Could I download videos from YouTube?
YouTube is one of the most popular and user-friendly video hosting sites in the world. Every day millions of people go to the site to watch a clip, watch an interview, watch their favorite blogger or find information.
But from time to time, many users are faced with the problem: How do I download videos from YouTube? In order to save it to a home album, or for some other purpose (there can be many).
When you save videos to your computer or phone, you can watch them without an internet connection, which is ideal for leisure time on planes, trains, or trips to places with poor mobile internet access. In order to download videos from YouTube, you can use specialized websites, install special browser extensions or use appropriate software.
In this article, we’ll show you how to download YouTube videos to your computer or mobile phone.
What you need to know before you download the videos
Videos on a video hosting site have authors and owners who legally own them. YouTube’s terms of use also state that you can’t upload, copy, and distribute content without the prior written consent of the service and its licensors.
Thus, it’s allowed to download content that falls under the Creative Commons CC0 (Public Domain) and CC BY (Attribution) free licenses. You can also download your own videos previously published on YouTube. Otherwise, we don’t recommend it.
The two easiest ways to download YouTube videos
It is URL tricks “SS” and “TO”.
A simple and quick way to download a video file for free. Add an ‘ss’ construct to the YouTube video URL and click ‘download’.
Example: Source URL: https://youtube.com/watch…
URL with ss: https://ssyoutube.com/watch…
Another trick is to use the construct “to” to directly download videos. You need to add “to” in the search bar after “youtube”.
Let’s say the original URL is: https://www.youtube.com/watch…
Replace it with: https://www.youtubeto.com/watch…
How to download YouTube videos to any device using online services
This method is good because it doesn’t require the installation of additional programs. All you need is a special download site. They are free and, as a consequence, contain a lot of ads. Therefore, it is better to use them with unwanted content blockers.
Copy the link to the desired video, then open any of the following sites in your browser.
- X2Download. Maximum quality with audio – 1 080p, convert to MP3.
- Youtube4KDownloader. Max quality 4K, selectable size, convert to MP3.
- y2mate.com. Maximum quality – 1 080p.
- noTube. Maximum quality – 1 080p.
- 9Convert. Maximum quality with sound – 1 080p, there is conversion to MP3.
- YT1s. Maximum quality with sound – 1 080p.
- UniDownloader. Maximum quality with sound – 720p. There is a choice of formats.
After opening the site, paste the previously copied link into the special field. If possible, select the appropriate quality and format of the final file. Click on the download button and wait for the video to download.
Another service is preSaver. It is minimalistic online service. There’s nothing superfluous about it at all. Insert a link, and click the red arrow button. There is only one format – MP4 and two quality types – 360 pixels and 720 HD. Unfortunately, there is no 1080 resolution, much less 4K. You cannot download the video in audio format either, but there are other services for that. But there are no redirections to other sites and attempts to impose push notifications under the guise of anti-spam check – the video is downloaded immediately, you just need to click the Download button with the selected format.
If you have an iPhone or iPad, make sure you use Safari. Other browsers on these devices do not allow you to download video files. Also, the method will only work if you have iOS 13 or newer OS or iPadOS.
How to save YouTube videos to your computer using browser extensions
After installing a special extension, a button will appear below the videos for easy download.
Unfortunately, Google resists downloading videos from YouTube. Therefore, the necessary plug-ins are often removed from the official Chrome stores and other browsers. But you can install the necessary extensions from other sources.
One of the best video-saving plugins is YouTube Video Downloader. This extension allows you to download clips in quality up to 4K and supports Chrome, Edge, Opera, UC, and Vivaldi.
To install YouTube Video Downloader, open its website, select your browser from the list and click on How to install. A video tutorial will start that will tell you how to install it.
There is one more good extension. It is y2mate. You can download videos in Firefox or Google Chrome in quality up to 1 080p. To install y2mate, go to the plugin website, click the download button in the lower right corner and follow the instructions.
How to download videos from YouTube to your computer using special programs
If you want to download videos to your PC at maximum speed, use programs like ClipGrab or 4K Video Downloader. They usually work faster than online services and extensions and allow you to download videos in resolutions up to 4K.
To use either of these programs, you have to insert a video link, select the video parameters, and click the download button.
Both of the aforementioned options are available for free for Windows, macOS, and Linux. But ClipGrab prompts you to download an antivirus when you install it/ So don’t forget to reject it. And 4K Video Downloader also has a paid version that allows you to save all clips of selected channels and playlists at once. Its price is 12 euros.
Another option is the Videoder utility, which works on Windows and macOS computers. This program is completely free, ad-free, and can download videos of any quality. Even in 8K quality.
How to save YouTube videos to your Android device using mobile apps
You can’t find the right apps on Google Play. They are not allowed in the store because of copyright issues. But you can install the right app directly from the developer’s website.
Remember: Google Play is not responsible for programs downloaded from other sources. They can damage your device or cause your Google account to be blocked.
If you’re willing to risk it, install one of the programs listed below. To do this, go to its website from your mobile device, download the installer and run it.
- Snaptube
- InsTube
- Videoder
If the system reports that the browser does not have rights to install, click “Settings” and give permission. If such a button does not appear, go to the settings of your device. Open the section related to security and allow the installation of applications from third-party sources.
These programs are free but show ads. They work in about the same way. To use any of them, find the desired video through the built-in search and click the download button. Select the quality of the video and wait for the app to download it.
The Videoder app is simple, straightforward and completely free.
- Install Videoder. Launch the application. Then click “Search” and find the video you want.
- Click the video you want to download. Now select the format and quality of the video.
- Videoder will download the video we selected with the specified parameters.
When the video is fully downloaded it will appear in the “Downloads” tab of the Videoder app. You can view the video from here or go to the native “Video” folder on your smartphone. The video can now be shared with friends or simply deleted.
All three programs are capable of downloading clips of up to 4K quality. But if the selected resolution exceeds 1 080p, InsTube downloads videos without sound.
KeepVid is also one of the best video downloaders for Android and one of the most popular ones at that. This software can download YouTube videos at a fairly high speed and is not limited to Google’s video hosting service. The program supports a total of 27 sites from which you can “pull” a video. And the quality of the downloaded video can be (with the appropriate version, of course) up to 4K. The app has ads built-in.
How to download videos from YouTube to iPhone or iPad with a quick command
There is no video downloading apps on iOS, but there are still ways to do it. The easiest is to use an automation command that will download the video and save it to the gallery or Files app.
Add the command by following the link and providing the necessary permissions. Open the video in your browser and through the standard menu “Share” run the command YouTube PIP & Downloader. Then select Save Video and specify where to save it – the gallery or the Files app.
There is a good paid app for iOS called PlayTube Pro. Not only can it download videos, but it’s also a full-fledged YouTube client where you can watch, like, and share videos. The program gets access to all your subscriptions, playlists, and other features. You can also change the region to get access to videos that are not available in your country. Another good app for iOS is McTube. Like PlayTube Pro, it’s a full-fledged client that also allows you to download videos (and can do so in 1080p). You can download McTube for free, but if you do, you will be charged with an advertisement. Or choose a paid version
You can use the Video Downloader app for the iPhone. Its interface is identical to that of Videoder. You need to download it and install it on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch. Then enter the name of the video in the search box and download it by selecting the format and quality of the video you want.
How to download YouTube videos to your iPhone or iPad using Safari
If your gadget runs on iOS 13 or later firmware, you can always use one of the online services to download videos. Choose any one of the lists at the beginning of the article and open it in Safari. Paste the link to the video, specify the desired quality, and click “Download”. The file will appear in downloads, and from there you can move it to the gallery.
Download YouTube videos for free with YouTube Premium
If you have a YouTube Premium subscription, you’ll enjoy a variety of perks, including the ability to download videos for offline viewing without third-party software. You can do this with YouTube, YouTube Music, and YouTube Games programs. Keep in mind that downloaded videos can only be viewed using YouTube apps-you can’t move the video to another device or view it with another player.
Download YouTube videos to your PC for free with YouTube Premium.
Start watching the video, click the “Download” button (grey arrow) under the player, and select the quality. After you’ve successfully uploaded a YouTube video, you can find it in the “Library” or “Account” tab.
You need to be logged in to your account to view the uploaded videos.
Free social video downloader app
If you don’t subscribe to YouTube Premium you can use the Free social video downloader app. Go into the app, and choose where to download videos from – apart from YouTube there’s Instagram and Facebook. Find the video you want and click on the orange download button. In very low quality you can download immediately, in medium quality (360 pixels) with ads, to download high-quality video we offer a trial version of the paid plan. Through the app it is possible to download videos in audio format and in MP4 with a resolution of up to 1080 pixels. You can opt for the paid premium version
Conclusion
When downloading someone’s video, keep in mind copyright and the rules of fair use of other people’s content. If you decide to take fragments of someone else’s video for your own work – you need the author’s permission, link to the source, or rights to use it. This rule does not apply to royalty-free video clips where the author allows using his own videos without any limitations. This applies more to video-sharing sites than to YouTube.
