For Linux (Setup_YT_Downloader-Linux-v1.1.7.tar.gz)

1. Download Setup_YT_Downloader-Linux-v1.1.7.tar.gz from the Releases Tab.
2. Extract the archive and run the automated installation script:

   tar -xzf Setup_YT_Downloader-Linux-v1.1.7.tar.gz
   cd Setup_YT_Downloader-Linux-v1.1.7
   ./install.sh
   

   This automatically installs the standalone companion binary (YTDownloader) to ~/.local/bin/ and registers a systemd user service (yt-downloader.service) so that the local backend runs continuously and silently in the background on port 19836.

Step 2: Install the Browser Extension

v1.1.7 Bugfix & Browser Compatibility Notice: Manifest V3 strictly enforces "service_worker" on Chrome/Edge (rejecting "scripts"), while Firefox strictly requires "scripts" (warning on "service_worker"). In v1.1.7, we separate the build targets into dedicated packages for each browser engine (manifest.json for Chrome and manifest.firefox.json for Firefox) to eliminate all manifest validation warnings and errors (background.scripts requires manifest version of 2 or lower on Chrome and unsupported service_worker on Firefox).

• Chrome / Edge / Brave (Unpacked Mode):
  1. Download YT-Media-Downloader-Extension-Chrome-v1.1.7.zip from the Releases tab and extract it.
  2. Open chrome://extensions in your browser.
  3. Enable Developer mode in the top right corner.
  4. Click Load unpacked and select the extracted folder.
• Firefox (AMO / Add-on / Temporary Add-on):
  1. Install directly from the Mozilla Add-ons store (addons.mozilla.org), or download YT-Media-Downloader-Extension-Firefox-v1.1.7.zip and load via about:debugging.

Step 3: Enjoy on YouTube!

Open any YouTube video or Short. You will see the new Download button directly inside the native YouTube action bar right before the overflow menu (...). Click it to open the floating panel or use the scissors icon to trim clips.

Building from Source (For Developers)

This repository is completely open-source and transparent. You can easily compile both the browser extension and the Windows companion server installer directly from the source scripts included in this repository.

Prerequisites

• Python 3.10+ (with pip installed)
• PyInstaller: pip install pyinstaller
• Inno Setup 6+ (to compile the Windows .exe installer)
• PowerShell 5.1+ (included natively in Windows)

1. Build the Companion Server

For Windows (Setup_YT_Downloader.exe)

The local backend service for Windows is driven by scripts/ytdl_host.py alongside local video processing tools.

1. Place the required binaries (ffmpeg.exe, ffprobe.exe, yt-dlp.exe) inside the tools/ directory.
2. Run the automated PowerShell build script from the root of the repository:

   .\scripts\build_installer.ps1
   

   This script automatically compiles ytdl_host.py into a standalone native Windows binary (native-host/YTDownloader.exe) using PyInstaller, embeds version metadata (scripts/version_info.txt), and then invokes Inno Setup (scripts/installer.iss) to package the complete standalone installer Setup_YT_Downloader.exe.

For Linux (Setup_YT_Downloader-Linux.tar.gz)

The native Linux companion server environment is completely isolated inside the linux-host/ directory.

1. Ensure python3 and pyinstaller (pip install --user pyinstaller) are installed on your Linux build machine.
2. Run the automated bash build script inside the linux-host/ directory:

   cd linux-host
   ./build_linux.sh
   

   This script compiles ytdl_host.py into a standalone POSIX ELF binary (YTDownloader) using PyInstaller --onefile, packages it alongside install_linux.sh and the systemd user service unit (yt-downloader.service), and creates the final release archive (release-linux/Setup_YT_Downloader-Linux-v1.1.7.tar.gz).

2. Build the WebExtension ZIP

To package the clean browser extension into POSIX-compliant archives (YT-Media-Downloader-Extension-Chrome-v1.1.7.zip and YT-Media-Downloader-Extension-Firefox-v1.1.7.zip) ready for Chrome Web Store and Mozilla Add-ons without browser-specific warnings:

python scripts/pack_extension.py

The packaging script (scripts/pack_extension.py) guarantees strict UNIX forward-slash entry headers (create_system = 3), automatically swaps manifest.firefox.json for Firefox builds, and enforces official release naming rules:

• Setup_YT_Downloader-Linux-<version>.tar.gz
• Setup_YT_Downloader-Win-<version>.exe (or .tar.gz)
• YT-Media-Downloader-Extension-Chrome-<version>.zip
• YT-Media-Downloader-Extension-Firefox-<version>.zip

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Server disconnected or not responding

• Solution: Ensure YTDownloader.exe (on Windows) or the yt-downloader.service systemd service (on Linux: check with systemctl --user status yt-downloader.service) is running on your PC and listening on port 19836. Check your antivirus or firewall settings if the local loopback connection is blocked.

Rate limit errors during heavy downloads

• Solution: If you download dozens of videos in rapid succession, YouTube may temporarily throttle requests. Wait a few minutes or switch to a different quality setting.

Download button not appearing on YouTube

• Solution: Refresh the YouTube page (F5). Check that the extension is enabled in your browser's extension manager.

License

This project is licensed under the MIT License — see the LICENSE file for details.

Support BlaxDEV

If YT Media Downloader saves you time and enhances your workflow, consider supporting its ongoing development and ad-free maintenance!

Created by BlaxDEV — Video & Audio Downloader Pro v1.1.7