yt-dlp/yt-dlp · error · ExtractorError

This video is password-protected; use the --video-password o

Error message

This video is password-protected; use the --video-password option

What it means

Error "This video is password-protected; use the --video-password option" thrown in yt-dlp/yt-dlp.

Source

Thrown at yt_dlp/extractor/sproutvideo.py:188

        'url': 'https://how-to-video.vids.io/videos/799cd8b11c10efc1f0/how-to-video-live-streaming',
        'md5': '9bbbb2c0c0739eb163b80f87b8d77c9e',
        'info_dict': {
            'id': '799cd8b11c10efc1f0',
            'ext': 'mp4',
            'title': 'How to Video: Live Streaming',
            'duration': 2787,
            'thumbnail': r're:https?://images\.sproutvideo\.com/.+\.jpg',
        },
    }]

    def _real_extract(self, url):
        video_id, display_id = self._match_valid_url(url).group('id', 'display_id')
        webpage, urlh = self._download_webpage_handle(url, display_id, expected_status=403)

        if urlh.status == 403:
            password = self.get_param('videopassword')
            if not password:
                raise ExtractorError(
                    'This video is password-protected; use the --video-password option', expected=True)
            try:
                webpage = self._download_webpage(
                    url, display_id, 'Submitting video password',
                    data=urlencode_postdata({
                        'password': password,
                        **self._hidden_inputs(webpage),
                    }))
                # Requests with user's session cookie `_sproutvideo_session` are now authorized
            except ExtractorError as e:
                if isinstance(e.cause, HTTPError) and e.cause.status == 403:
                    raise ExtractorError('Incorrect password', expected=True)
                raise

        if embed_url := next(SproutVideoIE._extract_embed_urls(url, webpage), None):
            return self.url_result(embed_url, SproutVideoIE, video_id)

        raise ExtractorError('Unable to extract any SproutVideo embed url')

View on GitHub (pinned to 81ecd58b13)

Solutions

1. Pass the video password with --video-password

When it happens

Trigger: Thrown at yt_dlp/extractor/sproutvideo.py:188 when the library encounters an invalid state.

Common situations: See trigger scenarios.

AI-assisted analysis of yt-dlp/yt-dlp@81ecd58b13 (2026-08-22). Data as JSON: /api/errors/0d9e6674dfd1bdd0. Report an issue: GitHub.