---
tags: tutorial, android, ssh, youtube-dl, termux, download, english
---

# Tutorial to install [youtube-dl](https://github.com/ytdl-org/youtube-dl/) in android

Based on <https://www.reddit.com/r/Piracy/comments/baufql/youtubedl_the_easy_way_on_android/>

## Usage

Click **Share**, select **Termux**, choose video or audio, and that's it!, it will be saved to `Downloads/{Provider}/` e.g `Downloads/Youtube/`

## Install Termux

<https://termux.com/>

## Open Termux and run one of these

<!-- no toc -->
1. [Youtube-dl + sharing + dialog **(Recommended)**](#youtube-dl--sharing--dialog-recommended)
2. [Youtube-dl + sharing](#youtube-dl--sharing)
3. [Youtube-dl](#youtube-dl)
4. [Termux extras](#termux-extras)
5. [All-In-One](#all-in-one)

### Youtube-dl + sharing + dialog **(Recommended)**

```bash
    # Ask for storage permission
    termux-setup-storage &&
    # Install youtube-dl
    apt update && apt upgrade -y && apt install -y python ffmpeg dialog && pip install youtube-dl &&
    # Configure to download videos in `Download/{URL's provider (e.g. Youtube)}/{filename}`
    mkdir -p ~/.config/youtube-dl &&
    echo "# Default Output Directory and Pattern
    -o /data/data/com.termux/files/home/storage/downloads/%(extractor_key)s/%(title).150s-%(id)s.%(ext)s" > ~/.config/youtube-dl/config &&
    # Configure to open shared URLs with `youtube-dl {url}`
    mkdir -p ~/bin &&
    echo '#!/bin/bash
        URL=$1
        HEIGHT=15
        WIDTH=40
        CHOICE_HEIGHT=4

        CHOICE=$(dialog \
            --menu "What would you like to download?" \
            $HEIGHT $WIDTH $CHOICE_HEIGHT \
            Video "" \
            Audio "" \
            2>&1 >/dev/tty)

        case $CHOICE in
            Video)
                echo "Downloading video from $URL"
                youtube-dl $URL
                ;;
            Audio)
                echo "Downloading audio from $URL"
                youtube-dl -x $URL
                ;;
        esac' > ~/bin/termux-url-opener &&
    chmod +x ~/bin/termux-url-opener
```

- Paste the script above 🖢 in the Termux console and press <kbd>Enter</kbd>
- A prompt to enable storage will appear, press <kbd>y</kbd> then <kbd>Enter</kbd>
- That's all!, just wait for it to finish upgrading/installing

#### Usage

Share an URL to termux, a dialog will ask you to choose if download **video** or just **audio**

### Youtube-dl + sharing

#### Usage

Share URL to termux, this will automatically download the video.

But if you always want to download just audio, replace `youtube-dl $url` with `youtube-dl -x $url` in the script below 🖣

```bash
    # Ask for storage permission
    termux-setup-storage &&
    # Install youtube-dl
    apt update && apt upgrade -y && apt install -y python ffmpeg && pip install youtube-dl &&
    # Configure to download videos in `Download/{URL's provider (e.g. Youtube)}/{filename}`
    mkdir -p ~/.config/youtube-dl &&
    echo "# Default Output Directory and Pattern
    -o /data/data/com.termux/files/home/storage/downloads/%(extractor_key)s/%(title).150s-%(id)s.%(ext)s" > ~/.config/youtube-dl/config &&
    # Configure to open shared URLs with `youtube-dl {url}`
    mkdir -p ~/bin &&
    echo "#!/bin/bash
    url=$1
    youtube-dl $url" > ~/bin/termux-url-opener &&
    chmod +x ~/bin/termux-url-opener
```

### Youtube-dl

This will only install youtube-dl in termux, sharing a URL to Termux will not work, you'll need to run the command manually from the terminal, e.g `youtube-dl https://youtu.be/blahblahblah`

```bash
    # Ask for storage permission
    termux-setup-storage &&
    # Install youtube-dl
    apt update && apt upgrade -y && apt install -y python ffmpeg && pip install youtube-dl
```

### Termux extras

```bash
    # Add special keys to keyboard
    # source: https://wiki.termux.com/wiki/Touch_Keyboard#Extra_Keys_Row(s)
    mkdir -p ~/.termux
    echo "extra-keys = [ \
        ['ESC', '/', '|', 'HOME', 'UP', 'END', 'PGUP', '-'], \
        ['TAB','CTRL', 'ALT', 'LEFT', 'DOWN', 'RIGHT', 'PGDN', '~'] \
    ]" > ~/.termux/termux.properties
    # Install nano
    apt install -y nano
```

### All-In-One

Youtube-dl + sharing + dialog + Termux extras

```bash
    termux-setup-storage &&
    apt update && apt upgrade -y && apt install -y nano python ffmpeg dialog && pip install youtube-dl &&
    mkdir -p ~/.config/youtube-dl &&
    echo "# Default Output Directory and Pattern
    -o /data/data/com.termux/files/home/storage/downloads/%(extractor_key)s/%(title).150s-%(id)s.%(ext)s" > ~/.config/youtube-dl/config &&
    mkdir -p ~/bin &&
    echo '#!/bin/bash
        URL=$1
        HEIGHT=15
        WIDTH=40
        CHOICE_HEIGHT=4

        CHOICE=$(dialog \
            --menu "Que desea descargar?" \
            $HEIGHT $WIDTH $CHOICE_HEIGHT \
            Video "" \
            Audio "" \
            2>&1 >/dev/tty)

        case $CHOICE in
            Video)
                youtube-dl $URL
                ;;
            Audio)
                youtube-dl -x $URL
                ;;
        esac' > ~/bin/termux-url-opener &&
    chmod +x ~/bin/termux-url-opener &&
    mkdir -p ~/.termux &&
    echo "extra-keys = [ \
        ['ESC', '/', '|', 'HOME', 'UP', 'END', 'PGUP', '-'], \
        ['TAB','CTRL', 'ALT', 'LEFT', 'DOWN', 'RIGHT', 'PGDN', '~'] \
    ]" > ~/.termux/termux.properties
```