when necessary.
</Warning>

```bash theme={null}
# Re-encode to MP4
yt-dlp --recode-video mp4 URL

# Conditional re-encoding
yt-dlp --recode-video "avi>mp4/flv>mp4/mp4" URL
```

## Metadata Operations

### Embedding metadata

<Steps>
  <Step title="Basic metadata">
    ```bash theme={null}
    yt-dlp --embed-metadata URL
    ```

    Embeds video metadata and chapters (in MKV, also embeds infojson).
  </Step>

  <Step title="Additional metadata">
    ```bash theme={null}
    # Embed thumbnail as cover art
    yt-dlp --embed-thumbnail URL

    # Embed subtitles
    yt-dlp --embed-subs URL

    # Embed chapters
    yt-dlp --embed-chapters URL
    ```
  </Step>

  <Step title="Complete embedding">
    ```bash theme={null}
    # Embed everything
    yt-dlp --embed-metadata \
      --embed-thumbnail \
      --embed-subs \
      --embed-chapters \
      URL
    ```
  </Step>
</Steps>

### Modifying metadata

```bash theme={null}
# Parse metadata from fields
yt-dlp --parse-metadata "title:%(artist)s - %(title)s" \
  --embed-metadata URL

# Replace text in metadata
yt-dlp --replace-in-metadata "title,uploader" "[ _]" "-" URL
```

<Tip>
  See the [Metadata Modification guide](/guides/metadata-modification) for detailed examples.
</Tip>

## Subtitle Processing

### Download and convert

<CodeGroup>
  ```bash Download Subtitles theme={null}
  # Download available subtitles
  yt-dlp --write-subs URL

  # Download auto-generated subtitles
  yt-dlp --write-auto-subs URL

  # All subtitles
  yt-dlp --write-subs --write-auto-subs URL
  ```

  ```bash Convert Format theme={null}
  # Convert to SRT
  yt-dlp --write-subs --convert-subs srt URL

  # Convert to VTT
  yt-dlp --write-subs --convert-subs vtt URL

  # Keep original
  yt-dlp --write-subs --convert-subs none URL
  ```

  ```bash Embed in Video theme={null}
  # Download and embed
  yt-dlp --write-subs --embed-subs URL

  # Embed and keep separate file
  yt-dlp --write-subs --embed-subs URL

  # Embed and remove separate file
  yt-dlp --embed-subs URL
  ```
</CodeGroup>

## Thumbnail Processing

```bash theme={null}
# Download thumbnail
yt-dlp --write-thumbnail URL

# Convert to JPG
yt-dlp --write-thumbnail --convert-thumbnails jpg URL

# Embed in media file
yt-dlp --embed-thumbnail URL

# All thumbnail formats
yt-dlp --write-all-thumbnails URL
```

## Chapter Operations

### Splitting by chapters

```bash theme={null}
# Split video into chapter files
yt-dlp --split-chapters URL

# With custom output template for chapters
yt-dlp --split-chapters \
  -o "chapter:%(title)s - %(section_number)s %(section_title)s.%(ext)s" \
  URL
```

### Removing chapters

```bash theme={null}
# Remove chapters matching regex
yt-dlp --remove-chapters "Intro" URL

# Remove multiple patterns
yt-dlp --remove-chapters "Intro" \
  --remove-chapters "Outro" \
  URL

# Remove sponsor segments (with SponsorBlock)
yt-dlp --sponsorblock-remove sponsor URL
```

### Modifying chapters

```bash theme={null}
# Force keyframes at chapter boundaries
yt-dlp --split-chapters \
  --force-keyframes-at-cuts \
  URL
```

## SponsorBlock Integration

Remove or mark sponsor segments in YouTube videos:

<CodeGroup>
  ```bash Mark Segments theme={null}
  # Create chapters for sponsor segments
  yt-dlp --sponsorblock-mark all URL

  # Mark specific categories
  yt-dlp --sponsorblock-mark sponsor,selfpromo URL

  # Exclude categories
  yt-dlp --sponsorblock-mark all,-filler URL
  ```

  ```bash Remove Segments theme={null}
  # Remove sponsor segments from video
  yt-dlp --sponsorblock-remove sponsor URL

  # Remove multiple categories
  yt-dlp --sponsorblock-remove sponsor,selfpromo,intro URL

  # Default removal (all except filler)
  yt-dlp --sponsorblock-remove default URL
  ```

  ```bash Custom Chapter Titles theme={null}
  # Customize SponsorBlock chapter titles
  yt-dlp --sponsorblock-mark all \
    --sponsorblock-chapter-title "[%(category)s]" \
    URL
  ```
</CodeGroup>

<Tip>
  See the [SponsorBlock guide](/guides/sponsorblock) for detailed usage.
</Tip>

## File Fixup

Automatically fix common file issues:

```bash theme={null}
# Auto-detect and fix (default)
yt-dlp --fixup detect_or_warn URL

# Force fixing even if file exists
yt-dlp --fixup force URL

# Never fix
yt-dlp --fixup never URL

# Only warn about issues
yt-dlp --fixup warn URL
```

## Custom Post-Processors

### Execute commands

<CodeGroup>
  ```bash After Download theme={null}
  # Run command after each download
  yt-dlp --exec "echo Downloaded: {}" URL

  # Move to folder
  yt-dlp --exec "mv {} /path/to/folder/" URL
  ```

  ```bash At Different Stages theme={null}
  # Before download
  yt-dlp --exec "before_dl:echo Starting: {}" URL

  # After move to final location
  yt-dlp --exec "after_move:echo Finished: {}" URL

  # At playlist end
  yt-dlp --exec "playlist:echo Playlist complete" URL
  ```

  ```bash Complex Commands theme={null}
  # Use output template syntax
  yt-dlp --exec 'notify-send "Downloaded" "%(title)s"' URL

  # Multiple commands
  yt-dlp --exec "cp {} ~/backup/" \
    --exec "after_move:echo Done" \
    URL
  ```
</CodeGroup>

## Post-Processor Arguments

Pass custom arguments to ffmpeg and other post-processors:

<CodeGroup>
  ```bash FFmpeg Arguments theme={null}
  # Arguments to ffmpeg
  yt-dlp --ppa "ffmpeg:-c:v libx264 -preset slow" URL

  # Audio normalization
  yt-dlp --ppa "ffmpeg:-af loudnorm" URL
  ```

  ```bash Input/Output Arguments theme={null}
  # Before input file
  yt-dlp --ppa "ffmpeg_i:-ss 10" URL

  # Before output file
  yt-dlp --ppa "ffmpeg_o:-c:v copy" URL
  ```

  ```bash Post-Processor Specific theme={null}
  # Arguments only for specific post-processor
  yt-dlp --ppa "ExtractAudio+ffmpeg:-q:a 0" URL

  # For VideoRemuxer
  yt-dlp --ppa "VideoRemuxer+ffmpeg:-c copy" URL
  ```
</CodeGroup>

## Concatenating Playlists

Merge playlist videos into single file:

```bash theme={null}
# Concatenate multi-part videos (default)
yt-dlp --concat-playlist multi_video URL

# Always concatenate
yt-dlp --concat-playlist always URL

# Never concatenate
yt-dlp --concat-playlist never URL

# Custom output for concatenated file
yt-dlp --concat-playlist always \
  -o "pl_video:%(playlist)s.%(ext)s" \
  URL
```

<Warning>
  All videos must have the same codecs and number of streams to be concatenable.
</Warning>

## Plugin Post-Processors

Use custom post-processor plugins:

```bash theme={null}
# Enable plugin post-processor
yt-dlp --use-postprocessor NAME URL

# With arguments
yt-dlp --use-postprocessor NAME:arg1=value;arg2=value URL

# Execute at specific time
yt-dlp --use-postprocessor NAME:when=after_move URL
```

## Advanced Workflows

### Music downloads

```bash theme={null}
yt-dlp -x --audio-format mp3 --audio-quality 0 \
  --embed-metadata \
  --embed-thumbnail \
  --parse-metadata "%(uploader|)s:%(meta_artist)s" \
  --parse-metadata "%(playlist_title|)s:%(meta_album)s" \
  -o "%(artist)s/%(album)s/%(title)s.%(ext)s" \
  PLAYLIST_URL
```

### Archival with metadata

```bash theme={null}
yt-dlp -f "bv*+ba" \
  --embed-metadata \
  --embed-thumbnail \
  --embed-subs \
  --write-description \
  --write-info-json \
  --write-comments \
  --sponsorblock-remove all \
  URL
```

### Format for devices

```bash theme={null}
# Apple devices
yt-dlp --merge-output-format mp4 \
  --remux-video mp4 \
  --embed-metadata \
  --embed-subs \
  -S "vcodec:h264,acodec:aac" \
  URL
```

### Stream processing

```bash theme={null}
# Download, process, and stream
yt-dlp -o - URL | ffmpeg -i pipe:0 -f matroska - | mpv -
```

## Overwrite Behavior

```bash theme={null}
# Don't overwrite files (default for video)
yt-dlp --no-overwrites URL

# Overwrite all files
yt-dlp --force-overwrites URL

# Overwrite post-processed files (default)
yt-dlp --post-overwrites URL

# Don't overwrite post-processed files
yt-dlp --no-post-overwrites URL
```

## Keeping Intermediate Files

```bash theme={null}
# Keep video file after audio extraction
yt-dlp -x --keep-video URL

# Keep downloaded fragments
yt-dlp --keep-fragments URL
```

## Troubleshooting

### Post-processing fails

```bash theme={null}
# Check ffmpeg installation
ffmpeg -version

# Specify ffmpeg location
yt-dlp --ffmpeg-location /path/to/ffmpeg URL

# View detailed error messages
yt-dlp --verbose URL
```

### Metadata not embedding

```bash theme={null}
# Install required libraries
pip install mutagen  # For better metadata support

# Use compatible format
yt-dlp --merge-output-format mp4 --embed-metadata URL
```

### Thumbnail not embedding

```bash theme={null}
# Convert thumbnail format
yt-dlp --embed-thumbnail --convert-thumbnails jpg URL

# Use AtomicParsley for MP4 (if mutagen fails)
yt-dlp --embed-thumbnail \
  --compat-options embed-thumbnail-atomicparsley \
  URL
```

## Next Steps

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Audio Extraction" icon="music" href="/guides/audio-extraction">
    Detailed audio extraction guide
  </Card>

  <Card title="Format Conversion" icon="arrow-right-arrow-left" href="/guides/format-conversion">
    Converting between formats
  </Card>

  <Card title="Metadata Modification" icon="tags" href="/guides/metadata-modification">
    Parse and modify metadata
  </Card>

  <Card title="SponsorBlock" icon="forward" href="/guides/sponsorblock">
    Remove sponsor segments
  </Card>
</CardGroup>