Hundreds of millions of people watch videos on YouTube every day. The thing is, while it might be easy to watch them right on their site or mobile app, it’s not always super convenient.
For instance, you may want to download videos directly to your device so you can watch them offline because you may not have access to wi-fi and you don’t want to deplete your data plan.
Now, while there may be many different methods for downloading videos from YouTube, there are just two you really need to know about.
You could either install a stand-alone app, which is a software program that allows you to download videos directly to your hard drive and then convert them into a format that can be played on your devices.
Or, you could use a web-based app to download the video from a browser without having to install any software.
All you have to do in this case is to copy the URL of the YouTube video and then paste it into the designated box on your browser window. The website will then download the video for you and save it on a file folder of your choice.
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How to Download a YouTube Video Using a Stand-Alone Application
There are literally dozens and dozens of stand-alone applications to download videos, so to make your life a lot easier, we’ve compiled below the 3 best YouTube video downloader apps on the market for Macs and PCs:
4K YouTube to MP3 is a top of the line tool for downloading videos from YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, Vimeo, Dailymotion, VEVO, Twitch, SoundCloud, Flickr and countless other video sites.
It offers both a free forever and a paid version, depending on the features you need.
For example, you can download single videos by copying the link to the video on your browser and pasting it into the application, or you can download multiple videos at a time using batch mode.
You can also download YouTube playlists with a single click — including private playlists — and also entire YouTube channels, all with high video quality and in multiple file formats.
2. VideoProc
If you’re looking for sheer speed, then VideoProc might be the right solution for you.
Their state of the art technology makes it the only full GPU accelerated video processing software on the market that can expedite video processing up to 47x faster than competing tools.
VideoProc can deliver smooth 4K and 8K video editing and transcoding without compromising quality.
3. Allavsoft
Allavsoft is another great tool that not only supports batch downloading — converting multiple videos at a time in a large number of file formats, but can also convert YouTube music videos to MP3 audio files.
Another great feature of Allavsoft is that it automatically detects those pesky ads and is then able to download video and music files completely ad-free.
Finally, Allavsoft comes with a handy built-in video player that can preview and play back the downloaded video files so you can check if everything went well in the download and conversion process.
Here’s what you want to look for in a stand-alone video downloader application:
- Video manipulation, such as editing and trimming, where you are able to download just the portion of the screen where all the action takes place, dramatically reducing your file sizes
- Multiple video and audio formats (e.g. MP3, MP4, WAV, PSP, MPG, VOB, OGG, WMA, WMV, GIF, AVI, XVID, MOV, etc.)
- Batch downloads, that is, the ability to download and convert multiple videos concurrently instead of one at a time
- Multiple video resolutions (e.g. 240p, 360p, 480p, 720p, 1080p, 1440p, 2K HD, 4K HD, 8K HD, etc.)
How to Download a YouTube Video Using a Web App
Below, you’ll find the top 3 YouTube video downloaders available online:
Online Downloader lets you download videos from over 200 sites, including YouTube, Facebook, Instagram and Vimeo, while retaining the original video quality.
By performing all downloads and conversions from their own servers, you can easily and quickly download videos directly to a large number of devices, including computers, smartphones and tablets.
BitDownloader lets you download videos from a wide range of websites including YouTube, Facebook, Vimeo, TikTok and Instagram.
It's free to use and does not require either a software download or for users to register for an account.
3. Savefrom.net
Savefrom.net allows you to download videos without watermarks. You can download videos in Full HD, HD, and SD.
There's no need to install any software on your device since all file processing is done on their server.
Here’s what you want to look for in an online video downloader web app:
- Super-fast conversion speed, enabled by GPU-based video processing software on their servers that can speed up the conversion 10x or more compared to a typical personal computer.
- One-click download of playlists and channels
- Multiple video and audio formats (e.g. MP3, MP4, WAV, PSP, MPG, VOB, OGG, WMA, WMV, GIF, AVI, XVID, MOV, etc.)
- Batch downloads
- Multiple video resolutions (e.g. 240p, 360p, 480p, 720p, 1080p, 1440p, 2K HD, 4K HD, 8K HD, etc.)
There you have it — quick and easy! Now let’s answer some of the most common questions that come up about YouTube video downloading.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you download a video from YouTube for free?
Yes, there are a number of excellent apps out there that will download videos for free, such as 4K Video Downloader (this is a stand-alone app that has a free forever version), YTD Video Downloader (same here), or ClipGrab (this is a free online web app).
Now keep in mind that free versions tend not to offer the same video quality as paid ones, which will preserve the full quality of the original video through the transcoding and conversion process.
How do I download a YouTube video onto my laptop?
Either a stand-alone video downloader app, or a browser-based online video downloader will be able to download and save a YouTube video on your computer.
Whichever way you choose, however, you have to make sure to you use the correct file format for compatibility with the media player on your computer, otherwise the video may not play on your device.
Can I download YouTube videos using a Chrome browser extension?
Yes. Although a lot more limited than the above two methods, there are some Chrome browser extensions that allow you to download YouTube videos.
Here are 3 of the most popular ones: Video Downloader professional, Video Downloader Plus and Video DownloadHelper.
What's the best way to download multiple YouTube videos?
The best way to download multiple YouTube videos is to use a stand-alone video downloader software application on your Mac or your PC that allows for batch downloading (most paid versions do).
Some of the top YouTube downloader apps with batch downloading are 4K Video Downloader, YTD Video Downloader, and Allavsoft.
In Summary
Now that you know how to download YouTube videos quick and easy, you’ll be able to watch them anytime, offline or on the go.
Whether you use a stand-alone software app on your computer, an online video downloader or even a Chrome browser extension, downloading YouTube videos is super fast, convenient and, in many cases, 100% free!
