youtube-dl: Failue to download YouTube video -- "Could not find JS function 'encodeURIComponent'"

Make sure you are using the latest version: run youtube-dl --version and ensure your version is 2019.01.16. If it’s not, read this FAQ entry and update. Issues with outdated version will be rejected.

• I’ve verified and I assure that I’m running youtube-dl 2019.01.16

Before submitting an issue make sure you have:

• At least skimmed through the README, most notably the FAQ and BUGS sections
• Searched the bugtracker for similar issues including closed ones
• Checked that provided video/audio/playlist URLs (if any) are alive and playable in a browser

What is the purpose of your issue?

• Bug report (encountered problems with youtube-dl)
• Site support request (request for adding support for a new site)
• Feature request (request for a new functionality)
• Question
• Other

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If the purpose of this issue is a bug report, site support request or you are not completely sure provide the full verbose output as follows:

Add the -v flag to your command line you run youtube-dl with (youtube-dl -v <your command line>), copy the whole output and insert it here. It should look similar to one below (replace it with your log inserted between triple ```):

[debug] System config: []
[debug] User config: []
[debug] Custom config: []
[debug] Command-line args: ['-v', '-F', 'https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jr41skFqzb8']
[debug] Encodings: locale cp1252, fs utf-8, out utf-8, pref cp1252
[debug] youtube-dl version 2019.01.16
[debug] Python version 3.7.1 (CPython) - Windows-10-10.0.17763-SP0
[debug] exe versions: ffmpeg 4.1, ffprobe 4.1
[debug] Proxy map: {}
[youtube] jr41skFqzb8: Downloading webpage
[youtube] jr41skFqzb8: Downloading video info webpage
[youtube] {18} signature length 43.40, html5 player vflxwIF7f
[youtube] jr41skFqzb8: Downloading player https://www.youtube.com/yts/jsbin/player_ias-vflxwIF7f/en_US/base.js
ERROR: Signature extraction failed: Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "C:\Users\Ralph\AppData\Roaming\Python\Python37\site-packages\youtube_dl\extractor\youtube.py", line 1232, in _decrypt_signature
    video_id, player_url, s
  File "C:\Users\Ralph\AppData\Roaming\Python\Python37\site-packages\youtube_dl\extractor\youtube.py", line 1140, in _extract_signature_function
    res = self._parse_sig_js(code)
  File "C:\Users\Ralph\AppData\Roaming\Python\Python37\site-packages\youtube_dl\extractor\youtube.py", line 1207, in _parse_sig_js
    initial_function = jsi.extract_function(funcname)
  File "C:\Users\Ralph\AppData\Roaming\Python\Python37\site-packages\youtube_dl\jsinterp.py", line 245, in extract_function
    raise ExtractorError('Could not find JS function %r' % funcname)
youtube_dl.utils.ExtractorError: Could not find JS function 'encodeURIComponent'; please report this issue on https://yt-dl.org/bug . Make sure you are using the latest version; see  https://yt-dl.org/update  on how to update. Be sure to call youtube-dl with the --verbose flag and include its complete output.
 (caused by ExtractorError("Could not find JS function 'encodeURIComponent'; please report this issue on https://yt-dl.org/bug . Make sure you are using the latest version; see  https://yt-dl.org/update  on how to update. Be sure to call youtube-dl with the --verbose flag and include its complete output.")); please report this issue on https://yt-dl.org/bug . Make sure you are using the latest version; see  https://yt-dl.org/update  on how to update. Be sure to call youtube-dl with the --verbose flag and include its complete output.
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "C:\Users\Ralph\AppData\Roaming\Python\Python37\site-packages\youtube_dl\extractor\youtube.py", line 1232, in _decrypt_signature
    video_id, player_url, s
  File "C:\Users\Ralph\AppData\Roaming\Python\Python37\site-packages\youtube_dl\extractor\youtube.py", line 1140, in _extract_signature_function
    res = self._parse_sig_js(code)
  File "C:\Users\Ralph\AppData\Roaming\Python\Python37\site-packages\youtube_dl\extractor\youtube.py", line 1207, in _parse_sig_js
    initial_function = jsi.extract_function(funcname)
  File "C:\Users\Ralph\AppData\Roaming\Python\Python37\site-packages\youtube_dl\jsinterp.py", line 245, in extract_function
    raise ExtractorError('Could not find JS function %r' % funcname)
youtube_dl.utils.ExtractorError: Could not find JS function 'encodeURIComponent'; please report this issue on https://yt-dl.org/bug . Make sure you are using the latest version; see  https://yt-dl.org/update  on how to update. Be sure to call youtube-dl with the --verbose flag and include its complete output.
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "C:\Users\Ralph\AppData\Roaming\Python\Python37\site-packages\youtube_dl\extractor\youtube.py", line 1232, in _decrypt_signature
    video_id, player_url, s
  File "C:\Users\Ralph\AppData\Roaming\Python\Python37\site-packages\youtube_dl\extractor\youtube.py", line 1140, in _extract_signature_function
    res = self._parse_sig_js(code)
  File "C:\Users\Ralph\AppData\Roaming\Python\Python37\site-packages\youtube_dl\extractor\youtube.py", line 1207, in _parse_sig_js
    initial_function = jsi.extract_function(funcname)
  File "C:\Users\Ralph\AppData\Roaming\Python\Python37\site-packages\youtube_dl\jsinterp.py", line 245, in extract_function
    raise ExtractorError('Could not find JS function %r' % funcname)
youtube_dl.utils.ExtractorError: Could not find JS function 'encodeURIComponent'; please report this issue on https://yt-dl.org/bug . Make sure you are using the latest version; see  https://yt-dl.org/update  on how to update. Be sure to call youtube-dl with the --verbose flag and include its complete output.

During handling of the above exception, another exception occurred:

Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "C:\Users\Ralph\AppData\Roaming\Python\Python37\site-packages\youtube_dl\YoutubeDL.py", line 793, in extract_info
    ie_result = ie.extract(url)
  File "C:\Users\Ralph\AppData\Roaming\Python\Python37\site-packages\youtube_dl\extractor\common.py", line 508, in extract
    ie_result = self._real_extract(url)
  File "C:\Users\Ralph\AppData\Roaming\Python\Python37\site-packages\youtube_dl\extractor\youtube.py", line 1888, in _real_extract
    encrypted_sig, video_id, player_url, age_gate)
  File "C:\Users\Ralph\AppData\Roaming\Python\Python37\site-packages\youtube_dl\extractor\youtube.py", line 1242, in _decrypt_signature
    'Signature extraction failed: ' + tb, cause=e)
youtube_dl.utils.ExtractorError: Signature extraction failed: Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "C:\Users\Ralph\AppData\Roaming\Python\Python37\site-packages\youtube_dl\extractor\youtube.py", line 1232, in _decrypt_signature
    video_id, player_url, s
  File "C:\Users\Ralph\AppData\Roaming\Python\Python37\site-packages\youtube_dl\extractor\youtube.py", line 1140, in _extract_signature_function
    res = self._parse_sig_js(code)
  File "C:\Users\Ralph\AppData\Roaming\Python\Python37\site-packages\youtube_dl\extractor\youtube.py", line 1207, in _parse_sig_js
    initial_function = jsi.extract_function(funcname)
  File "C:\Users\Ralph\AppData\Roaming\Python\Python37\site-packages\youtube_dl\jsinterp.py", line 245, in extract_function
    raise ExtractorError('Could not find JS function %r' % funcname)
youtube_dl.utils.ExtractorError: Could not find JS function 'encodeURIComponent'; please report this issue on https://yt-dl.org/bug . Make sure you are using the latest version; see  https://yt-dl.org/update  on how to update. Be sure to call youtube-dl with the --verbose flag and include its complete output.
 (caused by ExtractorError("Could not find JS function 'encodeURIComponent'; please report this issue on https://yt-dl.org/bug . Make sure you are using the latest version; see  https://yt-dl.org/update  on how to update. Be sure to call youtube-dl with the --verbose flag and include its complete output.")); please report this issue on https://yt-dl.org/bug . Make sure you are using the latest version; see  https://yt-dl.org/update  on how to update. Be sure to call youtube-dl with the --verbose flag and include its complete output.

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Description of your issue, suggested solution and other information

It appears that I cannot download YouTube videos. I’ve attempted with the following links, but receive the error Could not find JS function 'encodeURIComponent' with every attempt. This issue was brought up by a friend who is experiencing the same problem.

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jr41skFqzb8
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zF8OMK5vVJc
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ONRf7h3Mdk
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BNzc6hG3yN4
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1-nkbipHEdk

However, I am able to download the following videos:

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PNIiTb6mfy0
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zR8sRjBJgQ8
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5f7_AI9H3N4
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V1LgLfItk8Q
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=47ClcUcGB7U

I’m not sure what the difference is between them, but the first five don’t work and the last five do. Any help would be appreciated.