From dae52d8386557f4c19ab58a9ae56062b8d52b3af Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: bashonly <88596187+bashonly@users.noreply.github.com>
Date: Tue, 18 Aug 2026 06:38:11 -0500
Subject: [PATCH] [ie/youtube] Remove `android_vr` from default clients
 (#17461)

Closes #17456
Authored by: bashonly
---
 yt_dlp/extractor/youtube/_base.py  | 1 +
 yt_dlp/extractor/youtube/_video.py | 4 ++--
 2 files changed, 3 insertions(+), 2 deletions(-)

diff --git a/yt_dlp/extractor/youtube/_base.py b/yt_dlp/extractor/youtube/_base.py
index fbf6f6d09a..c68996eeca 100644
--- a/yt_dlp/extractor/youtube/_base.py
+++ b/yt_dlp/extractor/youtube/_base.py
@@ -225,6 +225,7 @@ INNERTUBE_CLIENTS = {
     # "Made for kids" videos aren't available with this client
     # Using a clientVersion>1.65 may return SABR streams only
     # Since 2026.07, intermittent/selective POT enforcement has been observed for non-HLS formats
+    # Since 2026.08.17, ALL formats (including live HLS and itag 18) are 403'd with version 1.65.10
     'android_vr': {
         'INNERTUBE_CONTEXT': {
             'client': {
diff --git a/yt_dlp/extractor/youtube/_video.py b/yt_dlp/extractor/youtube/_video.py
index dc3da4eeaf..b6db2e99b8 100644
--- a/yt_dlp/extractor/youtube/_video.py
+++ b/yt_dlp/extractor/youtube/_video.py
@@ -140,8 +140,8 @@ class YoutubeIE(YoutubeBaseInfoExtractor):
     _RETURN_TYPE = 'video'  # XXX: How to handle multifeed?
 
     _SUBTITLE_FORMATS = ('json3', 'srv1', 'srv2', 'srv3', 'ttml', 'srt', 'vtt')
-    _DEFAULT_CLIENTS = ('visionos', 'android_vr', 'web')
-    _DEFAULT_JSLESS_CLIENTS = ('visionos', 'android_vr')
+    _DEFAULT_CLIENTS = ('visionos', 'web')
+    _DEFAULT_JSLESS_CLIENTS = ('visionos',)
     _DEFAULT_AUTHED_CLIENTS = ('tv_downgraded', 'web')
     # Premium does not require POT (except for subtitles)
     _DEFAULT_PREMIUM_CLIENTS = ('tv_downgraded', 'web_creator', 'web')