What Is the Smart Video Downloader?
The Smart Video Downloader is a graphical interface for downloading video and audio content from web platforms. Built on yt-dlp, it supports hundreds of websites and adds profile management, cookie authentication, download acceleration, and format selection on top of the command-line tool.
Why Use the Smart Downloader?
Profile-based configuration. Save download settings as named profiles. Switch between profiles for different use cases — one for audio-only downloads, another for 4K video, another for a specific platform with cookie authentication.
Cookie support. Download content that requires authentication by importing browser cookies. Access age-restricted, member-only, or paid content from platforms where you have a valid account.
Download acceleration. Integrate with aria2 for multi-connection downloads that maximize your bandwidth. Faster downloads for large video files.
Clipboard integration. Paste URLs from your clipboard directly. SoundWorks detects URLs automatically when the downloader opens.
Format selection. Choose video quality, audio format, and container type before downloading. Download audio-only for music and podcast archiving, or full video at your preferred resolution.
How It Works
Step 1: Paste a URL. Enter the video URL or paste it from your clipboard. SoundWorks auto-detects URLs when the download window opens.
Step 2: Select a profile. Choose a download profile or configure settings manually: output format, quality, target directory, authentication, and acceleration options.
Step 3: Download. Start the download. SoundWorks shows progress and saves the file to your specified directory.
Profile System
Profiles save your complete download configuration:
- Output format and quality
- Target directory
- Cookie file path
- aria2 acceleration settings
- Custom yt-dlp arguments
Create profiles for different workflows — “YouTube Audio Only”, “4K Video Archive”, “Podcast Downloads” — and switch between them with one click.
Frequently Asked Questions
What platforms are supported? The downloader supports hundreds of platforms through yt-dlp. YouTube, Vimeo, Dailymotion, Twitch, and many more. The full list depends on the yt-dlp version installed.
Is this legal? Downloading copyrighted content without permission may violate local laws and platform terms of service. Use this tool responsibly for content you have the right to download.
Can I download just the audio? Yes. Select an audio-only format in the download settings. The output can be saved directly as MP3, AAC, Opus, or other audio formats.
How do I update yt-dlp? SoundWorks can check for and install yt-dlp updates. Keeping yt-dlp updated ensures compatibility with platform changes.