When you download YouTube videos, you can watch them without an Internet connection, which is ideal for entertaining yourself on trips to places without planes, trains, and reliable mobile Internet access.
If you have a mobile plan with limited data allowance then downloading YouTube videos is also great. You can download them to your phone using your home Wi-Fi, and watch them on the go without risking your data allocation.
Downloading videos from YouTube and other video hosting sites is surprisingly easy – and you can do it for free. YouTube itself provides some tools for downloading videos (both on desktop and mobile), and there are third-party tools that can also work. Read on to find out how.
If you only want to save music from video or separate audio to convert it into a podcast, check out our guide to the best Youtube to mp3 Converters and Best free video editor For Windows, MacOS and Linux. Are you using a mobile device? the best video editor for iphone You can talk more.
Is it legal to download YouTube videos?
Using third-party applications to download YouTube videos is against Youtube Terms of Service – which states that you are only able to stream video directly from its server. Downloading a YouTube video also opens you up to potential copyright infringement unless you have permission from the copyright holder, is it in the public domain, or you own the video.
That said, YouTube offers some ways to download videos through its web service and its apps. In this guide, we will explain how to do this, and tell you about other options available for iPhone, Android, Mac and PC.
How to download youtube videos on pc
4K Video Downloader is a free YouTube video downloader that is very easy to use (image credit: OpenMedia LLC)
1. Get 4K video downloader
To download YouTube videos on Windows PC, start by downloading and installing 4K video downloader. This versatile software is completely free and can download full playlists, as well as 360-degree and 3D videos. When done, check the box marked ‘Launch’ and click ‘Finish’.
Once you have copied the URL of the video from your browser, click on the green ‘Paste’ button in the 4K video downloader (Image credit: OpenMedia LLC)
2. Copy and paste the video URL
Open your web browser, find the video you want to download from YouTube and copy its URL from the address bar. Then return to the 4K video downloader and click on the green ‘Paste Link’ button in the top left.
The software will receive information about the video and will give you a choice of quality options. These will vary depending on the quality of the original video, but YouTube can download videos in 4K when the software is available.
Download options will vary depending on the quality of the original video on YouTube (Image credit: OpenMedia LLC)
3. Choose quality and format
The 4K video downloader will allow you to download entire YouTube videos, or rip audio. Select your preferred selection using the drop-down menu on the left, then choose a format using the list on the right. We love MP4 for our videos because it gives the right balance of quality and file size – and will run on every device.
Then, choose your quality. To play video on your TV or PC, we recommend choosing the highest resolution, but keep in mind that it will take longer and it will take up more space. Luckily, you can check the approximate file size on the left to see how much space it will take up.
You can also choose where the downloaded video should be saved using the ‘Browse’ button below. Once you are happy, click ‘Download’.
When you download an individual video, the 4K video downloader will give you the option to download the entire channel (image credit: OpenMedia LLC)
4. Download YouTube videos
The YouTube video will now be downloaded for you. If there are other videos in the manufacturer’s channel, the 4K video downloader will ask if you want to download them as well. It can download up to 24 videos at a time.
Once the video is downloaded, you can find it in the destination folder, or right-click it in the 4K video downloader and choose ‘Play’. Until you adjust the settings, the video will remain in this list until you choose to delete it – even if you shut down and restart the software.
With the smart mode, you can download YouTube videos with one click. This saves your settings, so you don’t have to re-enter them every time (image credit: OpenMedia LLC)
5. Try Smart Mode
If you often download videos in the same format, watch Smart Mode. It saves your download preferences and loads them automatically. Click on the lightbulb icon in the top right and next time you paste a URL into the 4K video downloader. It will download immediately with the final settings you have used.
Read on to learn how to download YouTube videos on an iPhone, Mac or Android device.
Download videos with YouTube Premium
If you have a YouTube Premium membership, you will enjoy various benefits, including the ability to download videos for offline viewing without third-party software. You can do this using YouTube, YouTube Music and YouTube Gaming Apps. Keep in mind that you can only watch downloaded videos using the app – you cannot move the video file to a different device or view it with a different player.
Start watching the video, then tap the ‘Download’ button (a gray arrow) under the player and choose a quality setting. Once the video is successfully downloaded from YouTube, you can find it in your Library or Account tab.
It would help if you were signed in to your account to watch downloaded videos, and you could not reply to videos with comments or likes while watching offline.