UPDATE THE RIGHT INSTALLATION

How to Update gallery-dl Safely

Update gallery-dl through the same channel that installed it, then verify the executable your shell actually runs. This guide covers pip, package managers, standalone builds, official update options, PATH conflicts, and a small post-update test.

Channel-aware stepsPATH verificationSafe version check

Editorial illustration of a command-line update with a package, circular arrows, and a green verification check — The reliable update loop is: identify the installation, update that source, then verify the command path and version.

Short answer: update through the same channel

If pip installed gallery-dl, use python -m pip install -U gallery-dl. If Homebrew, Chocolatey, Scoop, Snap, or another package manager installed it, use that manager. For a standalone build, replace the executable from the official release. Finish with gallery-dl --version and where gallery-dl (or which gallery-dl) so you know which copy changed.

START WITH EVIDENCE

Check the gallery-dl installation you are about to update

The most common update mistake is changing one installation while the shell keeps running another. Before upgrading, record the current version and the executable path. On Windows, use where gallery-dl; on macOS or Linux, use which gallery-dl. If you installed with pip, python -m pip show gallery-dl identifies the package attached to that Python interpreter.

Keep this baseline in a short note. It lets you distinguish a failed update from a PATH problem, a package-manager delay, or a second standalone executable. Do not remove configuration or cookies just because the version check is confusing; those are separate troubleshooting layers.

Record the current version

gallery-dl --version

Find the command on Windows

where gallery-dl

Find the command on macOS or Linux

which gallery-dl

Inspect the pip package

python -m pip show gallery-dl

MATCH THE OWNER

Choose the update command for your installation channel

Use one package owner for the command whenever possible. Mixing pip, a system package, and a standalone executable makes it easy to update the wrong copy. If you are unsure, run the path checks above before installing anything else.

The official project publishes stable releases and standalone files separately from package-manager timing. A package manager may lag behind a release, while a standalone file can be current but live in a directory that is not first on PATH.

Editorial diagram showing package manager, standalone file, and source channels converging on a verified update — Pick the channel that owns the executable you actually run; do not update three channels at once.

pip

Use the interpreter that owns the package. On Windows, py -m pip is useful when several Python installations exist.

python -m pip install -U gallery-dl
py -m pip install -U gallery-dl
Re-run gallery-dl --version after the command finishes

Homebrew, Chocolatey, Scoop, or Snap

Run the upgrade through the same manager that installed gallery-dl, then check the resolved path. The exact package name can vary by platform and repository.

brew upgrade gallery-dl
choco upgrade gallery-dl
scoop update gallery-dl
snap refresh gallery-dl

Standalone build

Download the matching Windows or Linux asset from the official release, replace the old executable deliberately, and preserve a backup until the new version passes a small test.

Keep the filename and directory predictable
Check the release tag and checksum files
Run the version command from the same shell used for downloads

USE THE BUILT-IN CHECKS CAREFULLY

Use gallery-dl update options when they fit your channel

The official command-line options include an update action, an update check, and a release-channel selector. These options are useful when the executable can update itself, but they do not remove the need to confirm the installation path. If a package manager owns the file, let that manager remain the source of truth instead of mixing self-update and package upgrades.

A stable release is the right default for ordinary jobs. Use another channel only when you understand why you need it and can reproduce the change. Record the channel in your maintenance note so a later package-manager upgrade does not silently replace it.

Update when supported by the current executable

gallery-dl -U

Check for a newer version

gallery-dl --update-check

Select a documented release channel

gallery-dl --update-to stable

Do not treat an update command as proof of success

The proof is the combination of the resolved path, the version output, and a small authorized simulation. If the version did not change, inspect PATH and package ownership before retrying.

VERIFY BEFORE A LARGE JOB

Verify the new version, path, and configuration

After updating, run the version command from a new shell when PATH changed. Compare the output with the executable path you recorded earlier. If a Python installation and a standalone file are both present, test each deliberately instead of assuming the first command is the one you upgraded.

Then run a small public URL with simulation enabled. This checks that the new extractor code starts, the command can read your intended configuration, and no large download begins while you are still validating the change.

Editorial illustration of a terminal, path comparison, magnifying glass, and green update verification check — Version output and command path together tell you whether the intended executable was updated.

Run a small simulation

gallery-dl --config-ignore --simulate "URL"

Inspect loaded configuration

gallery-dl --config-status

Check	Command	What it tells you
Version	gallery-dl --version	Which release the resolved command reports
Path	where / which gallery-dl	Which executable the shell will start
Package owner	python -m pip show gallery-dl	Which Python environment owns the pip package
Clean test	gallery-dl --config-ignore --simulate "URL"	Whether extraction starts without a large write
Config status	gallery-dl --config-status	Which configuration files are loaded

REPAIR THE RIGHT LAYER

Fix common gallery-dl update failures

If the version stays the same, first check whether the shell resolves a different executable than the one you updated. If pip reports success but the command is unchanged, compare python -m pip show gallery-dl with the command path and reopen the terminal. A package manager can also lag behind the upstream stable release; that is a timing difference, not necessarily a broken update.

If the update succeeds but a site now behaves differently, separate software version, URL recognition, cookies, configuration, rate limits, and storage. Run the clean simulation before changing several settings. Never share raw cookies, authorization headers, private URLs, or full local paths in a bug report.

Version did not change

Compare where or which output with the installer you used. Remove or rename only the duplicate you have identified, and keep a recoverable backup.

where gallery-dl
gallery-dl --version

Update broke a job

Reproduce with one authorized public URL, --config-ignore, --simulate, and a small range. Then restore configuration one layer at a time.

gallery-dl --config-ignore --simulate "URL"

Keep the old executable until the new one passes a small test.
Do not mix package-manager updates with standalone replacement without recording the path.
Check the official supported-sites notes when a site changed its URL or authentication behavior.
Treat rate limits and access controls as site-policy boundaries, not update problems to bypass.

Version freshness checked

The official release sources checked on August 16, 2026 report gallery-dl 1.32.9, published August 1, 2026. Re-check the upstream release before treating that version as current at a later date.

FAQ

How to update gallery-dl FAQ

What is the easiest way to update gallery-dl?

Use the same channel that installed it. For pip, run python -m pip install -U gallery-dl; for a package manager, run its upgrade command; for a standalone build, replace the official executable. Verify the version and path afterward.

How do I update gallery-dl with pip?

Run python -m pip install -U gallery-dl, or py -m pip install -U gallery-dl on Windows when you need to select the Python launcher. Then run gallery-dl --version and python -m pip show gallery-dl to compare the package and command.

Why does gallery-dl still show the old version?

The shell may be starting another copy earlier on PATH, the terminal may have an old command location, or the package manager may not have the newest release. Compare where or which output with the installer you updated.

Should I use gallery-dl -U or my package manager?

Prefer the owner of the current executable. Use -U only when the installed executable supports that self-update flow; if pip, Homebrew, Chocolatey, Scoop, Snap, or another manager owns it, keep that manager as the source of truth.

What version was verified for this guide?

The official GitHub and Codeberg release sources checked on August 16, 2026 reported gallery-dl 1.32.9, published August 1, 2026. Check the upstream release again before relying on that version later.

Will updating gallery-dl delete my config or cookies?

A normal package or executable update should not be treated as a request to delete configuration or cookies. Back up important config, check loaded paths with --config-status, and troubleshoot authentication separately if a site behaves differently.

Authoritative references

Official command-line options Official Codeberg release Official GitHub release mirror

NEXT STEP

Related gallery-dl resources

Install gallery-dlChoose one installation channel and keep its update path clear.gallery-dl command referenceReview version, simulation, extractor, and filtering commands.gallery-dl configurationCheck loaded config files without exposing private values.gallery-dl troubleshootingSeparate PATH, authentication, URL, rate, and storage failures.Supported sites checkerConfirm URL capability after an extractor or site change.