Configuration Details

Configuration File: `config.json`¶

When you run Social Media Downloader for the first time, the CLI automatically generates a configuration file called config.json. This file stores your personal tool settings and preferences locally.

Note

The config file is created in the same directory where you launch the CLI. We recommend running the tool from your Desktop to keep things tidy. You can always customize the config later.

Default Configuration¶

Here’s what the default config.json looks like:

{
  "default_format": "show_all",
  "download_directory": "media",
  "history_file": "download_history.csv",
  "mp3_quality": "192"
}

Key Settings Explained:¶

Key	Description
`default_format`	Format selector — can be set to `mp4`, `mp3`, or `show_all` (default option)
`download_directory`	Folder where downloaded files will be saved. Default is `media/`
`history_file`	CSV file to log your download history. Helps you track what you've downloaded
`mp3_quality`	Bitrate quality (in kbps) for MP3 audio downloads. Default is `192`

Customizing Your Settings¶

You can open and edit the config.json manually in any text editor (like VS Code, Notepad, etc.).

Example Changes:¶

Want to download only MP3s to your Downloads folder at 320kbps? Your config might look like:

{
  "default_format": "mp3",
  "download_directory": "C:/Users/YourName/Downloads",
  "history_file": "download_history.csv",
  "mp3_quality": "320"
}

Tip

Make sure the folder you specify in download_directory exists — the tool won’t create nested directories automatically.

Additional Files Created Automatically¶

When you run the tool, it also creates these helpful files in the same directory:

File Name	Purpose
`config.json`	Stores your settings
`media/`	Default folder where downloaded files are saved
`download_history.csv`	Tracks all your downloads for easy reference
`downloader.log`	Stores runtime logs and errors (useful for debugging)

No User Tracking¶

Social Media Downloader does not track or store any personal data. All files, logs, and configs are kept locally on your machine. Nothing gets sent to any server.

Important

If you ever want to reset your settings, just delete the config.json file and it will be re-generated the next time you run the tool.

Need Help?¶

If you’re not sure how to configure something, open a Discussion or ask in the Discord community. We’re here to help you!

Happy downloading!