How to Troubleshoot ReClip "Video Not Found" Errors: A Complete Debugging Guide

ReClip "Video not found" errors occur when the underlying yt-dlp command fails to locate a video, and the error is propagated from app.py as a JSON response with an error field.

ReClip is a lightweight Flask-based video downloader that wraps yt-dlp to handle video metadata retrieval and downloads. When the service cannot access a requested video, it surfaces this failure directly to clients. This guide explains exactly where these errors originate in the ReClip source code, common root causes, and a systematic workflow to resolve them.

Where "Video Not Found" Errors Originate in ReClip

The error handling logic is centralized in app.py. Understanding these three code locations helps diagnose failures quickly.

Info Endpoint: Metadata Retrieval

In app.py lines 97-108, the /api/info route executes:

command = ["yt-dlp", "--no-playlist", "-j", url]
result = subprocess.run(command, capture_output=True, text=True)

If result.returncode != 0, the code extracts the last line of stderr and returns {"error": "<message>"}. This is the primary path for "Video not found" responses.

Download Endpoint: Background Jobs

In app.py lines 66-84, the /api/download endpoint spawns a thread that runs yt-dlp with format arguments. On failure, it stores:

job["error"] = result.stderr.strip().split("\n")[-1]

This error surfaces later via the status endpoint.

JSON Parsing Utility

In app.py lines 16-29, the get_info() function reads yt-dlp output line-by-line. If no valid JSON is extracted, a ValueError is caught and converted to an error response.

Common Causes of ReClip "Video Not Found" Errors

Cause	Verification Command
Invalid or malformed URL	yt-dlp --no-playlist -j "<url>"
Private/age-restricted video	Check for ERROR: This video is private or ERROR: This video is age-restricted
Geoblocked content	Test yt-dlp --geo-bypass "<url>" or use a VPN
Removed/unavailable video	Confirm in browser — YouTube shows "Video unavailable"
Outdated yt-dlp extractor	yt-dlp --version then pip install -U yt-dlp
Network/DNS issues in container	docker exec -it reclip curl -I https://www.youtube.com
Rate-limiting or CAPTCHA	Look for ERROR: unable to download webpage; try --cookies or wait

Step-by-Step Troubleshooting Workflow

Step 1: Validate the Request URL

Ensure the client sends a clean URL. The code calls .strip(), but extra encoding or spaces can still cause issues:

curl -X POST -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
     -d '{"url":"https://youtu.be/abc123"}' \
     http://localhost:8899/api/info

Step 2: Replicate the yt-dlp Command Manually

Mirror exactly what ReClip executes:

yt-dlp --no-playlist -j "https://youtu.be/abc123"

• Success: Single JSON line with video metadata
• Failure: Error line like ERROR: Video unavailable

Step 3: Test Inside the Docker Container

If running containerized, verify the environment:

docker exec -it reclip /bin/bash
yt-dlp --no-playlist -j "https://youtu.be/abc123"

Also verify network connectivity:

curl -I https://www.youtube.com
nslookup youtube.com

Step 4: Inspect the Job Error Field

For download failures, retrieve the stored error:

# Start download (returns job_id)

curl -X POST -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
     -d '{"url":"https://youtu.be/XYZ","format":"video"}' \
     http://localhost:8899/api/download

# Check status

curl http://localhost:8899/api/status/<job_id>

Expected error response:

{"status":"error","error":"ERROR: Video unavailable","filename":null}

Step 5: Upgrade yt-dlp

YouTube frequently changes page structures. Update the extractor:

pip install -U yt-dlp

Or modify the Dockerfile to ensure latest version:

FROM python:3.11-slim

WORKDIR /app
COPY requirements.txt .
RUN pip install --no-cache-dir -r requirements.txt
RUN pip install -U yt-dlp  # Explicit upgrade

COPY . .
CMD ["python", "app.py"]

Step 6: Handle Access-Restricted Content

For private or age-restricted videos, provide authentication:

yt-dlp --cookies "cookies.txt" --no-playlist -j "<url>"

Step 7: Implement Retry Logic

Temporary blocks often resolve within minutes. Add exponential back-off in your client:

import time

for attempt in range(3):
    response = request_video(url)
    if "error" not in response:
        break
    time.sleep(2 ** attempt)  # 1s, 2s, 4s

Key Source Files in ReClip

File	Purpose	Lines of Interest
app.py	Flask server with /api/info and /api/download routes	16-29 (parsing), 66-84 (download), 97-108 (info)
requirements.txt	Python dependencies including yt-dlp	—
Dockerfile	Container build instructions	Add pip install -U yt-dlp for updates
templates/index.html	Frontend that calls the API	Error display logic

Summary

• ReClip "Video not found" errors originate from yt-dlp failures surfaced through app.py endpoints as JSON error responses.
• Diagnose systematically: test URL validity, replicate yt-dlp commands manually, verify container network access, and inspect job["error"] values.
• Most fixes involve updating yt-dlp, handling authentication for restricted content, or resolving network/DNS issues in containerized deployments.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does the "Video not found" error mean in ReClip?

The error indicates that yt-dlp — the tool ReClip uses to fetch video data — could not locate or access the requested video. According to the ReClip source code in app.py, this occurs when yt-dlp exits with a non-zero status, and the last line of stderr is captured and returned as {"error": "..."}.

How can I check if yt-dlp is causing the error?

Run the exact command ReClip uses: yt-dlp --no-playlist -j "YOUR_URL". If this fails with the same error message, the issue is with yt-dlp rather than ReClip's code. Check for outdated versions with yt-dlp --version and upgrade with pip install -U yt-dlp.

Why does ReClip work for some YouTube videos but not others?

YouTube applies different restrictions: geoblocking, age verification, private videos, and rate-limiting. ReClip passes these through transparently. Use yt-dlp --geo-bypass, provide --cookies for authenticated content, or wait and retry if rate-limited.

How do I fix network errors inside the ReClip Docker container?

Exec into the running container with docker exec -it reclip /bin/bash and test connectivity using curl -I https://www.youtube.com and nslookup youtube.com. If DNS or routing fails, check your Docker network configuration or host firewall rules.

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "instagit": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "instagit@latest"]
    }
  }
}