Release 30: Fatal Error - Unable to retrieve cookies

[maric193]

Am currently trying to find a working release. The latest currently send back the below error without opening the browser. The command was formatted like so:

.\PatreonDownloader.App.exe --url https://www.patreon.com/cw/[name]/posts --download-directory d:\downloads --use-sub-directories

(Error below)

2025-09-30 21:30:01.6652 FATAL Fatal error, application will be closed: System.Exception: Unable to retrieve cookies
at UniversalDownloaderPlatform.Engine.UniversalDownloader.Download(String url, IUniversalDownloaderPlatformSettings settings) in F:\Sources\BigProjects\PatreonDownloader\submodules\UniversalDownloaderPlatform\UniversalDownloaderPlatform.Engine\UniversalDownloader.cs:line 138
at PatreonDownloader.App.Program.RunPatreonDownloader(CommandLineOptions commandLineOptions) in F:\Sources\BigProjects\PatreonDownloader\PatreonDownloader.App\Program.cs:line 128
at PatreonDownloader.App.Program.Main(String[] args) in F:\Sources\BigProjects\PatreonDownloader\PatreonDownloader.App\Program.cs:line 68

Release 27 is the closest to doing anything, but after I login it just sits there and does nothing. Closing the browser and trying run again produces an "Unable to retrieve cookies" error.

[Draaloff]

I have the same issue. Deleting the entire folder and using a fresh copy of release 30 doesn't change a thing.

2025-10-24 19:18:38.4785 FATAL Fatal error, application will be closed: System.Exception: Unable to retrieve cookies
   at UniversalDownloaderPlatform.Engine.UniversalDownloader.Download(String url, IUniversalDownloaderPlatformSettings settings) in F:\Sources\BigProjects\PatreonDownloader\submodules\UniversalDownloaderPlatform\UniversalDownloaderPlatform.Engine\UniversalDownloader.cs:line 138
   at PatreonDownloader.App.Program.RunPatreonDownloader(CommandLineOptions commandLineOptions) in F:\Sources\BigProjects\PatreonDownloader\PatreonDownloader.App\Program.cs:line 128
   at PatreonDownloader.App.Program.Main(String[] args) in F:\Sources\BigProjects\PatreonDownloader\PatreonDownloader.App\Program.cs:line 68

[EmperorHaro]

Yeah I'm getting the same errors, any updates for this one?

[jessienab]

If any of you are using Arch Linux, and have Chromium installed, you need to ensure that you explicitly have Google Chrome Stable installed as well.

I had the same issue, but after installing google-chrome-stable, the app is working and the browser window opens, logs in, crawls, and works fine.

if these issues happen on Windows, then I have no idea...

[Draaloff]

I'm running Windows 10 LTSC and have Chrome installed for things like this.
It worked in the past, but not any more.

The command I've always used is:
"D:\PatreonDownloader\PatreonDownloader.App.exe" --url "https://www.patreon.com/c/CREATOR/posts" --download-directory "F:\LOCATION" --descriptions --embeds --campaign-images --json

[dkumar83]

Just ran into this issue myself whilst running release 30 on Win 10 Pro version 22H2. The browser fails to load and it throws similar errors as mentioned above.

However it works flawlessly on my Windows 11 laptop - could this be a Windows 10 / dependency issue?

[forgotenwind]

my system is windows 11 pro, and installing the google chrome stable app helped me

[SabrCat]

I have the same issue here, the chrome window never opens and the fatal error shows up. Win10 22H2 19045.6466

[shinji257]

If you are getting this issue on CachyOS (or any other linux distro) make sure you are not running this on a samba share. I used to do this on Windows and it worked there but it seems it can't create a lock on that with CachyOS. Once I moved the program to my home folder (basically off the samba share) it works fine. You can point the download directory to where you wanted though and that works fine. It's the chromedata folder that has to be local.