# How to Install B-ROLL and Download Your First Video

Source: https://b-roll-6hk.pages.dev/guides/getting-started/
Published: 2026-09-25
Updated: 2026-09-25
Author: Ema Zamboni, video editor (https://b-roll-6hk.pages.dev/about/)
Section: Guides (https://b-roll-6hk.pages.dev/guides/)

**In short:** B-ROLL installs on Windows 10 or 11 from an installer or a portable exe, and its first launch fetches yt-dlp, ffmpeg, Deno and a small helper in the background. Then paste a YouTube link, choose Video or Audio and a format, and press Enter. The file and its credits file land in your Downloads folder.

## Installer or portable: which B-ROLL download should you pick?

Pick the installer, `BROLL-Setup.exe`, for a normal setup. The portable `BROLL-portable.exe` skips installation, but it still keeps its tools and settings on the PC, so it is not a self-contained USB-stick app.

The table compares the two B-ROLL downloads on the points that matter for a first install.

| Question | Installer | Portable |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Installation | Setup wizard with a language picker in 7 languages | None, run the exe |
| Admin rights | Not needed for "only for me" | Not needed |
| Start Menu and uninstaller | `BROLL` group with `Uninstall BROLL`, optional desktop icon | Not applicable |
| Tools, settings and history | `%LOCALAPPDATA%\Broll` | `%LOCALAPPDATA%\Broll`, not next to the exe |
| Updates | "Update now" downloads and runs the new installer | "Update now" also hands you the installer; the portable exe is not replaced |

An all-users B-ROLL install lands in `C:\Program Files (x86)\BROLL\`. An "only for me" install goes to your per-user Programs folder, `%LOCALAPPDATA%\Programs\BROLL`, by the [Inno Setup constants rule](https://jrsoftware.org/ishelp/topic_consts.htm) for per-user installs; that path has not been checked on a real install.

B-ROLL itself is a 64-bit app for Windows 10 and 11; macOS and Linux versions are planned. The release history starts with [the first public release of B-ROLL, July 2026](https://b-roll-6hk.pages.dev/blog/first-public-release/). B-ROLL is not code-signed, so Windows may warn you before the first run; [Is B-ROLL safe? SmartScreen, signing and checksums](https://b-roll-6hk.pages.dev/troubleshooting/windows-smartscreen-warning/) shows how to check the file and continue.

[Download B-ROLL for Windows](https://b-roll-6hk.pages.dev/download/): free, Windows 10 and 11 today, macOS and Linux planned. No account, no ads.

## What happens the first time B-ROLL opens?

On first launch B-ROLL downloads yt-dlp, ffmpeg and Deno into `%LOCALAPPDATA%\Broll` in the background, then you can paste links. B-ROLL needs an internet connection for that setup. The main window opens right away, the sidebar's Advanced panel shows the TOOLS status, and the log ends with **All components ready.**

The table lists each first-launch step, what B-ROLL fetches and where it goes. Sizes were measured on Ema Zamboni's Windows 11 PC in September 2026 and change a little as the tools update.

| Step | What B-ROLL fetches | Where it goes | Size on disk |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | `yt-dlp.exe` from yt-dlp's GitHub releases | `%LOCALAPPDATA%\Broll` | 17.0 MB |
| 2 | The latest yt-dlp nightly build (`--update-to nightly`) | Replaces `yt-dlp.exe` | Not applicable |
| 3 | The ffmpeg zip from yt-dlp's FFmpeg-Builds; only `ffmpeg.exe` is kept | `%LOCALAPPDATA%\Broll` | 194.8 MB |
| 4 | Deno, the JavaScript runtime yt-dlp uses for YouTube | `%LOCALAPPDATA%\Broll` | 96.4 MB |
| 5 | bgutil-ytdlp-pot-provider, an open-source helper that yt-dlp's plugin calls on your PC | `pot-provider` and `yt-dlp-plugins` folders in `%LOCALAPPDATA%\Broll` | 165.4 MB |
| 6 | One public test video, resolved to warm up yt-dlp | Nothing is saved | Not applicable |

The whole folder measured 473.7 MB on the same PC. The [yt-dlp README](https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp) calls ffmpeg required for merging separate video and audio files. As of September 2026, the [yt-dlp EJS wiki page](https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/wiki/EJS) says yt-dlp needs an external JavaScript runtime to solve YouTube's JavaScript challenges, with Deno enabled by default.

The helper runs as a local service on your own PC at 127.0.0.1 port 4416. B-ROLL updates yt-dlp to the latest nightly at every launch, and **Force update yt-dlp** does it on demand. ffmpeg and Deno stay as installed until you press **Reinstall tools**.

One exception changes the table. If an `ffmpeg` is already on the Windows PATH at first launch, B-ROLL uses it and skips both its own ffmpeg and the Deno download. The TOOLS panel then reads **JS runtime: missing**, and **Reinstall tools** fetches what was skipped.

## How do you download your first YouTube video in B-ROLL?

Paste a YouTube link into the box at the top of the B-ROLL window and press `Enter`. B-ROLL queues it with the Type, Quality and Format currently set, and a card appears in the list.

The paste box reads "Paste a link, playlist or channel, or search". `Ctrl` + `V` pastes, `Shift` + `Enter` adds a line for more links, and duplicate links are dropped. With an empty box, the **Paste & Download** button reads the clipboard directly.

B-ROLL recognizes `youtube.com/watch`, `youtu.be/`, `youtube.com/shorts/`, `youtube.com/playlist` and channel pages such as `youtube.com/@name`. It rejects `m.youtube.com`, `music.youtube.com`, `/live/` and `/embed/` links, and links typed without `https://`. When a video link belongs to a playlist, a dialog asks **Just this video** or **Whole playlist**, unless **Download playlists** in Advanced options is set to Yes or No.

Each download card shows its state, a progress bar, the live speed and a "Real bitrate" line with the resolution. B-ROLL downloads one file at a time. When you need only a section of a video, the [YouTube clip downloader with preview and in and out points](https://b-roll-6hk.pages.dev/features/youtube-clip-downloader/) covers ranges, parts and cut modes.

> **Careful:** Download only footage you have the right to use: your own uploads, Creative Commons, licensed or permitted material.

## Where does B-ROLL save the file?

B-ROLL saves to your Windows Downloads folder, `%USERPROFILE%\Downloads`, until you choose another folder in the SAVE TO row. **Change** picks a folder, the ▾ menu offers the real Downloads folder (OneDrive included) and up to 6 recent folders, and **Open folder** opens the current one in Explorer.

A full video is saved under its YouTube title, for example `Title.mp4`, and a clip as `Title [mm-ss to mm-ss].mp4`. Each file gets the download date as its modified date, not the upload date.

B-ROLL's credits files are on by default. After each finished download, B-ROLL writes `Title.credits.txt` next to the file and appends the same block to a running `credits.txt` in that folder, with title, creator, channel, source URL, upload date and license. The lookup is best effort: when it fails, no credits file is written. The License line repeats what yt-dlp reports and falls back to "Standard YouTube License", so check the license on the video page too. The format and options are in [automatic credit files for every YouTube download](https://b-roll-6hk.pages.dev/features/automatic-creator-credit-files/).

Audio can go elsewhere: **Save audio to a different folder** adds a second SAVE TO row just for Audio downloads.

## What do the Video, Audio, Quality and Format menus do?

The Video and Audio switch sets the download type, Quality caps the resolution or audio bitrate, and Format picks the container or edit-ready codec. B-ROLL remembers Quality and Format separately for each mode, and the **Subtitles** menu beside Format adds SRT, ASS, VTT or embedded subtitles.

The table lists every option in the two B-ROLL modes, defaults first.

| Menu | Video mode | Audio mode |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Quality | Best, 4K, 1080p, 720p, 480p (height caps) | Best, 320 kbps, 256 kbps, 192 kbps, 128 kbps |
| Format | MP4, MKV, WEBM, ProRes, DNx | MP3, M4A, WAV, FLAC, OPUS |

MP4, MKV and WEBM are containers. With yt-dlp's default ranking, the video inside is often AV1 or VP9 with Opus audio, which some editors play slowly. On Ema Zamboni's own DaVinci Resolve timeline, 4K60 AV1 footage from YouTube was heavy to play back, and AV1 or VP9 downloads crashed Resolve at times. That problem is why B-ROLL converts to ProRes and DNxHR.

ProRes and DNx carry a "slow" hint in the Format menu. B-ROLL downloads an MKV master, then ffmpeg converts it to a `.mov` of the same name with the source resolution and frame rate, picking the lightest tier that preserves the source. The conversion uses every CPU core and makes large files; the next download starts while it runs. Tiers and file sizes are in [download YouTube videos in ProRes or DNxHR](https://b-roll-6hk.pages.dev/features/youtube-to-prores-dnxhr/).

## What should you set up next in B-ROLL?

Open **Advanced options** (the ⋯ button next to Subtitles) and **Settings** (the ⚙ button) after your first download: together they decide clips, playlists, channels and sign-in.

- **Part of a video** (Advanced options): **Only a part: ask me which each time** opens the preview and trim player for a single link, which needs VLC media player.
- **Exact frame cut (slower, re-encodes)** (Advanced options): off by default, so clips cut on keyframes.
- **Download channels** (Advanced options): off by default; set it to Ask or Yes before pasting a channel link.
- **Save credits (attribution) for each download** (Advanced options): on by default.
- **Open files with** (Settings): the media player that **Open file** uses.
- **Cookies file** (Settings): needed only when YouTube asks you to sign in.

Every option, default and saved key is in [B-ROLL settings and advanced options explained](https://b-roll-6hk.pages.dev/features/settings-and-advanced-options/). For the jobs that follow, from clips for DaVinci Resolve to a tidy footage library, start from [Guides: YouTube Footage from Download to Timeline](https://b-roll-6hk.pages.dev/guides/).

## What if B-ROLL's first download does not work?

A failed first B-ROLL download usually has one of four causes.

- **Windows protected your PC**: click **More info**, then **Run anyway**, after checking the file.
- **Tools missing**: the TOOLS panel shows **ffmpeg: missing** or **JS runtime: missing**, or a card says "yt-dlp not found". Press **Reinstall tools**. A card frozen at the start or the end is covered in [YouTube download stuck at 0% or 99%](https://b-roll-6hk.pages.dev/troubleshooting/download-stuck-0-or-99/).
- **Sign-in required**: as of September 2026, YouTube sometimes answers "Sign in to confirm you're not a bot". With no cookies.txt set, B-ROLL tries your browser logins, then opens the **Sign-in needed** wizard. The fix that worked for Ema Zamboni: export a fresh cookies.txt from a browser signed in to your own YouTube account and load it under **Cookies file** in Settings. Cookies expire, so export again when the message returns.
- **Not a valid YouTube link**: paste the regular watch link, starting with `https://`.

> **Tip: Clean reinstall**
>
> Uninstalling B-ROLL leaves `%LOCALAPPDATA%\Broll` in place, with the tools, settings, history and any cookies.txt. Delete that folder by hand when you want a truly fresh first launch.

## How to install B-ROLL and download your first video

1. **Download B-ROLL.** On a Windows 10 or 11 PC, download the installer or the portable exe from the B-ROLL download page.
2. **Run the installer.** Run BROLL-Setup.exe, choose to install only for you or for all users, and use the launch checkbox on the last page to start B-ROLL. If Windows shows a SmartScreen warning, click More info, then Run anyway.
3. **Let the first launch finish.** Keep B-ROLL open while it fetches yt-dlp, ffmpeg and Deno in the background. The log ends with All components ready.
4. **Paste a YouTube link.** Copy a YouTube watch link, click the paste box at the top of the main window and press Ctrl+V.
5. **Choose type, quality and format.** Set the switch to Video or Audio, then pick a Quality and a Format, for example MP4 or ProRes.
6. **Start the download.** Press Enter or click Paste & Download. The card shows the progress bar, the live speed and the real bitrate.
7. **Open the folder.** When the card says done, right-click it and choose Open folder. The file and its credits file sit in your Downloads folder.

## Frequently asked questions

Q: Do I need admin rights to install B-ROLL?
A: No. Choose "only for me" in the installer and B-ROLL installs without administrator rights. Running B-ROLL never needs them either: the app writes only to its own data folder in your user profile, to the download folders you choose and, if you turn on Open B-ROLL at login, to your per-user startup entry.

Q: Why does Windows warn me before the first run?
A: B-ROLL is not code-signed, and Microsoft Defender SmartScreen warns about downloaded apps that have no established reputation yet. Whether the warning appears depends on Windows reputation data. After checking that the file came from the official download, click More info, then Run anyway. The checksum steps are in [Is B-ROLL safe? SmartScreen, signing and checksums](https://b-roll-6hk.pages.dev/troubleshooting/windows-smartscreen-warning/).

Q: Can I search YouTube inside B-ROLL?
A: Yes. Type words instead of a link and the Paste & Download button turns into Search. B-ROLL lists 20 results with thumbnail, title, views, duration, channel, bitrate and resolution. Tick the videos you want and press Download selected. Clicking a thumbnail opens the preview and trim player, which needs VLC media player installed.

Q: Can I use B-ROLL offline after the first launch?
A: No. B-ROLL needs an internet connection for every download, title lookup and search, because each one talks to YouTube. At launch it also asks GitHub whether a newer B-ROLL exists and stays silent when you are offline. Files you already downloaded stay on your disk and open without B-ROLL.

## Sources

1. [B-ROLL releases on GitHub](https://github.com/EmanueleZamboni/broll/releases)
2. [yt-dlp README on GitHub](https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp)
3. [yt-dlp wiki: EJS (JavaScript runtime for YouTube)](https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/wiki/EJS)
4. [Microsoft Defender SmartScreen overview, Microsoft Learn](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/security/operating-system-security/virus-and-threat-protection/microsoft-defender-smartscreen/)
5. [Inno Setup Help: Constants](https://jrsoftware.org/ishelp/topic_consts.htm)

---

B-ROLL is a free, donation-supported desktop YouTube downloader for video editors: it downloads videos, clips, playlists and channels, converts them automatically into edit-ready ProRes or DNxHR (or saves MP4, MKV, WEBM or audio), and includes built-in trimming, subtitles and automatic creator credit files. Part of [Guides: YouTube Footage from Download to Timeline](https://b-roll-6hk.pages.dev/guides/) on the B-ROLL website. Download B-ROLL, free for Windows 10 and 11 (macOS and Linux planned): https://b-roll-6hk.pages.dev/download/