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ZDNET's cardinal takeaways
- ClipGrab and WinX/MacX are nan champion free devices for YouTube downloads.
- YouTube Premium offers legal, ad-free downloads tied to your account.
- Be mindful of copyright laws and only download videos that are allowed.
If you've ever wanted to download a YouTube video to watch later -- say, for a formation aliases location pinch unspeakable Wi-Fi -- you've astir apt noticed that Google doesn't make it easy. YouTube's ain app limits offline viewing to prime videos and paying Premium subscribers. Still, location are ways to download videos for free. The situation is figuring retired which action is really worthy using.
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After years of moving successful multimedia, I've had to locally prevention countless YouTube videos. I now person 1 go-to tool, and my workfellow David Gewirtz has suggested another, but location are plentifulness of options retired location that travel highly recommended. Either way, present are 2 methods that are free and trusted, truthful you won't person to wade done sketchy pop-ups and questionable links, aliases salary a cent.
I'll besides screen YouTube Premium, nan charismatic paid method for downloading videos, truthful you should find astatine slightest 1 action that works.
How to easy download YouTube videos for free
What you'll need: Editors astatine ZDNET, including me, person been utilizing ClipGrab for years. It's a free programme disposable for Mac, Windows, and Linux users. The developer describes it arsenic unfastened source, though nan root codification is only disposable for Linux.
Point your browser to nan charismatic ClipGrab.org site.
- Click nan "Show each download options" link.
- Download nan installer for your level (Windows, MacOS, Linux). It's free, but location is an action to donate.
- Run nan installer to instal ClipGrab.
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During installation, ClipGrab whitethorn petition support to instal a Rosetta helper (on newer MacOS) aliases to download supplementary components (such arsenic yt-dlp). You should let them -- they're portion of ClipGrab and alteration features aliases assistance pinch processing.
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If you want to alteration wherever your downloaded YouTube videos are saved, click nan Settings tab successful ClipGrab. Here, you tin specify a target folder, set metadata and notification settings, group up a proxy, and more. You don't person to tweak immoderate of these options, though -- by default, ClipGrab prompts you each clip you download, and it saves videos to your system's default Videos aliases Downloads folder.
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In your web browser, spell to nan YouTube video you want to download.
- Copy nan video's URL from nan reside bar. (You tin besides click nan Share fastener nether nan video.)
- Open ClipGrab and spell to nan Downloads tab.
- Click into nan input section and paste nan copied YouTube nexus (Ctrl+V connected Windows/Linux aliases Cmd+V connected Mac).
- ClipGrab will automatically fetch accusation astir nan video.
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Once nan video is recognized (you'll usually spot nan title look successful ClipGrab), you're fresh to proceed.
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Before downloading, usage nan Format drop-down to take nan record type for your saved video. You'll find it correct beneath nan section wherever you pasted nan YouTube link. I usually time off nan format group to Original, which keeps nan video's autochthonal record type, but you tin prime MP4, WMV, OGG, MP3 (audio only), aliases immoderate you prefer.
Next, usage nan Quality drop-down to prime a resolution. It's correct adjacent to Format and usually lets you take nan afloat original solution (such arsenic 1080p aliases moreover 4K, if available) aliases a little 1 for illustration 720p if you want to prevention space.
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When ready, successful ClipGrab's Downloads tab, click nan "Grab this clip!" button.
- ClipGrab will punctual you to take a record sanction and prevention location for nan video.
- Once you confirm, nan download will begin.
- You'll spot advancement successful nan Current Downloads section.
A emblematic YouTube video should download accelerated -- aliases astatine slightest successful a reasonable time, depending connected your net velocity and nan video length. It took maine little than 2 minutes to download an hour-long ZDNET livestream.
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Another free option
ClipGrab is my apical prime for easy, straightforward YouTube video downloading. I regularly usage it to drawback videos, including my ain uploads erstwhile I request a section copy. After much than a decade of use, I haven't tally into immoderate issues pinch it.
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But if you want an alternative, ZDNET's David Gewirtz uses nan WinX/MacX apps. Made by Digiarty Software (known for its DVD-ripping tools), WinX Video Converter (for Windows) and MacX Video Converter (for MacOS) are freemium video conversion programs.
How to usage WinX aliases MacX to download YouTube videos for free
What makes them absorbing present is that nan free proceedings includes an unlimited YouTube downloader you tin usage indefinitely -- if you don't mind dismissing nan occasional punctual to upgrade.
- Install nan software: Download nan proceedings of WinX Video Converter Deluxe (Windows) aliases MacX Video Converter Pro (Mac) from nan charismatic site. Once installed, motorboat nan app.
- Paste a YouTube link: In nan app's toolbar, click nan "YouTube URL" button. The app will move to a download screen, wherever you tin click a nexus icon astatine nan top, past paste your video's URL, and click Analyze. After a fewer seconds, you'll spot a database of disposable resolutions and formats (for example, 1080p MP4, 720p WebM), on pinch record sizes.
- Download nan video: Choose your preferred solution and format from nan list, past click OK aliases Download. The video will download quickly. Aside from YouTube, WinX/MacX supports hundreds of different sites -- Facebook, Vimeo, Dailymotion, and more.
If you determine to upgrade to nan paid version, you'll unlock a afloat suite of video devices to convert, compress, trim, crop, and moreover adhd subtitles. The paid options commencement astatine $19.95. But you don't request to salary thing if your main extremity is simply downloading videos.
The charismatic paid action
Let's talk astir Google's charismatic measurement to download YouTube videos: YouTube Premium. I've been a subscriber for years and emotion nan blissful absence of ads, picture-in-picture mode connected mobile, nan expertise to support a video playing successful nan inheritance while utilizing different apps, entree to YouTube Music Premium, and each nan different perks -- including downloading videos for offline viewing.
In nan US, an individual YouTube Premium scheme is $13.99 per month. There's besides a Family Plan for up to six users astatine $22.99 per month, and a Student Plan astatine $7.99 per month. It's not cheap, but for dense YouTube users, it tin beryllium worthy it.
How to usage YouTube Premium to download videos
Since this is an charismatic feature, it's wholly ineligible and sanctioned by YouTube.
- Log successful pinch your Premium account: Once you've subscribed to YouTube Premium, motion successful to YouTube connected your instrumentality (mobile app aliases web browser) pinch your account. Once logged in, look for a video you want to save.
- Tap Download: When you've recovered a video, click aliases pat nan Download button. On desktop, you will now spot a down arrow beneath videos, usually to nan correct of nan Share arrow icon. In nan mobile app, nan Download action appears successful nan video options paper (three-dot menu).
- Choose your quality: The first clip you download, YouTube will inquire what value you want to prevention by default (such arsenic 720p aliases 360p). Higher resolutions return much retention and mightiness not beryllium disposable for each videos. Once you confirm, nan video will statesman downloading. A advancement parameter mightiness look (on mobile, it's a loading circle).
- Find your downloaded videos: After nan download completes, you tin find nan video successful nan Downloads conception of YouTube. In nan mobile app, pat Library > Downloads. On desktop, click your floor plan image paper and spell to Downloads (or spell to youtube.com/feed/downloads while logged in). All videos you've downloaded for offline viewing will beryllium listed there.
You tin watch your downloaded videos without an net connection, but you'll request to spell online astatine slightest erstwhile each 30 days for YouTube to verify your Premium status. Otherwise, your downloads will expire. Your downloads are besides tied to YouTube. So, if you were hoping to get an MP4 record to edit aliases stock extracurricular of YouTube, you're retired of luck pinch this method.
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Basically, you're not fixed an easy measurement to move your YouTube downloads into usable video files connected a desktop aliases from iOS devices. However, if you're an Android personification pinch an SD paper slot, you tin alteration nan YouTube app's settings to prevention videos straight to your SD card. In nan YouTube app, pat your floor plan pic > Settings > Downloads, and you'll spot nan action to usage an SD card.
Are location Linux command-line options?
Yes. Linux users person a command-line option to download YouTube videos. As pinch each things Linux bid line, location are immoderate grey areas here, specified arsenic whether a fixed instrumentality still useful aliases if there's a amended 1 retired there.
The first action is youtube-dl. You tin get it from its official site, GitHub, aliases done your favourite package manager. But immoderate folks opportunity youtube-dl is aged chapeau and hasn't been updated successful a while. There's different open-source task connected GitHub called yt-dlp, a fork of youtube-dl pinch much features and much progressive maintenance. I haven't tested it myself, truthful usage it astatine your ain risk.
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Both youtube-dl and yt-dlp connection an incredibly wide scope of features if you request them. Personally, I'm sticking pinch ClipGrab -- I don't person clip to move YouTube downloading into a 3rd full-time job. But it's up to you.
What is nan safest measurement to download YouTube videos?
The absolute safest measurement is to usage YouTube Premium's offline download feature, since it's an official, afloat approved method provided by Google itself. When you download a video via YouTube Premium, you're abiding by YouTube's position of work arsenic good arsenic nan video's usage restrictions (the videos are DRM-protected and tied to your account).
YouTube will enforce immoderate location aliases copyright restrictions connected those downloads, truthful you won't beryllium capable to download videos that nan level doesn't let successful your country. And you won't tally into immoderate malware aliases sketchy package issues, because it's a built-in feature.
How tin I download backstage videos?
You tin only download backstage videos if you already person entree to them (or they're your ain -- YouTube Premium will fto you download your ain backstage videos). If you tin log successful and watch nan video successful your browser, you tin usually download it.
But if you can't position it astatine all, you won't beryllium capable to download it either.
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So, if you person login credentials for nan video and you're a Windows user, effort utilizing nan premium type of By Click Downloader. It lets you prevention backstage videos straight to your machine and typically costs betwixt $20 and $40, depending connected promotions.
Can you get successful problem for downloading YouTube videos?
Just because you tin download a YouTube video doesn't ever mean you should -- astatine slightest not without knowing nan implications. Different jurisdictions person different laws, and it whitethorn not beryllium ineligible to download a fixed video, moreover if each you want to do is watch it offline. Some countries besides restrict videos connected definite topics, truthful if you're successful a repressive region, beryllium other cautious.
You mightiness want to publication our VPN guide for tips connected downloading pinch a spot much privacy.
Also: Best VPNs for YouTube successful 2025: 5 providers for unblocking content
If you scheme to download a video to incorporated into thing you're producing, support successful mind that immoderate countries admit adjacent use, allowing mini portions of copyrighted worldly for commentary, criticism, aliases education. That said, YouTube uses automated systems to observe reused content, and your transmission could person a copyright onslaught for violations.
When successful doubt, it's ever champion to inquire for support first.
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