How To Download YouTube Videos on Any Device (7 Fast & Safe Ways)

YouTube is the second largest search engine on the internet used by a huge audience.

However, the official YouTube app doesn’t allow you to play music in the background while working on something else nor you can download MP3 for offline use for free.

But, YouTube offers two apps to download its content. YouTube Go is the first one. It is available in countries where data or the internet is too expensive for YouTube content streaming.

The second one is YouTube Premium which lets users download YouTube content. It also allows users to watch ad-free content and play music in the background while working on other tabs.

But the problem with YouTube Premium is its unfair, expensive pricing.

There are several other ways to download YouTube videos at low cost or free.

In this post, I will show you step-by-step how to download YouTube videos using unofficial methods.

How to Download YouTube Videos (Step By Step)

Aside from YouTube Premium and YouTube Go, the following are the unofficial and risk-free methods to download YouTube content on any of your devices.

Note: Downloading YouTube videos by these unofficial methods is easy on Android, iOS, and Windows devices. For the iPhone, it will be tricky and complicated, but possible.

1. How to Download YouTube Videos Using YouTube Premium

The steps to download YouTube videos using YouTube Premium are the same for all devices, including iPhone, Android, Windows, and Mac.

Subscribe to YouTube Premium

First, you need to get access to YouTube Premium. If you are a new user, you can try it free for 30 days.

Once you activate the free trial, you can also deactivate it if you want, change your PayPal address, or add a backup payment method.

Search the Video you want to Download

Now search for the video you want to download.

Tap 3 Dots & Click on Download Option

Now click on the ‘3-dots’ mentioned on the right side. Once you click on it, a menu with several options will come up.

Tap the download option here.

Select Video Quality

Once you select the download option, a new window of video quality options will come up.

Select the quality of the video.

Here, full HD is the best quality for videos, but it needs the highest number of MBs (51.6 MB) to download.

After selecting the desired option, proceed with the ‘OK’ button, and your video will start downloading.

Check Your Downloads

After complete download, you can access the downloaded videos in the library option. Here you can play all downloaded videos without the internet.

2. How to Download YouTube Videos Using 4K Video Downloader

4K Video Downloader is a great YouTube video downloader software. You can use it to download YouTube content on any of your devices.

Moreover, you can add subtitles to your videos with a click.

Download and Install Software

First, you need to install the 4K Video Downloader. You can download it from the official site or use the button below.

Download 4K Video Downloader

Once downloaded, click and run the setup.

Copy & Paste the YouTube Video Link

Now open the YouTube app and copy the link to the video you want to download.

Start the 4K Video Downloader and click on the “Paste Link” option.

The processing will start now.

Download Video

Once the video is ready to download, you will have options to select its quality, format, and the folder you want it to keep in. Select your desired options and click on the ‘Download’ button.

Your video will start downloading.

3. How to Download YouTube Videos Without Any Software

If you want to download YouTube videos without using a tool or downloading any YouTube video Downloader, here is the best method.

You need to add ‘ss’ at the beginning of the video link. Once you hit the enter button, you will be directed to savefrom.net, the partner website of ssyoutube.com.

With this method, you can download videos on your devices, including Android, iOS, macOS, or windows.

Moreover, you can download it in any format you want, including mp4, mp3, FLV, and MPEG depending on your choice.

Here is how you can download videos.

1. Search the Video

Head over to YouTube.com and search for the video you want to download.

2. Add ‘SS’ in the URL

Click on the video link in the search bar and add ‘ss’ at the start.

Now, you will be directed to ‘savefrom.net.’

3. Select the Video Options and Start Download

On this page, you can download videos with just one click.

Though the video format will be suggested automatically, you can click on the drop-down option next to the download button if you want to select the format.

Once you are done with the video quality and format selection, click on the download button.

4. How to Download YouTube Videos With VLC Media Player

VLC is the most popular and widely used open-source multimedia player. It comes with options you can use to download videos for offline use.

Here are the steps to download YouTube videos using VLC Media Player.

Copy the Video Link

First, copy the URL or link for the video you want to download.

Get the Offline Video Link

Start the VLC Media Player and click on the ‘Media’ option.

Select the ‘Open Network Stream’ option.

Paste the video link you want to download and hit the play button on the next screen.

While playing the video, click on the ‘Tools’ option and select the ‘Codec Information.’

On the next screen, copy the link mentioned in the “Location” option and play it in a new tab.

Download & Save Video

Now, right-click on the screen where you are playing the video, click on the ‘save video as’ option, and save it in a folder.

That’s all. Now you can watch videos while offline.

5. How to Download YouTube Videos With A Browser Extension

Browser extensions are the best and easiest to download YouTube videos.

Extensions let you download videos directly from the YouTube website. You can decide the video quality format and download it to your device within a click.

Here is how you can download YouTube content using the YouTube ByClick Downloader extension.

Step-1: Go to YouTube and play the video you want to download.

Step-2: Once you hit the play button, a pop-up will appear on the bottom left corner of the screen.

Click on the download button, and the video will be downloaded to your device.

6. How to Download YouTube Videos With A Virtual Desktop

Another method to download YouTube videos for free is using a Virtual Desktop. Here is how you can download with this method.

Step-1: First, play the video you want to download.

Step-2: While playing the video, click on the address bar and add ‘vd’ right before the ‘youtube.com’ and hit the enter or search button.

You will be redirected to a different website.

Step-3: Now, choose the format and quality option from several available options.

Once you are done with the quality and format type selection, hit the download button. Video will start preparing to download.

7. How to Download YouTube Videos Using Screen Recorder

Another safe way to save YouTube videos for offline use is recording your screen. Since it is as simple as recording, you can also save private videos.

However, unlike other methods, it takes time.

You can use any screen recorder. Some of the best options are

• Bandicam Screen Recorder
• iTop Screen Recorder
• Screencast-O-Matic Screen Recorder
• Screenrec.com Screen Recorder
• Scre.io Screen Recorder

Although all options are free and easy to use, I use Scre.io because it is most straightforward, handy, and comes with a clean interface.

With these screen recorders, here is how you can download your favorite YouTube content.

Step-1: Play the video you want to save.

Step-2: While playing the video, start screen recording.

Once you select the ‘only screen’ option, you will be asked several options. Select ‘system’ if you are playing video on your PC without a microphone.

Proceed with ‘Start Recording” and select the screen. At this point, you can use the ‘Full screen’ option of YouTube.

Step-3: Once you are done with the recording, you can save it on your device.

Best Browser Extensions To Download YouTube Videos

Aside from the methods mentioned above, some chrome browser extensions will also let you download YouTube videos directly from the app for offline viewing.

Most of these extensions are completely free to use and come with several pricing plans to choose from.

Some of the best options to consider are:

1. YouTube ByClick Downloader
2. Leawo Video Downloader
3. Video Downloader Plus
4. Video Downloader Pro

Best Apps For Downloading YouTube Videos

For PC

If you are looking for apps to help you download YouTube videos on your Windows PC, here are some picks you should try.

• 4k Video Downloader
• YTD Downloader
• WonderShare UniConverter
• aTube Catcher
• Freemake

Some of these apps come with additional options. For example, you can download only the audio format, complete YouTube channels, or all the videos in a YouTube playlist.

You can pick any of the options above-mentioned and install them on your PC. Once installed, here is how you can download videos.

Step-1: Copy the video link from the YouTube website.

Step-2: Open the aTube Catcher or the video downloading app you are using on your PC. Paste the link in the downloading field. Then hit the download button.

Now, select the video format, and the video will start downloading.

Once the video is completely downloaded, you can save it on your PC.

For MAC

When downloading videos on your macOS device, you need an app to assist you.

Here are some of the best apps to download YouTube videos on your macOS device.

• iTubeGo
• Mp3Studio
• SnapDownloader
• MacX YouTube Downloader
• Any Video Converter

All you need to do is download a suitable app and follow the steps mentioned below.

Step-1: Download the app, and run & install the setup.

Step-2: Once done with the installation, start the app.

Step-3: Head over to YouTube and search for the video you want to download.

Step-4: Copy the video URL mentioned in the search bar of Google.

Step-5: Paste it in the search bar of the video downloader app. I’m using SnapDownloader. It is the best pick for macOS devices.

Step-6: Once it is ready to download, you can choose the video quality format and add subtitles if you want to.

After that, hit the download button and enjoy your video offline.

For iOS

For iOS device users, downloading YouTube videos is easy, simple, quick. You can download any video downloading the app and save your favorite video content in clicks.

• iDownloader
• Video Saver Pro+
• Videoder

For Android

If you are an Android phone user, you can download the best video downloading apps from Google Play Store to save videos on your device. Here are some of the best options you can consider using.

• NewPipe
• arkTube
• Dentex
• Snaptube
• InsTube

Best YouTube Video Downloader Tools (Free & Paid)

Online YouTube video downloaders are the best options to download videos on any of your devices. These tools are easy to access, user-friendly, and quickly download high-quality videos.

Here are some of the best picks to download YouTube content using online tools.

YT5s.com

YT5s is one of the best free YouTube video downloaders. It comes with a clean interface that can be accessed on any device.

It supports several video formats, including MP3, MP4, 3GP, and FLV, with a downloading speed of 1GB/s.

You need to paste the video link, and it will be ready to download in a few seconds.

Converto.io

Converto.io is another free video downloader you can use on any device. The interface is simple but the ads might frustrate you sometimes.

Y2mate

Y2mate is one of the fastest yet free video downloaders. You can download a video by searching its name or pasting the link in the search bar. Moreover, there is no limit to free downloads.

Ytop1

Ytop1 is the best free YouTube video downloader. It comes with the neatest ad-free interface and supports downloads from Five Hundred Plus sites.

YT1s.com

If you are looking for a fast, secure, and ad-free video downloader for free, YT1s.com is the best pick. In addition to a clean interface, video quality, and format options, you can download as many videos as you want without any daily limits.

Is Downloading YouTube Videos Legal In 2023?

The legal and official way of downloading videos is by using YouTub partner apps, YouTubeGo and YouTube Premium.

However, downloading from other unofficial methods like online tools, software, and extension isn’t authorized by YouTube.

Although unofficial methods are easy, cost-effective, and sometimes free, and come with handy and quality options. But they are not considered legal.

YouTube once sued an online video downloading platform, but nothing came out. No one was penalized or paid the penalty.

So, considering this, the use of the tools, software, and extensions mentioned above is doable. However, you need to be careful about copyright infringement. This means you shouldn’t use copyright-protected videos in any of your content without giving credit.

There is barely any tool in the options mentioned above that allows you to download copyright-protected videos.

FAQs

Safe YouTube Video Downloading Options

Here’s the quick summary of you can download videos from YouTube:

1. Download YouTube Videos Using YouTube Premium

2. Download YouTube Videos Using 4K Video Downloader

3. Download YouTube Videos Without Any Software

4. Download YouTube Videos With VLC Media Player

5. Download YouTube Videos With a Browser Extension

6. Download YouTube Videos With a Virtual Desktop

7. Download YouTube Videos Using Screen Recorder

There are several options to download YouTube videos on any device, including extensions, apps, tools, and software.

I recommend using the 4K Video Downloader and Wondershare UniConverter for PC. They are cost-effective and come with additional features to give you complete control.

For macOS devices, I suggest using iTubeGo and SnapDownloader. They have a friendly, clean interface, fast downloading speed, and are free to use.

If you are an iOS or Android user, iTubeMate and SnapTube could be the best options for you.

All these options are safe, tested, and help you access your favorite videos when you do not have internet access.

However, make sure not to violate the copyright-infringement rule.