Common Errors When Downloading Shorts & How to Fix Them
6/30/2025
|Team CapsAI

- Timeout or stalled downloads
• What happens: Your browser or downloader hangs partway through.
• Fix: Use Capsai’s server‑powered downloader (https://capsai.co/upload-video) so the heavy lifting is done remotely, then grab the final MP4 link. - HTTP 403 Forbidden errors
• What happens: You get a 403 when the tool can’t access the video stream.
• Fix: Make sure you’re using a supported downloader (Capsai or yt‑dlp) with updated cookies or OAuth credentials if the Short is private or unlisted. - Incomplete or truncated files
• What happens: The downloaded file stops short of the full length.
• Fix: Run your download command with resume support (for example: ) or use a download manager that supports pausing and resuming.
yt-dlp --continue --fragment-retries 5 <SHORT_URL>
- Incorrect format or container
• What happens: You receive a WebM file when you need MP4.
• Fix: Specify the output format explicitly (yt‑dlp example): or remux with ffmpeg:
yt-dlp -f mp4 "SHORT_URL"
ffmpeg -i input.webm -c copy output.mp4
- Watermark appearing on download
• What happens: The video includes a watermark from a free plan.
• Fix: Use a fully‑free tool like Capsai which delivers watermark‑free MP4s even on its no‑cost tier. - Audio‑video out of sync
• What happens: Dialogue doesn’t match lip movements.
• Fix: Download combined bestvideo+bestaudio streams instead of separate tracks:
yt-dlp -f bestvideo+bestaudio "SHORT_URL"
- Format not playable on your device
• What happens: Your phone or player can’t open the file.
• Fix: Transcode to a universal format with HandBrake or ffmpeg:
ffmpeg -i input.mp4 -c:v libx264 -c:a aac output_compatible.mp4
- Geographic or age restrictions
• What happens: The downloader reports “video unavailable.”
• Fix: Ensure you’re logged into the region-appropriate Google account in your tool, or use an API‑backed service (Capsai) that can proxy through allowed regions. - API rate limits or tool blocking
• What happens: Your script errors out after several downloads.
• Fix: Add exponential backoff retries, rotate API keys, or switch to a bulk service like Capsai’s bulk‑download feature to avoid per-request limits. - Missing subtitles or captions
• What happens: The downloaded video has no burned‑in captions or separate SRT.
• Fix: Use Capsai to auto‑generate and embed subtitles during download: go to https://capsai.co/upload-video, choose your language, then download the captioned MP4.
- Timeout or stalled downloads
• What happens: Your browser or downloader hangs partway through.
• Fix: Use Capsai’s server‑powered downloader (https://capsai.co/upload-video) so the heavy lifting is done remotely, then grab the final MP4 link. - HTTP 403 Forbidden errors
• What happens: You get a 403 when the tool can’t access the video stream.
• Fix: Make sure you’re using a supported downloader (Capsai or yt‑dlp) with updated cookies or OAuth credentials if the Short is private or unlisted. - Incomplete or truncated files
• What happens: The downloaded file stops short of the full length.
• Fix: Run your download command with resume support (for example: ) or use a download manager that supports pausing and resuming.
yt-dlp --continue --fragment-retries 5 <SHORT_URL>
- Incorrect format or container
• What happens: You receive a WebM file when you need MP4.
• Fix: Specify the output format explicitly (yt‑dlp example): or remux with ffmpeg:
yt-dlp -f mp4 "SHORT_URL"
ffmpeg -i input.webm -c copy output.mp4
- Watermark appearing on download
• What happens: The video includes a watermark from a free plan.
• Fix: Use a fully‑free tool like Capsai which delivers watermark‑free MP4s even on its no‑cost tier. - Audio‑video out of sync
• What happens: Dialogue doesn’t match lip movements.
• Fix: Download combined bestvideo+bestaudio streams instead of separate tracks:
yt-dlp -f bestvideo+bestaudio "SHORT_URL"
- Format not playable on your device
• What happens: Your phone or player can’t open the file.
• Fix: Transcode to a universal format with HandBrake or ffmpeg:
ffmpeg -i input.mp4 -c:v libx264 -c:a aac output_compatible.mp4
- Geographic or age restrictions
• What happens: The downloader reports “video unavailable.”
• Fix: Ensure you’re logged into the region-appropriate Google account in your tool, or use an API‑backed service (Capsai) that can proxy through allowed regions. - API rate limits or tool blocking
• What happens: Your script errors out after several downloads.
• Fix: Add exponential backoff retries, rotate API keys, or switch to a bulk service like Capsai’s bulk‑download feature to avoid per-request limits. - Missing subtitles or captions
• What happens: The downloaded video has no burned‑in captions or separate SRT.
• Fix: Use Capsai to auto‑generate and embed subtitles during download: go to https://capsai.co/upload-video, choose your language, then download the captioned MP4.