First identify which program says something is missing. If yt-dlp reports that FFmpeg or ffprobe cannot be found, yt-dlp cannot locate the executable. If FFmpeg says it cannot open an input, check the exact file path after -i. A playlist can also fail because of one unavailable or problematic entry, or because a successful download went to a different output path than expected. The error text, command, operating system, and log determine which case applies.
Identify what “not found” refers to
Read the complete error and note which program emitted it before changing settings. FFmpeg is a media-processing command-line program; yt-dlp may call it to merge or post-process downloaded media. The two common errors point to different fixes.
| Error location or symptom | Likely missing object | First check |
|---|---|---|
| yt-dlp says FFmpeg or ffprobe was not found | The FFmpeg executable or its configured location | Verify the binary, PATH, or --ffmpeg-location. |
| FFmpeg cannot open an input | The file named after -i |
Check the path, filename, extension, and working directory. |
| One playlist entry fails while later entries continue | A specific entry or its availability | Inspect the log around that entry. |
| A download appears missing after success | The destination directory or output filename | Check yt-dlp’s -P, -o, and reported output path. |
Do not assume that the phrase “file not found” identifies the cause on its own. A dated yt-dlp issue illustrates how a configured FFmpeg path that does not exist can cause confusion, but it does not establish the cause of other errors: yt-dlp issue #7178.
If yt-dlp cannot find FFmpeg or ffprobe
yt-dlp needs the FFmpeg executable binary, not a Python package with a similar name. The project states this in its README. Make the executable discoverable either through your system’s PATH or by specifying its location with --ffmpeg-location.
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Check the executable and configured location
- Find the FFmpeg executable installed on your system. Confirm that it is actually present and that you can identify its full path; yt-dlp may also need
ffprobe. - Choose one configuration: add the directory containing the executables to
PATH, or pass--ffmpeg-locationfollowed by the binary path or the directory containing it. Consult the yt-dlp command-line options for the current option syntax. - Check the path character for character. A stale or mistyped configured location will not help yt-dlp find the executable.
- On Windows, restart the shell after changing
PATH, as the yt-dlp FAQ advises. - Run the same yt-dlp task again and inspect whether the missing-executable message is gone. If it remains, capture the complete error and verbose output rather than guessing at another path.
Installation commands, executable suffixes, path separators, shell quoting, and permissions vary by operating system and installation method. Use the instructions for your system rather than treating one platform’s command as universal.
If FFmpeg cannot open an input file
When FFmpeg reports that it cannot open an input, check the exact filename or URL supplied after -i. FFmpeg’s command syntax puts the input option before the input value; its documentation covers command-line syntax and the file protocol.
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- Copy the input value after
-ifrom the command you actually ran. - Confirm that the named file exists at that location. Check spelling, extension, directory names, and the working directory from which the command runs.
- Check that the account or process running FFmpeg can access the file. A path that exists for one user may not be accessible to another.
- If the input is a URL rather than a local file, verify that the URL is the intended input and that it is being passed in the position your command expects.
Do not confuse the input with the output: an input-open failure concerns what FFmpeg was asked to read, not necessarily where a result would be written.
If a playlist entry fails or a download is hard to locate
yt-dlp processes playlist entries individually. By default, it normally continues to the next video after a download error, so one failed item does not necessarily mean the whole playlist or FFmpeg is broken. Read the log around the entry that failed and identify the video and the error associated with it.
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Make error handling deliberate
- For diagnosis, consider
--abort-on-errorso processing stops at the first error and makes that entry easier to isolate. - Avoid using
-i(ignore errors) while troubleshooting: it ignores download and post-processing errors and can obscure what failed. - If only one entry fails, investigate that entry’s log and availability rather than changing the FFmpeg location without evidence.
Check yt-dlp’s output location and filename
yt-dlp separates the download destination from the filename template: -P selects a path, while -o defines an output name or template. Its default filename includes the video title and ID, so searching for a shortened title or looking only in the current directory may not reveal the saved file. Check the output-template documentation, the filesystem options, and the output path printed in the log.
What to include if the error persists
A useful report lets someone distinguish a missing executable from a missing input, an output-path mismatch, or a failed playlist item. Include:
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- The complete error text and the surrounding log lines, especially the playlist entry involved.
- Your operating system and how yt-dlp and FFmpeg were installed.
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Without these details, the title of the error alone cannot establish which object is missing. The yt-dlp issue linked above is a dated example of why the configured path and full diagnostic context matter.
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