How to Download YouTube Videos

In the realm of digital content consumption, the desire to download YouTube videos for offline viewing has become increasingly prevalent. Users seek flexibility in accessing their favorite content without being tethered to an internet connection. Fortunately, the landscape offers a myriad of options, showcasing the diversity in methodologies for offline video acquisition.

There are dozens of different ways to download YouTube videos efficiently, catering to users with varying technical proficiencies. From utilizing browser extensions to dedicated third-party applications, the array of methods provides a customizable experience. Each approach offers distinct advantages, allowing users to tailor their choices based on preferences such as download speed, resolution, and file format.

Among the plethora of methods, some stand out as the easiest and most effective. Browser extensions like Video DownloadHelper seamlessly integrate with web browsers, simplifying the download process with a single click. On the other hand, third-party applications like 4K Video Downloader provide a comprehensive suite of features, allowing users to fine-tune their download preferences.

In conclusion, exploring the diverse methodologies to download YouTube videos empowers users to curate their offline viewing experience. Whether opting for browser extensions or specialized applications, the key lies in choosing the method that aligns with individual preferences and technical requirements

Note: This story is updated frequently, as the tools involved change regularly. Some of those changes are not always pleasant, such as software so full of "extras," it gets flagged as malware by antivirus tools. The same goes for the helper websites a change in a site's 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:

• Work with the top three video sites: YouTube, Facebook, and Vimeo.
• Download entire playlists or channels in a batch (on YouTube), at least with a paid version.
• Output to MP3 for audio (or offer companion software that does so).
• Have an interface that doesn't suck.
• Not collect your personal data beyond your email address.
• Not contain malware. If there's even a whiff of it, even a PUP, it's out.

The programs, services, and sites in this story are all free of spam and virus problems as of this writing, but caveat emptor let the buyer beware. (Especially if you're not really buying.)

4K Video Downloader+

Free, or $15 for one year of use; $25 for a lifetime license; Windows, macOS, Ubuntu Linux, Android

Multi-lingual 4K Video Downloader+ (4KVD) is frequently updated and features clear download links on the program's website; no ad traps here. The software does what it advertises in a simple interface: It 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 get started. 4KVD will even collect subtitles, entire playlists, and all the videos in a channel to which you subscribe. The sites supported are limited to the big names, including YouTube, Vimeo, Facebook, and a few others, but that should cover most of what you need. It does display a large banner advertisement to keep the lights on with the free version, which is also limited to 30 downloads a day.

When you enable the Smart Mode and its presets, 4KVD can perform one-click downloads to your favorite format. If you want to download more than 30 videos per day or subscribe to YouTube channels to instantly download the latest, you'll need the paid version. Playback of the resulting MKV files via VLC Media Player is flawless.

When I tried it, I had to make a switch from MP4 to MKV format to get my test video to download in 4K. 4KVD snagged a 3-minute, 229.7MB file for a movie trailer in about 1 minute and 20 seconds. I made the same switch when downloading an Ultra High Definition (8K) playlist.

The program has the option to extract audio to MP3 format, so you don't even need the 4K YouTube to MP3 companion software. But if that's your thing, it's $10 per year or $15 for a lifetime.

YouTube Premium Downloads

The biggest issue is, this feature doesn't really download a video to save on your computer forever. It is more akin to the download feature found on mobile apps for Netflix and Hulu, which makes a streaming video available to watch later using your local storage using the app's interface only. This is not a method that allows you to, say, watch a video using different software such as the VLC Media Player or Plex.

Now available for subscribers of YouTube Premium—the paid version of YouTube that allows you to watch without ads—are video downloads—kind of. There's one limitation with quality: All the video you download is limited to 1080p quality max or lower. No 4K.

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 least once every 30 days." This probably isn't exactly what you are looking for in a download; read on for tools that are a better fit.

VideoProc Converter

The powerful VideoProc from Digiarty comes in an editor edition and this converter, which also provides editing and effects and, of course, handles a lot of downloading, supporting 4K from over 1,000 websites, including TikTok. With hardware acceleration, it promises some speed. Thankfully, Digiarty frequently offers price discounts: In fact, the price has dropped a lot on the one-year license; it's currently just $25.95.

Free with limited use or $25.95 for 1 year/3 PCs; $45.95 lifetime for 1 PC; $57.95 family on 3-5 PCs; Windows, macOS

VideoProc grabbed our 697MB test 4K video to WEBM format in about 2 minutes and 15 seconds, which isn't bad. The trial version of VideoProc Converter, which limits conversions to 5 minutes, doesn't appear to limit downloads.

To use it, let the software detect your hardware to see what will help with acceleration (if anything). Click the Downloader button, click Add video to place as many URLs as you want to batch, and then click on Download Now. Or grab a whole YouTube playlist or live stream.

Browser Extensions

Video DownloadHelper

Free; Firefox, Chrome, Edge

Video DownloadHelper supports a huge number of sites—even those for adults. You'll know a video is downloadable when the icon for the extension animates when you're on the web page. Video DownloadHelper for Chrome has stopped working with YouTube; that way, it got placement in the Chrome Web Store. Get around that by using the Video DownloadHelper extension on Firefox or Edge instead.

YouTube Video Downloader

Free; Brave, Chrome, Firefox, Opera, Edge, Safari, Vivaldi

YouTube Video Downloader from Addoncrop is available for multiple browsers but with excellent side-load capabilities via user scripts or third-party extensions such as Foxified (which allows Chrome/Edge user access to Firefox extensions). It puts a button below whichever video you're playing on YouTube, even an embedded YouTube video, making the video easy to grab. Up to 8K video is supported. You can also convert audio from the video to an MP3, and it will even help you take video screenshots.

Mobile Video Downloader Apps

Downloading from YouTube using an Android app from the Google Play Store is a challenge, given that Google has a grip on the site it owns (even if it seldom seems to check for malware); it offers the paid YouTube Premium service mentioned above to facilitate offline viewing.

That said, with Android, it's possible to install apps without going through Google. For example, InsTube – Free Video and Music Downloader for Android can be found only at InsTube's website. Download the APK (Android application package) file to sideload on an Android device. Find it in your device's downloads and click to install. (You may have to go into your security settings and enable "Unknown sources.") 

You'd think there would be no such restriction on iPhones and iPads, since Apple and Google aren't the best of pals (or maybe they are). But with the iOS apps I've tried, not only would they not download from YouTube, but they're also typically not available for long. One of those apps said in its description, "Downloading from YouTube is prohibited due to its Terms of Service." Apple is ensuring that app makers play by the rules—even Google's rules.

Chances are, the minute you find an iOS app that can download YouTube videos, it will be "fixed" or banned. The only real option is to jailbreak your iPhone and use sideloaded apps that download what you want.

There are workarounds. One is to subscribe to YouTube Premium, which lets you download videos on your iPhone or iPad to watch later, much as Netflix and Hulu do. But it doesn't allow you the freedom to edit a clip.

Another is using a free iOS file manager app, such as Documents by Readdle. Use the Safari browser to visit a YouTube video, and use the Share option to find Copy Link. Then go back to Documents, and use the built-in browser in the app to surf to a video download helper site (you know, the kind we don't recommend).

Paste the link into the form (hold your finger down on it until you get the "Paste" menu to pop up). The site will give you the links to download, and you can save the file to Documents. Hold and drag the file up until you're back on the main screen, then drag it to the Photos folder. You'll need to give Documents permission to access Photos the first time. You can then access the video as 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 computer for one year, Windows or macOS; $59.99 for a lifetime plan). It's a desktop file manager for iOS devices that has an integrated downloader supporting 900 sites, including YouTube and Facebook. It'll transfer the videos to the iPhone for you over the USB cable. Even if you don't pay for AnyTrans, the download option remains and is free forever.