How to Fix the “Path Too Long” Error

If you encounter a “Path Too Long” error while downloading files with 4K Video Downloader Plus or 4K YouTube to MP3, it’s due to a limitation in the Windows operating system. Windows restricts the maximum length of a file path (including the entire folder structure plus the file name) to 260 characters. If the combined length of your download folder path and video title exceeds this limit, you’ll see this error.

Why This Happens

This issue usually occurs when:

• The video title is exceptionally long.
• The file is being saved in a deeply nested folder.
• When Smart Mode is enabled, the application automatically uses the full video title as the file name, which can easily push the total path length over the limit.

What to Do

• Disable Smart Mode and Shorten the File Name

This is the quickest way to resolve the error for a specific download. Disabling Smart Mode allows you to manually edit and shorten the file name before saving, ensuring the full path remains within Windows’ limit.

Follow these steps:

1. Launch 4K Video Downloader Plus or 4K YouTube to MP3.
2. Turn off Smart Mode in the main toolbar.
3. After disabling Smart Mode, paste your video link as you normally would.
4. In the download window, enter a shorter file name before starting the download.

• Keep Folder Paths Short

This is a general best practice to prevent this error from occurring in the future. Saving files to a top-level folder with a short path (like C:\Videos or D:\Downloads) makes it much less likely you’ll run into path length issues, even with long video titles.