How to Use yt-dlp to Download from OnlyFans?

OnlyFans has grown into one of the leading platforms for creators to share exclusive videos and photos directly with their fans. With millions of users worldwide, it offers a private and secure way to support favorite creators through paid subscriptions. However, many subscribers and creators want to download OnlyFans content — whether to back up their own uploads, save purchased content for offline viewing, or organize collections.

Unfortunately, OnlyFans does not offer a built-in download feature for photos or videos. That’s where third-party tools like yt-dlp come in. yt-dlp is a free, open-source program that can download videos and photos from a wide range of websites — including OnlyFans, when properly configured. In this guide, you’ll learn what yt-dlp is, how to use it to download from OnlyFans, as well as discuss its pros and cons.

1. What Is yt-dlp?

yt-dlp is a command-line video downloader, derived from the popular open-source project youtube-dl. It’s written in Python and regularly updated to support thousands of streaming platforms. yt-dlp has become the go-to tool for users who want fine control over video downloads, formats, and metadata extraction.

Key Features of yt-dlp:

• Supports a wide variety of platforms, including OnlyFans, YouTube, Twitter, TikTok, and Vimeo.
• Allows authentication with cookies for access to private or paid content.
• Supports bulk downloading via playlists or link lists.
• Lets users specify video formats, output names, and download directories.
• Free and open-source, with community-driven updates.

2. How to Use yt-dlp to Download Videos and Photos from OnlyFans?

yt-dlp can download both videos and photos from OnlyFans once authenticated with your account and here’s a step-by-step guide:

Step 1: Install yt-dlp on you device

• Windows: Download yt-dlp.exe from its official GitHub page > Place it in a folder (e.g., C:\yt-dlp\) > Open Command Prompt and navigate to that folder: cd C:\yt-dlp

• macOS/Linux: Run the following command in Terminal:

sudo curl -L https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/releases/latest/download/yt-dlp -o /usr/local/bin/yt-dlp
sudo chmod a+rx /usr/local/bin/yt-dlp

Step 2: Export Cookies from Your Browser

OnlyFans content requires authentication to access, so yt-dlp needs your session cookies.

• Log in to your OnlyFans account using Chrome or Firefox.
• Install the “Get cookies.txt” extension.
• Click the extension icon while on OnlyFans and export cookies as cookies.txt.
• Save this file in the same folder as yt-dlp.

Step 3: Download a Video or Photo Post

Copy the URL of the OnlyFans post you want to download. Then, in Command Prompt or Terminal, use the following command:

yt-dlp –cookies cookies.txt -f best -o “%(title)s.%(ext)s” “https://onlyfans.com/username/posts/123456789”

• --cookies cookies.txt: loads your OnlyFans login data.
• -f best: downloads the best available quality.
• -o "%(title)s.%(ext)s": saves the video or image with the post title as the filename.

yt-dlp will automatically detect and download all media in that post — including videos, images, and thumbnails.

Step 4: Download Entire Profiles or Multiple Posts

To download multiple posts or full profiles, create a text file called urls.txt and list each URL on a new line.

Then, run:

yt-dlp –cookies cookies.txt -a urls.txt -f best -o “OnlyFans/%(uploader)s/%(title)s.%(ext)s”

This command tells yt-dlp to:

• Read all URLs from urls.txt
• Download all associated media (photos and videos)
• Save them in organized folders by creator name

Step 5: Download Only Photos (Optional)

If you want to download only photos, you can filter by file type:

yt-dlp –cookies cookies.txt –match-filter “ext=jpg” “https://onlyfans.com/username”

or simply download all media and later sort by file type in your folder.

3. Pros and Cons of yt-dlp

✅ Pros:

• Free & open-source: 100% free to use with community support.
• Powerful & flexible: Offers deep control over file format, quality, and naming.
• Supports videos & photos: Can download all types of media from OnlyFans.
• Bulk download support: Works with multiple URLs and text files.
• Regular updates: Maintained by active developers to support new sites.

❌ Cons:

• No graphical interface: Must use command-line commands.
• Complex setup: Requires cookies and technical understanding.
• No automatic file management: Doesn’t organize or tag downloaded media.
• Inconsistent speed: Depends on network and platform stability.
• Steep learning curve: Not ideal for casual users.

4. Try the Best OnlyFans Bulk Video & Photo Downloader – OnlyLoader

For users who want a user-friendly and professional-grade tool designed specifically for OnlyFans, OnlyLoader is the ultimate choice. Unlike yt-dlp, it doesn’t require cookie extraction, terminal commands, or scripting — just log in and download your favorite content in seconds.

Key Features of OnlyLoader:

• Download all videos, photos, and posts from any OnlyFans profile in one click.
• Supports full-resolution 720p, 1080p, and even 4K media.
• Save videos and photo in MP4, PNG and more formats.
• Log in directly inside the software for secure downloads.
• Works on both Windows and macOS.
• Optimized servers ensure smooth, high-speed downloads.

How to use OnlyLoader:

Step 1: Grab the OnlyLoader installer for your system (Windows or Mac) from the official site, install it, and run the software.

Step 2: To download videos, open the creator’s OnlyFans profile in OnlyLoader, go to the Videos tab, select a video, and click the Download button. You can also download all videos in bulk.

Step 3: To download photos, go to the Photos tab and let OnlyLoader automatically detect the original images. Then select the photos you want and download them with a single click.

5. Conclusion

yt-dlp is a powerful tool for downloading OnlyFans videos and photos, but its command-line interface and manual setup can be challenging for most users. OnlyLoader, on the other hand, offers a fast, user-friendly solution with bulk download support, high-resolution media, and automatic file organization. For anyone looking to save OnlyFans content efficiently and securely, OnlyLoader is the recommended choice.