YouTube has a vast range of videos and lots of diverse content. Since its creation, YouTube has been a popular website for watching videos. YouTube’s content appeals to all types of people, and you may desire to download YouTube videos for several reasons. You may be going on a big trip and won’t have internet service but still want to be entertained.
So, what are the best options for downloading YouTube videos? We have researched hundreds of options for downloading videos to bring you the most straightforward and best ways to download a YouTube video.
How to Download Videos With YouTube Premium
Here are the steps to download a YouTube video for offline viewing using your premium account.
- Log Into Your YouTube Account – Once you have a subscription to YouTube Premium, there will be a download button option in the YouTube App or the web browser next to the Share option at the bottom of the video.
- Click The Download Icon – Select the video you want to download, and when it comes up, click the download icon.
- Find Your Downloaded YouTube Video – You can find your downloaded video in the Downloads section of the website or app. The video downloaded will remain in your downloads as long as you provide an internet connection once every 30 days and you stay a premium member.
Read Also: Yt.be Activate – Accessing YouTube on Your Smart TV
How to Download YouTube Videos With Third Party Sites
The internet is full of YouTube video download apps. Whether you can do it all in a browser, or you need to download an app, there are options. In most cases, here’s what users will have to do to download a YouTube video:
- Copy the URL of the video you want. If you’re on mobile, you can do this by opening the video, clicking on “Share”, and pressing “Copy Link”.
- Open the YouTube video downloader app.
- Paste the URL in the software. Most YouTube video download sites have their URL field displayed clearly on the home page.
- Wait for the video to convert. YouTube download sites can’t start the download immediately. You’ll need to wait for a little while so that the site can source the video.
- Press the download link. In some apps, you can also choose other options before converting, like the quality of the video or the file format.
Most YouTube video download apps let you download music as well. You just have to go through the process outlined above, and then choose the .mp3 file format. This will only download the audio of a YouTube video. Keep in mind that downloading videos this way goes against YouTube’s Terms of Service.
Read Also: Y2meta.com – Convert YouTube to MP3, Download YouTube Videos
The dangers of third-party sites
This is a suitable moment to mention that we don’t recommend downloading YouTube videos with third-party apps. It’s a breach of copyright laws, so it can spell legal problems.
Some YouTube download sites install adware on your PC, which can be extremely annoying and dangerous for your privacy and security.
If you still want to do it, make sure you at least anonymize your traffic with the help of a VPN. A VPN (virtual private network) will encrypt your internet traffic, and change your IP. With its help, no one can know where you’re browsing from, and you get an added layer of security.
The best VPN for downloading YouTube videos is CyberGhost. It’s affordable, very secure, and has decent connection speeds, so you can download large videos without waiting for ages.
But a VPN is not everything you need to download YouTube videos safely. You should also use the right platforms.
The Best YouTube Download Sites
Since YouTube download sites breach copyright laws, they’re not always up. Sometimes, they’ll change domain names, or go down for a period. This is important to keep in mind since some entries from the list below might not be available when you’re reading the article.
If that’s the case, just try another. At least one of them should be available at all times.
Y2Mate
Y2Mate is one of the best YouTube download sites. It covers all its bases with fast conversion, unlimited downloads for free, and support for multiple file formats, including .mp4 and .mp3.
After video conversion, you can choose the video quality for your download. The downloaded videos can be in formats from 144p to 1080p. The variety is similar for .mp3 audio files, from 48k to 160k.
Y2Mate is also a great download site because it has an Android app. If you want to use YouTube download sites from your phone, you’ll usually struggle with a bad interface. That’s not the case with Y2Mate, which makes it one of the best YouTube download platforms.
aTube Catcher
aTube Catcher is primarily designed for YouTube, but it’s compatible with hundreds of other sites. You can download and export videos across multiple social sites and gadgets from a computer to an iPad. The application supports a wide range of formats, including 3GP, XVID and MP4, among others.
Furthermore, it lets you download multiple videos simultaneously, a feature not provided by some free video downloaders.
A word of caution: the installation process might show a malware problem, but you can easily overcome it by rejecting the first two download links.
To start downloading, follow these steps:
1. Open YouTube and copy the video URL.
2. Run aTube Catcher. Click on Download Videos.
3. Select the preferred video format and press Download.
4. Your video will be downloaded.
VideoProc Converter
We’ve covered, how to download YouTube videos, but what about editing them? VideoProc Converter is the answer. A powerful editing and video converter tool, it provides 4K video downloads from YouTube and various other websites.
Downloading videos with VideoProc is quite straightforward. Users need to click the Downloader button and add video URLs. Upon clicking on Download Now, the video will download.
Downloading Videos With VLC Media Player
VLC Media Player is an open-source and cross-platform multimedia player that allows you to download YouTube videos and play almost any video format. Best of all, the VLC Media Player can be downloaded for free.
Here is how to download content from YouTube with VLC Media Player:
- Select A URL – Head to YouTube with your browser’s address bar. Left-click the video URL and copy the link.
- Run VLC Media Player – On your computer, run VLC Media Player by clicking the icon. After it opens, go to media and then click open network stream from the drop-down.
- Paste The URL – A box will appear and ask for the video link. Paste the URL in the enter a network URL box and hit the play button.
- Video Playback – The downloaded file will begin to play. Now click the Tools button and then click on codec information.
- Copy File Location – All the media information will show in the popup window. Go to the location and copy the file location.
- Saving The File To Your Computer – Open a browser on your computer and paste the file location into the address tab. Next, right-click the video and select “Save as” from the list. Save videos by giving them a name and choosing a location for download. The video will then be downloaded to that location on your computer.
4K YouTube Video Downloader
One of the most popular and flexible options for downloaded videos from YouTube is the 4k Video downloader. It is available for PC and Mac and allows you to download a video in 4K, 8K, 1080p, or 720p in multiple video formats.
It also automatically downloads subtitles for a seamless experience. You can copy the video link and paste it into the 4K downloader. The software license costs $10, and they also provide a trial version.
WinX Downloader
The WinX YouTube downloader allows you to download several YouTube videos at once. It is simple to use; all you need to do is copy the YouTube video link and paste it into the Past YouTube link section. It allows you to download a video file in 4K. The whole process takes just minutes to download a video file.
Download Links On Mobile Devices
Downloading videos through your mobile device is much more complex than using a computer. With an iOS system, you may run into frequent problems downloading YouTube videos because Apple follows Google’s rules. However, there are methods to download videos from a YouTube channel on your mobile devices.
Read Also: Fastest YouTube to MP3 converter in 2024
Downloading Videos On Android
YouTube Go
A smart app for your smartphone, YouTube Go is your one-stop platform for downloading YouTube videos legally and for free. Easy to use and intuitive, the application helps you conserve your precious network data while watching YouTube videos.
The app runs on less powerful gadgets with low or no internet connection. The software carefully learns user preferences and suggests top trending videos on the home page accordingly.
Its preview feature can also save you time, as it allows you to view a clip of a video before downloading. Here is how you can download YouTube videos with YouTube Go.
1. Open the Google Play store and download YouTube Go.
2. Run YouTube Go and select the video you want to download.
3. A dialog box will appear, providing you with the available resolution options.
4. Choose your preferred resolution and click on Download.
The YouTube video will download and save in your phone’s memory.
Downloading Videos On iOS
To download a video on iOS, you can use VideoSolo. Here are the steps to download a video file with VideoSolo:
Go to the VideoSolo website- Paste the YouTube link in the paste link box here and click download.
- Name the video and select the download location.
- The video will be downloaded and then can be moved to the iPhone hard drive.
Go to the VideoSolo websiteIs it Legal to Download YouTube Videos?
You’re thinking about downloading some YouTube videos on your phone or laptop to stream offline during a flight or a long journey with the family. Now you must be thinking, “is it legal, or will the police barge in and arrest me?”
Let us explain. Downloading YouTube videos is an easy task. However, you should always exercise caution while doing it. For instance, only download videos when the creator gives permission. And always use them responsibly.
Another aspect that you should consider is copyright, as YouTube strongly condemns copyright infringements. You should be in the clear as long as you don’t reupload a downloaded video.
Conclusion
After meticulous research, we’ve compiled these methods to teach you how to download YouTube videos.
They are game-changers when it comes to watching your favorite videos on the go without using an internet connection or all of your mobile data.
Let us know in the comments below which one is your favorite video downloader and why. Also, feel free to post suggestions.
