(Note: yt-dlp is recommended over youtube-dl for active maintenance).
The easiest way to specify a download location for a single session is using the -P (uppercase P) flag, which defines the path for the output files. yt-dlp -P /path/to/folder URL Use code with caution.
Changing the download location is straightforward, whether you want a one-time change or a permanent default path. This guide covers how to change the download location on Windows, macOS, and Linux using command-line arguments and configuration files. Method 1: Using the -P (Paths) Argument (Recommended)
By default, youtube-dl (and its modern, more active fork, yt-dlp ) downloads videos to the current working directory of your terminal, which is often your user home folder. This can quickly clutter your workspace.