diff --git a/backend/main.py b/backend/main.py
index 9edf59b..636b05f 100644
--- a/backend/main.py
+++ b/backend/main.py
@@ -66,6 +66,7 @@ def on_startup():
             key TEXT PRIMARY KEY,
             value TEXT NOT NULL
         )""",
+        "ALTER TABLE user_settings ADD COLUMN cookies_file TEXT DEFAULT ''",
         "ALTER TABLE user_settings ADD COLUMN feed_weight_recency REAL DEFAULT 5.0",
         "ALTER TABLE user_settings ADD COLUMN feed_weight_affinity REAL DEFAULT 5.0",
         "ALTER TABLE user_settings ADD COLUMN feed_weight_channel REAL DEFAULT 5.0",
@@ -142,6 +143,7 @@ def on_startup():
         if first_user_settings:
             ytdlp_service.set_max_concurrent(first_user_settings.max_concurrent_downloads)
             ytdlp_service.set_cookies_browser(first_user_settings.cookies_browser or "")
+            ytdlp_service.set_cookies_file(first_user_settings.cookies_file or "")
     finally:
         db.close()
 
diff --git a/backend/models.py b/backend/models.py
index 6eb414b..fbf87de 100644
--- a/backend/models.py
+++ b/backend/models.py
@@ -109,6 +109,7 @@ class UserSettings(Base):
     mark_watched_at_percent = Column(Integer, default=90)    # 50–100
     auto_download_on_sync = Column(Boolean, default=False)
     cookies_browser = Column(String, default="")             # chrome / firefox / etc., "" = disabled
+    cookies_file = Column(String, default="")                # path to Netscape cookies.txt, "" = disabled
     theater_mode = Column(Boolean, default=False)
     discovery_regions = Column(String, default="US,SE")      # comma-separated ISO country codes
     calm_mode = Column(Boolean, default=False)
diff --git a/backend/routers/settings.py b/backend/routers/settings.py
index 038a2a9..db5352b 100644
--- a/backend/routers/settings.py
+++ b/backend/routers/settings.py
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ class SettingsOut(BaseModel):
     mark_watched_at_percent: int
     auto_download_on_sync: bool
     cookies_browser: str = ""
+    cookies_file: str = ""
     theater_mode: bool = False
     discovery_regions: str = "US,SE"
     calm_mode: bool = False
@@ -41,6 +42,7 @@ class SettingsPatch(BaseModel):
     mark_watched_at_percent: Optional[int] = Field(None, ge=50, le=100)
     auto_download_on_sync: Optional[bool] = None
     cookies_browser: Optional[str] = None
+    cookies_file: Optional[str] = None
     theater_mode: Optional[bool] = None
     discovery_regions: Optional[str] = None
     calm_mode: Optional[bool] = None
@@ -91,6 +93,9 @@ def update_settings(
     if body.cookies_browser is not None and body.cookies_browser in VALID_BROWSERS:
         s.cookies_browser = body.cookies_browser
         ytdlp.set_cookies_browser(body.cookies_browser)
+    if body.cookies_file is not None:
+        s.cookies_file = body.cookies_file.strip()
+        ytdlp.set_cookies_file(body.cookies_file)
     if body.theater_mode is not None:
         s.theater_mode = body.theater_mode
     if body.discovery_regions is not None:
diff --git a/backend/services/ytdlp.py b/backend/services/ytdlp.py
index 79eebaf..a51906f 100644
--- a/backend/services/ytdlp.py
+++ b/backend/services/ytdlp.py
@@ -401,8 +401,11 @@ def predicted_file_path(video_id: str) -> Path:
 _SEMAPHORE = threading.Semaphore(3)
 _semaphore_lock = threading.Lock()
 _cookies_browser: str = ""
+_cookies_file: str = ""
 _cookies_lock = threading.Lock()
 
+_AUTO_COOKIES_PATHS = ["/data/cookies.txt"]
+
 
 def set_max_concurrent(n: int) -> None:
     global _SEMAPHORE
@@ -416,10 +419,27 @@ def set_cookies_browser(browser: str) -> None:
         _cookies_browser = browser.strip().lower()
 
 
+def set_cookies_file(path: str) -> None:
+    global _cookies_file
+    with _cookies_lock:
+        _cookies_file = path.strip()
+
+
 def _cookie_args() -> list[str]:
     with _cookies_lock:
+        cf = _cookies_file
         b = _cookies_browser
-    return ["--cookies-from-browser", b] if b else []
+    # Prefer explicit cookies file
+    if cf and Path(cf).exists():
+        return ["--cookies", cf]
+    # Auto-detect cookies.txt in well-known Docker locations
+    for candidate in _AUTO_COOKIES_PATHS:
+        if Path(candidate).exists():
+            return ["--cookies", candidate]
+    # Fall back to browser (works in local dev, not in Docker)
+    if b:
+        return ["--cookies-from-browser", b]
+    return []
 
 
 def start_download(
diff --git a/frontend/src/pages/Settings.jsx b/frontend/src/pages/Settings.jsx
index bd3bb89..92e0ca1 100644
--- a/frontend/src/pages/Settings.jsx
+++ b/frontend/src/pages/Settings.jsx
@@ -241,9 +241,27 @@ export default function SettingsPage() {
 
       {/* YouTube authentication */}
       <Section title="YouTube authentication">
+        <div className="px-5 py-4 flex flex-col gap-3">
+          <div>
+            <p className="text-sm font-medium text-zinc-200">Cookies file</p>
+            <p className="text-xs text-zinc-500 mt-0.5">
+              Recommended for Docker. Export your YouTube cookies as <span className="text-zinc-400 font-mono text-[11px]">cookies.txt</span> using
+              the <span className="text-zinc-400">"Get cookies.txt LOCALLY"</span> browser extension, then
+              place the file at <span className="text-zinc-400 font-mono text-[11px]">/data/cookies.txt</span> inside
+              the data volume — it will be picked up automatically. Or enter a custom path below.
+            </p>
+          </div>
+          <input
+            type="text"
+            placeholder="e.g. /data/cookies.txt"
+            value={s?.cookies_file ?? ""}
+            onChange={(e) => set({ cookies_file: e.target.value })}
+            className="bg-zinc-800 text-zinc-200 text-sm rounded-lg px-3 py-2 border border-zinc-700 focus:outline-none focus:border-accent font-mono placeholder:text-zinc-600 placeholder:font-sans"
+          />
+        </div>
         <Row
           label="Browser cookies"
-          hint="Pass cookies from your browser to bypass bot detection. You must be signed in to YouTube in that browser."
+          hint="Only works outside Docker. Pass cookies from a local browser install to bypass bot detection."
         >
           <select
             value={s?.cookies_browser ?? ""}