In an age where we are constantly bombarded with videos, it is no surprise that YouTube has become one of the most popular sites on the internet. As much as we love watching cat videos and fail compilations, there are times when we need to download them for offline viewing.
Whether you want to save a video for later or keep it forever, here is a guide on how to download YouTube videos.
Having a YouTube subscription is the easiest way to download YouTube videos.
In this article…
What is YouTube Premium? Is it worth it?
YouTube Premium is a subscription service that provides ad-free access to all of YouTube’s content and exclusive original programming produced in collaboration with YouTube creators. YouTube Premium is available for purchase in over 35 countries. YouTube Premium is a great way to enjoy your favorite YouTube content without having to sit through ads. It also gives you access to exclusive original programming that you can’t find anywhere else.
You can download YouTube videos with this service and save them for future viewing as well.
But there are also times when you may want to watch a video without a subscription. Whether you’re trying to save data or simply don’t want to commit to a monthly service, there are ways to download YouTube videos without a subscription or software.
How to Download YouTube Videos without a Subscription or Software
There are a few ways to download YouTube videos without a subscription service like YouTube Premium or software.
One way is to use a browser like Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox and a website like SaveFrom.net.
How to download YouTube videos on a PC
To download YouTube videos on a PC, install a good browser like Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox and go to the website savefrom.net or keepvid.com and follow the instructions mentioned below.
How to download YouTube videos on a laptop
If you’re using a laptop, Mac, or Windows PC, make sure you open your browser, go to YouTube and play the video you wish to download.
Step 1 – Copy the link of the video you want to download from YouTube (see screenshot below).
Step 2 – Go to the website savefrom.net
Step 3 – Paste the video link in the space given.
Paste the link/URL of the video you want to download and click the download button.
You will now get the video file downloaded to your browser. Success!
How to download YouTube videos on Android
Assuming you have an Android device, you can download YouTube videos directly to your device. This can be done with a YouTube downloader app.
There are many of these apps available on the Google Play Store, so you can choose the one that best suits your needs. Once you have installed a downloader app, simply open the YouTube app and find the video you want to download. Then, copy the video URL and paste it into the downloader app.
Most of these YouTube video downloader apps keep getting removed from the Play Store, so I’m not going to recommend any, one app. But doing a simple search on the Play Store should get you the most popular YouTube video downloader app.
Here is an example.
Step 1 – Go to Google Play Store (Make sure you are in the Apps directory).
Step 2 – Search for “YouTube Video Downloader” in the search bar.
Step 3 – Install any of the apps that show up.
A good thumb rule is to check for reviews of the app and see if anyone has reported any malicious activity. The user community is very responsive on Google Play Store and will report any bad apps.
Do not download video downloader apps from Google plat Store if;
- There are reviews mentioning that the app has malware.
- There are reviews reporting that the app doesn’t work.
- There are more negative reviews than positive reviews.
- If the app wants you to download another app or click on malicious-looking links.
An alternate way to download YouTube videos
If savefrom.net is not working or not loading, I recommend another website to download YouTube videos – KeepVid.
Step 1
Go to YouTube and play the video you like. Then, copy the URL of the video.
If you’re on a browser (desktop) you can simply copy-paste the URL on the address bar (see screenshot below).
Step 2
Go to http://www.keepvid.com
Paste the URL into the search bar. (See screenshot below)
Step 3
Click on the Download button. (Caution: There might be several advertisements on the site that shows the download button.)
Step 4
After you’ve clicked on the download button, a prompt may appear asking you to update your Java version (depending on whether your Java installation is current or not). Click “Yes” to proceed.
Then another prompt will appear asking you permission to run the program.
Click “Run” to proceed. (See screenshot).
Step 5
Then it will ask which version of the file you want to download. There will be a list of filetypes displayed and against it what you will get is also be mentioned.
MP4 720p is the highest quality you can download and 3Gp 144p is the smallest file. The smallest file will have the poorest quality and MP4 720p will have the best quality.
Once you click on the appropriate file type, the video will start downloading and will be saved to your downloads folder(or any custom download location that you have set).
You can now open a video with your favorite media player and watch it offline on your computer.
Note that this website will only work on desktops and not mobile phones.
How to download youtube videos on Mac
If you are on a Mac, the process for downloading YouTube videos is actually quite simple. All you need is the URL/link of the video you want to download and a YouTube downloader. Once you have both of those things, simply paste the URL into the downloader and click the download button.
Step 1 – Download 4K downloader app on Mac
Go to their official website here and download the Mac version software by following the instructions on the website.
4K Downloader will add videos to the queue and download them to your Mac quickly.
If you get their paid version of the software, you can also download entire playlists from YouTube channels faster and at better 4K HD quality.
How to safely download YouTube videos
There are a few things to keep in mind when downloading YouTube videos. First, make sure you have a reliable and trustworthy source. There are many websites that claim to offer video downloads, but many of them are scams.
Second, check the file format of the video you want to download. YouTube videos are typically in MP4 format, so make sure the file you’re downloading is in that format.
Malware and ads can infect your mobile or laptop when using unsafe websites. When you visit an unsafe website, your device can be infected with malware.
This malware can then collect your personal information, such as your passwords, financial information, and browsing history.
Additionally, unsafe websites can display malicious ads. These ads can redirect you to other unsafe websites, which can further infect your device.
To protect yourself from malware and malicious ads, only visit safe and reputable websites.
What can a YouTube video downloader software do?
YouTube downloader software is designed to help you download videos from YouTube and save them to your computer. With this software, you can choose to download the video in its original quality or in a lower quality that will take up less space on your hard drive.
The features to look for in a video downloader software are:
- The ability to download videos from a variety of online sources, including YouTube, Facebook, and Vimeo.
- A user-friendly interface that is easy to navigate.
- A built-in video player so you can watch your downloaded videos without having to open another application.
- The ability to convert videos into different formats, including MP4, AVI, and WMV.
Is it legal to download YouTube videos?
There is a lot of debate on this topic. While there are arguments for both sides, it is generally accepted that downloading YouTube videos is not legal. This is because YouTube has strict copyright laws in place that protect content creators.
There is no definitive answer, as copyright law varies from country to country. In general, however, downloading videos from YouTube without the permission of the copyright holder is likely to be considered illegal.
How to download HD videos from YouTube?
To download HD videos from YouTube, use the paid version of 4K Downloader. You can download 4K resolution videos on your laptop, PC, Mac, or even Android mobile with the paid version app.
The speed of your internet connection may affect the ability to download a YouTube video. Make sure you are on a strong high-speed internet connection when trying to download HD videos from YouTube.
For 1080 resolution videos, you can try websites like SaveFrom.net and KeepVideo.com using the steps mentioned above in this article.
Can you download playlists from YouTube?
Sometimes you have to download an entire playlist from YouTube instead of one or two videos. Is it possible? Of course, yes. Here’s how.
On your Android mobile or laptop, download 4K Downloader.
Copy the entire playlist link from YouTube. Paste it into 4K Downloader.
It will auto-detect the playlist link as below and ask for confirmation.
Click on “Download Playlist” and all the videos in the playlist will be queued to download automatically.
Which is the best YouTube downloader?
There are a lot of YouTube downloaders out there, but which one is the best? It really depends on what you’re looking for. Some people prefer a downloader that is simple and easy to use, while others prefer one that has more features like being able to download HD and 4K videos or download entire playlists. There are also downloaders that are free and ones that you have to pay for.
Here is a list of the ten best YouTube downloader software that I found worth trying.
- 4K Video Downloader
- Any Video Converter Free
- Offeo
- Gihosoft TubeGet
- YTD Video Downloader
- Airy
- Any Video Converter Ultimate and
- 9X Downloader
These software programs can be used to download movies from YouTube and other sites, including videos of up to 4K quality.
Got questions? Ask in the comments below.
