There are billions of hours of video on YouTube. Literally. And that's hardly the almost phenomenal statistic almost the site, which has been the go-to destination for uploading and watching video since 2005. That said, sometimes, you actually want or need to take one of those videos on your own figurer or phone. Simply when the topic of downloading YouTube videos comes up, there's a side subject field that must be broached: Is it legal?
On the copyright front, as long as y'all're downloading a video for your own personal offline use, you're probably okay. It'due south more than black and white when you consider Google's terms of service for YouTube, which read: "You are not immune to...access, reproduce, download, distribute, transmit, broadcast, display, sell, license, alter, modify or otherwise employ whatever office of the Service or any Content except: (a) as expressly authorized past the Service; or (b) with prior written permission from YouTube and, if applicable, the corresponding rights holders."
Watching YouTube videos offline through unofficial channels takes coin from Google and video creators. At that place's a reason YouTube runs ads: People make a living this way.
Obviously, stealing videos from YouTube is a large no-no. If you want to share a video, YouTube and well-nigh other video sites brand it like shooting fish in a barrel, from embedding to emailing to sharing via social networks. You simply exercise not need to download a video nearly of the time.
Nonetheless, you lot have your reasons. If y'all must download a YouTube video—absolutely demand to, just for yourself, and not for broadcasting, and not to exist a full douche-nozzle—here's how.
Note: This story is updated oft as the tools involved change regularly. Some of those changes are not e'er pleasant, such as software so full of "extras," it gets flagged every bit malware by antivirus tools. The same goes for the helper websites—a modify in a site'due south ad network can also create issues with malware.
To prevent this from becoming a laundry list of programs and sites that can download YouTube videos, we came up with a few rules for inclusion. Services must:
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Support 4K downloads even in the costless version.
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Work with tiptop 3 video sites:YouTube, Facebook, and Vimeo.
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Download unabridged playlists or channels in a batch (on YouTube), at least with a paid version.
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Output to MP3 for audio (or offer companion software that does so).
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Have an interface thatdoesn't suck.
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Not collect your personal information across your email address.
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Not incorporate malware. If there's even a whiff of it in the air, even a PUP, information technology'due south out.
The programs, services, and sites in this story are all free of spam/virus/problems equally of this writing, just caveat emptor. Big fourth dimension. Especially if you're not actually emptor-ing.
YouTube Premium Downloads
At present bachelor for subscribers of YouTube Premium—the paid version of YouTube that allows you to spotter without ads—are video downloads. Kind of. There'due south ane caveat with quality: All the video you download is limited to 1080p quality max, or lower. No 4K.
The biggest result is, this feature doesn't actually download a video to save on your calculator forever. It is more akin to the download characteristic constitute on mobile apps for Netflix and Hulu, which makes a streaming video available to picket later using your local storage and views information technology using the app'due south interface only. This is not a method that allows you to, say, watch a video using different software such every bit the VLC Media Player.
You access the download by going to the YouTube hamburger menu and selecting Downloads to view the list of what you've grabbed. The page says "Downloads remain available as long as your device has an active internet connection at to the lowest degree one time every thirty days." This probably isn't exactly what you are looking for in a download. But the tools below evangelize exactly that.
Desktop Software
Third-political party software is where yous will get the best control over downloading online videos. Typically, you lot paste the URL for the YouTube video yous want into the programme, and it downloads the highest quality version it can find. For videos in 1080p Loftier Definition (Hd) format, that'south usually an MP4 file. For annihilation higher in quality—4K or 8K—the file format is typically MKV.
In the by, YouTube videos were Flash-based, so your download was an FLV file, simply those tend to be harder to play back. MP4 (short for MPEG-4 Part 14 multimedia format) plays everywhere
Note that the MKV file, also called a Matroska, is a container—the file could contain video utilizing whatsoever number of codecs inside. The fool-proof way to play them all is to use the VLC Media Actor for Windows, which plays everything. (Read more about information technology below.) Equally for the downloaders, here are the best options.
VLC Media Player
Free; Windows, macOS, Linux
We mention VLC Media Player above because it's a fantastic tool for Windows, Mac, and Linux users that plays back just about any media ever created. It also has the ability to download YouTube videos, albeit in a convoluted way. (If you run into whatever problems, endeavour a total re-install of VLC and clear your cache to make information technology work.)
Copy a URL from a YouTube video, and so open up VLC. From the Media menu, select Open up Network Stream (Ctrl+N) and paste in the URL. Click Play. When the video is playing, get to Tools > Codec Information. In that location is a box at the lesser chosen "Source"—copy the URL you find in that box.
Get dorsum to your browser and paste the URL—it's a temporary web accost and will expire somewhen—in the address bar and start playing the video. When you're viewing the video in the browser, click the 3-dot menu at the lower correct for the download option to keep it locally.
Yet, information technology appears that VLC is just going to save your file as 1080p and non any higher, even if the original YouTube stream was bachelor in 1440p or 2160p (aka 4K). It also won't convert video to other formats. To get those options, yous need the desktop software beneath.
4K Video Downloader
Complimentary or $fifteen for lifetime license on 3 computers; Windows, macOS, Ubuntu Linux, Android
Multi-lingual 4K Video Downloader (4KVD) is frequently updated and features clear download links on the plan'south website; no ad traps here. The software does what it advertises in a simple interface. Information technology grabs videos up to 8K in quality and downloads to plenty of formats. Simply copy a YouTube URL and click the Paste Link button to become started. 4KVD volition fifty-fifty catch subtitles, unabridged playlists, and all the videos in a aqueduct to which you lot subscribe. The sites supported are express to the big names like YouTube, Vimeo, Facebook, and a few others, but that covers about of what y'all need. Information technology does display a large banner advertisement to keep the lights on and you lot're limited to 30 downloads a mean solar day on the gratis version.
I had to make a switch from MP4 to MKV format to get my examination video to download in 4K. 4KVD snagged the three-minute, 229.7MB file for the moving picture trailer in about ane minute and twenty seconds. 4KVD defaults back to 1080p HD, so I made the same switch when downloading an Ultra Loftier Definition (8K) playlist.
If you enable the Smart Mode and its presets, 4KVD can perform one-click downloads to your favorite format. If yous want to download more than 25 videos at a fourth dimension or subscribe to YouTube channels to instantly download the latest, that requires the paid version. Playback of the resulting MKV files via VLC Media Actor was flawless.
The program itself has an option to extract audio to MP3 format, and so you don't even demand the 4K YouTube to MP3 companion software.
VideoProc Converter
$59.xc for one year, $78.90 lifetime, $119.90 family unit (2-five PCs); Windows, macOS
The powerful VideoProc from Digiarty comes in an editor edition and this converter, which too provides editing and furnishings. The downloading aspect is corking, a version similar to Digiarty's WinX YouTube Downloader, which yous tin notwithstanding find simply is not promoted by the visitor these days. This makes sense, equally VideoProc Converter handles a lot of downloading, supposedly supporting 4K from over 1,000 websites. With hardware acceleration, information technology promises some speed. Thankfully, it frequently offers price discounts.
To use it, you open up the software, permit it detect your hardware to see what you lot have to aid with acceleration (if anything). Click the Downloader button, click Add together video to place as many URLs as you lot want to batch, and then Download Now. Or yous tin can get a whole YouTube playlist or alive stream. Information technology grabbed our 697MB test 4K video to WEBM format in about ii minutes and 15 seconds, which isn't bad. All-time of all, the trial version of VideoProc Converter, which limits conversions to 5 minutes, doesn't appear to limit downloads.
FlixGrab
1-year license $44.99 plus revenue enhancement (or $9.99 for Free YouTube Download); Windows
Like some others, FlixGrab has several different programs bachelor, many with overlapping features. For case, information technology has FlixGrabMS (a version y'all go from the Microsoft Store to run on Windows 10/11)—merely information technology wouldn't let me grab video from YouTube. The straight download of the FlixGrab program from the flixgrabapp.com site did work with YouTube and several other sites,. Plus it offers a Free YouTube Download that is specific to YouTube, yet uses the same easy-to-employ interface. The downside, as with others, is the high subscription price, simply it'south the merely way to become high-quality downloads. The YouTube-but version is essentially cheaper at $9.99 per yr, however. Neither comes with a trial flow.
5KPlayer
Free; Windows and macOS
The gratis 5KPlayer is a lot more a downloader, simply information technology's got a heck of an integrated downloader. Promising no viruses, ads, or plug-in requirements is a proficient start. It is, sadly, one of the few tested that asks for a registration of your proper name and email—you have to do that to become the total download office beyond 300+ sites. However, y'all tin however nab 4K vids from YouTube without registering.
When downloading, the plan does try to hide some things. Paste in the URL for a YouTube video and the assay engine runs and shows only a few download options. Click the gear icon, then the Show All button, and curl to see more—like a 4K 3,840-by-two,160 file in WebM format. The 227MB WebM test download took an agonizing 6.5 minutes. Grabbing playlists was possible, but y'all must suit download settings one video at a time. The disruptive interface makes it difficult to go dorsum to the other videos in the playlist.
5K Player besides features DLNA server playback so videos you take hold of can be watched on whatever devices that back up DLNA, plus information technology supports AirPlay for quick playback to Apple tree devices. Pick a video in the library for quick conversion to MP4, MP3, or even ACC (the sound format preferred by iOS). The role player didn't like playing back the overly large 4K file, though, and experienced buffering problems (VLC didn't accept whatsoever trouble with the same file).
Ultimately, there's a lot to like near 5K Histrion, from the price to the features, especially if you expect at them as extras on a downloader. But the bad interface, slow download speeds, and playback issues may have you looking elsewhere.
Helper Websites
Do you want to avert installing software? Video download helper sites are supposed to practise the download work for you lot. All of them practice one basic thing: You lot give them a YouTube URL (or another video site, if supported), they parse it, requite you a pick of what size download you desire, and provide a link to said download. They work on any platform, sometimes even on mobile devices. Y'all don't have to install anything on your PC. Information technology tin take a lot longer, depending on the size and quality of the video you desire, but you can't beat the convenience.
The trouble is, you tin can't e'er trust them. There are hundreds of these types of sites out at that place—it seems anyone with a modicum of coding ability has set up 1 up. Such sites easily go from useful to suspicious, particularly if they become pop and the proprietor sells out to make cash off your visits.
Recommended by Our Editors
Since this story was first published, all the helper sites we recommended have been removed for reasons like adding sexually explicit ads, no longer working, switching to pushing its download utility but, and 1 for going out of business organization to avoid getting sued.
For that reason, we're not recommending any helper sites at the moment. Try 1 if you lot find information technology, but if your browser, antivirus, or instincts throw up warnings, avoid and move on.
Extensions
A browser extension tin save you a step. However, you're going to run into some bug with downloading video from YouTube, especially if you're using Chrome as your master browser.
The Chrome Web Shop—where you lot get Chrome browser extensions—is controlled past YouTube'south owner Alphabet/Google. Fifty-fifty an extension ostensibly for this purpose isn't going to let YouTube straight downloads, because of Chrome Store restrictions. In general, with Chrome extensions, the download of whatsoever RTMP protocol video (protected videos) or streaming video isn't possible. Y'all can use them on other sites with video, of class. Just non YouTube.
Want to go around it? Get an extension that does not come up from the Google Web Store. Some of the programs and helper sites offering an extension component and volition spell out how to practice the install without the aid the Chrome Web Store normally provides. Here are a couple.
YouTube Video Downloader
Free; Chrome, Opera, Border, Vivaldi, UCBrowser
YouTube Video Downloader from Addoncrop is on multiple browsers but with first-class side-load capabilities. Information technology puts a button beneath whatever video y'all're playing on YouTube, or even an embedded YouTube video, making it like shooting fish in a barrel to grab. Supported video quality goes upward to 8K. You tin can as well catechumen audio from the video to an MP3. Information technology will even help you accept video screenshots.
Video DownloadHelper
Free; Firefox, Chrome, Border
Video DownloadHelper supports a huge number of sites—even those for adults. Yous'll know a video is downloadable when the icon for the extension animates when you're on the spider web page. Video DownloadHelper for Chrome has stopped working with YouTube; that way, it could get placement in the Chrome Web Store. Get around that by using the Video DownloadHelper extension on Firefox or Edge instead.
Mobile
Downloading from YouTube using an Android app from the Google Play Store is a challenge, given that Google has a tight grip on the site it owns, and offers the paid YouTube Premium service that supports offline viewing.
That said, with Android, itis possible to install apps without going through Google. For case, InsTube – Free Video and Music Downloader for Android can only be found at InsTube's site. Download the APK (Android application parcel) file to sideload on an Android device. Detect it in your device's downloads and click to install. (You may have to get into your security settings and enable "Unknown sources.")
(Instube)
On iPhones and iPads, y'all'd think there would be no such restriction since Apple and Google aren't exactly the best of pals (or maybe they are). However, on the iOS apps I take tried, not only wouldn't they download from YouTube, but they're also typically not available for long. I of those apps said in its clarification, "Downloading from YouTube is prohibited due to its Terms of Service." Apple is ensuring that app makers play by the rules—fifty-fifty Google'due south rules.
Chances are, the minute you find an iOS app that can download YouTube videos, it volition get "fixed" or banned. The simply real choice is to jailbreak your iPhone and employ sideloaded apps that download what you want.
There are workarounds. One is to subscribe to YouTube Premium; it lets you download video on your iPhone or iPad to lookout later, much equally Netflix and Hulu exercise.
Some other is using a gratis iOS file manager app like Documents by Readdle. Use the Safari browser to visit a YouTube video, and apply the Share option to find Re-create Link. Then go dorsum to Documents, and use the built-in browser in the app to surf to a video download helper site. Paste the link into the grade (concur your finger down on information technology until you go the "Paste" bill of fare to pop upwardly). The site will give you the links to download, and you lot tin can salvage the file to Documents. Hold and drag the file upward, until you're back on the main screen, and so drag it to the Photos folder. You'll need to requite Documents permission to access Photos the beginning time. You can and so access the video similar you would any video taken on the phone or tablet—in the Photos app.
Another workaround: Go back to the desktop and try AnyTrans ($39.99 for a single figurer for one twelvemonth, Windows or macOS), a desktop file manager for iOS devices that has an integrated downloader supporting 900 sites, including YouTube and Facebook. Information technology'll transfer the videos to the iPhone for you over the USB cable. Even if yous don't pay for AnyTrans, the download option remains and is free forever.
YT Scribe
Desire a truly unique mode to "download" a video? YT Scribe lets you grab the transcription so you tin read them instead. Information technology auto-transcribes, punctuates, and paragraphs the text. The better the subtitles, the better the "article," of course. Best of all, it'due south totally gratis.
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