Security  ·  Legality  ·  Best practices  ·  Updated 2026

Is gallery-dl Safe and Legal to Use in 2026?

Short answer: yes, gallery-dl is safe — it's open source and audited by thousands of contributors. Whether it's legal depends on what you download, not the tool itself.

Safety verdict

✓ Safe to use

Open source on GitHub. No malware, no adware, no telemetry. Community-audited since 2015. Only download from the official GitHub release.

Legal verdict

⚖ Depends on content

The tool is legal. Downloading copyrighted images without permission may not be. Your own uploads, public domain, and CC-licensed content are generally fine.

Security

Is gallery-dl safe to use in 2026?

Yes. Here's why you can trust gallery-dl — and how to make sure you get the real thing.

Fully open source

Every line of gallery-dl's code is public on GitHub. Anyone can read, audit, or contribute. No hidden behaviour is possible.

No malware, no adware

The official gallery-dl.exe contains no bundled software, no tracking, no background services. It does one thing: download images.

Only download from GitHub

The only safe source is github.com/mikf/gallery-dl. Third-party download sites frequently bundle malware into renamed executables.

Why does Windows SmartScreen warn about gallery-dl.exe?
SmartScreen flags portable executables that don't have a paid code-signing certificate. This is a false positive — not a sign of danger. Click More info → Run anyway after downloading from the official GitHub release. gallery-dl's author doesn't use code signing because it costs money and adds nothing to the real security of an open source project.

Legality

The tool is legal. What matters legally is what you download with it.

Generally OK to download

  • Your own uploaded images and galleries
  • Public domain content (pre-1928 artwork, US government works)
  • Creative Commons licensed content that permits downloading
  • Content where the creator explicitly allows downloads
  • Your own posts and media for personal backup

Generally not permitted

  • Copyrighted artwork or photography without permission
  • Paid content (Patreon, OnlyFans, premium galleries) without subscription
  • Content whose platform ToS prohibits downloading
  • Content for redistribution or commercial use without licensing

Important: Most platforms' Terms of Service prohibit bulk downloading of content. This doesn't make gallery-dl itself illegal — it's a neutral tool — but it may mean downloading specific content violates the platform's ToS. Laws vary by country. This is not legal advice. When in doubt, consult a legal professional in your jurisdiction.

FAQ

Is gallery-dl safe — frequently asked questions

Is gallery-dl safe to use in 2026?
Yes. Nothing has changed regarding gallery-dl's safety. It remains fully open source, GitHub-hosted, and community-audited. The only threat is downloading it from unofficial sources that rename and bundle malware into the executable. Always use the official GitHub release.
Does gallery-dl have a virus or malware?
No — the official release is clean. Antivirus tools sometimes give false positives for open source portable .exe files. You can verify it yourself by uploading to VirusTotal — any results will come from heuristic scanners, not real malware signatures.
Is this an official gallery-dl website?
No. This is an unofficial community guide. We are not affiliated with gallery-dl's author mikf, or any supported sites. We link exclusively to official GitHub releases and provide Windows setup guides. The official gallery-dl repository is at github.com/mikf/gallery-dl.
Is it safe to pass cookies to gallery-dl?
Yes. gallery-dl reads cookies locally from your browser — they never leave your machine. The tool is open source and audited. Never share your cookies.txt file with anyone — it grants full account access. Delete the file when you no longer need it.