Most people think (and believe) that they can’t download YouTube videos. In reality, you can. If you know the trick and you know several apps or programs out there, you can actually download the videos from YouTube quite easily and effortlessly. Depending on your needs, you can choose whatever program you want: the paid one, the free one, the online one, and so much more. But before we get into the matter, it would be best to understand the nature of YouTube – and knowing how to solve the download issue.
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YouTube and the Download Matter
You have to admit that YouTube is one of the earliest pioneers of video streaming services. Long before we have apps like Vimeo or even Netflix, YouTube had existed. But then again, the technology always grows and develops. As a result, more and more streaming services are available.
You may be confused when you can’t download YouTube videos. Well, at least not from YouTube itself and not without the third-party programs. Well, the video wants users to grow their own sense of loyalty. Basically, YouTube wants their users to always come back to the platform. Such a purpose won’t work if they have their own freedom in downloading (and getting) the videos they want and they aren’t back to the site, right?
It’s a good thing that there are several third-party developers who understand this issue. They finally develop their own programs to help users obtain YouTube videos through those programs. For them, they are giving benefits to everyone. YouTube doesn’t have to excessively be worried that users won’t come back, because they always will. The third-party programs are being used by users, and users can get the videos they want. See? Everyone wins, right?
Different Ways to Download YouTube Videos
You may be surprised to know that there are actually several ways to download YouTube videos than using a third-party program or tool. Some people have even come up with a special trick to download the videos straight from YouTube website. Wait, is it even possible with so many people saying that they can’t download YouTube videos? Again, there’s a trick, so you may want to learn how.
Use a Youtube Video Downloader
This is basically the simplest and also easiest way to download youtube videos. Just choose any download tool or program. Keep in mind that some of these programs may also act as converters. Let’s just say that you want to download a video and to save it in the same (video) format, then you can use the tool to do it. But if you want to save the video in another format (like mp3), then access the converter, change the format first, before you can save it. Feel free to choose any downloader as they are pretty plentiful out there.
The downloader tool is available in various forms. Some require downloading and installation, which means that you need to download it first, install it in your device, and then you can use it for downloading the videos. Some, however, doesn’t require any installation at all. These tools usually work online. But then again, there are some free tools (which you can access without paying anything) and there are some paid services.
The latter one may require you to pay, but they typically provide more features and they offer more benefits. Some tools may offer paid services although they may offer free trial period, so you have the idea of the features to enjoy. Simply pick the one that suits your preference. What if you can’t download YouTube videos? No need to worry; this system is a guaranteed success.
If you are thinking about choosing a downloader, you should consider these factors:
- Video quality. When you convert the video, you want to save one that has at least a decent video quality. choose a downloader that can offer you flexibility in choosing a video resolution, such as 720p, 1080p, or even higher (or lower).
- Batch download. Some people may not have any issue downloading individual files. But what if you want to have several videos altogether? Let’s say that you are trying to download all the songs from an album, wouldn’t individual download take forever? You may want to consider a downloader that can handle batch files.
- Speed. You really don’t want to spend extra long time to convert videos or download them. You want something fast, accommodative, and effective. Ideally, the download times shouldn’t be (seriously) affected by fluctuations in WiFi and internet connection.
- Compatibility to handle multiple file format. It’s possible that users may want to use different formats when dealing with the video converter. It would be nice if you can use a converter that can give you FLAC format or mp4 or mp3, depending on your needs.
- (Built-in) video converter. Most users need the ability to edit videos. Instead of having to use another tool to do it, wouldn’t it be great if you can access the already available editor? There are quite many downloader or converter tools out there; you just have to look for them.
- Subtitles. For some people, this factor isn’t too important. But if you deal with various different languages quite regularly, wouldn’t it be nice if you can have a downloader handling subtitles too?
How to Download YouTube Videos
- Basically, you need to open both YouTube and the downloader
- Copy the video link from YouTube (remember to copy the URL) and then paste it in the downloader. The downloader usually has this special slot or field for the URL. Once you have pasted it, and then you can download it.
- After you have pasted it, there are probably several dropdown menus related to the format and resolution. Tweak your option. For instance, you can save the video as an mp4 format with 720p resolution. Or you may want to save it as a FLAC format with 1080p resolution.
- Once you are done with the tweaking, click download
- Just wait and your file has been saved
Basically, you only need to follow the instructions or guide. It’s truly the easiest method possible. If you are worried that you can’t download YouTube videos, no need to. This method works well for everyone.
Perform Direct Download
As it was mentioned before, there is actually a trick where you can download the videos from YouTube directly. It’s pretty easy, really. All you have to do is to add ‘ss’ in the URL so you can download it directly. So, the steps are:
- Open YouTube. Go with the video you want to keep. Let it play.
- Click the URL and edit it. Add ‘ss’ after the ‘www’, but do it before the ‘youtube.com’
- Enter
- You will be re-directed to another site. It is a free download spot.
- Once you are there, you should be able to see many free options. You aren’t required to download (or install) anything.
- Tweak the resolution and format, and then download
- Your videos are ready. They are saved in your device! With this method, you won’t have to worry that you can’t download YouTube videos or whatsoever
Use Add-Ons Browser
Use this method when you don’t want to tweak the URL or tinker with it. Also use it when using a third-party downloader seems preposterous for you. Add-ons would be the best solution if you want an effective way to do it. What if you can’t download YouTube videos? It would be impossible, really, because the add-on would ensure your downloading success.
First, make sure that you choose a trusted add-on. There are actually many of them, available for Chrome or Firefox or other browsers (like Opera). For instance, the add-on for Opera would be YouTube Audio and Video Downloader. After you have made your choice, download and install it. Here’s an example method to do it (with the Opera YouTube Audio and Video Downloader):
- Open YouTube
- You should be able to see several options, like Conversion Tool, Download Panel, Quick Download, and Settings.
- Click ‘Quick Download’ and your videos are set and ready in a moment
- If you want to tweak the format, do it before you hit the button ‘Download’
Use Virtual Desktop
Some users say that using a VD (Virtual Desktop) would be another good option. As one of the easiest methods to obtain the videos, you don’t have to worry when you can’t download YouTube videos. You should try the steps:
- Access YouTube. Pick the video you are interested in downloading. Let it play
- On the URL, add ‘vd’. The process is almost the same to the direct method of adding ‘ss’ to the URL
- You will be taken to the VDYouTube site. Head down to tweak the format and quality.
- Click Download. Your videos would be ready within seconds.
Use VLC Player
Many people say that using this player would make it safe and secure for your downloading moment. You don’t have to worry about dealing with the issue ‘what if I can’t download YouTube videos’ either because this system has high success rate. If you don’t have one, you can always download it first.
So, how do you download your favorite YouTube videos, then?
- Open YouTube. Choose the video you want to keep and copy the URL
- Open VLC.
- Go to the option ‘Media’ and then click it. You will see the option ‘Open Network Stream’ (provided that you are using Windows). In the event you use Mac, the option would be ‘File’ and then ‘Open Network’
- Once you open the Media, you will see a page (having a text editor). You want to paste the already copied URL there
- Then click the option ‘Play’. The video should start playing
- During the play, click ‘Tools’ (located on the top right side corner). There is an option ‘Codec Information’. Another way to access the ‘Codec Information’ option is to press CTRL+J
- When you click ‘Codec Information’, a new pop-up window will start
- This is the stage where you need to copy the video’s info (taken from the text box location on the page’s bottom area).
- Paste the URL on your browser and then enter
- You should see the video playing on the browser. This time, perform a right-click on the video and then choose ‘Save Video as’
- Once you have done it, the video should start downloading. Be advised, though, that the title would be listed as ‘videoplayback’ by default and it would be coming as an mp4 format.
- Don’t be discouraged with the lengthy process. Once you have tried it, it isn’t as difficult as it seems.
Best Sites To Download YouTube Videos
There are lots of sites where you can download YouTube videos for free. However, not all of these sites are genuine, and most of them are poorly maintained with slow servers. I’ve put together this list of the best websites where you can download the entire YouTube videos with ease.
Savefrom
Do you like to download YouTube videos? Did you know you can save YouTube videos to watch offline right in the browser, without any extra software? And did you know that SaveFrom.net has an option to download YouTube videos? Here’s how you can easily do it.
SaveFrom offers the fastest way to convert youtube videos into mp3, download HD video in 720p, HD video in 1080p, HD video in 4k. Free youtube converter. It’s the most convenient YouTube downloader you’ve ever tried!
y2mate.com
Have you ever wanted to download videos from Youtube? Great, well there are lots of ways you can do this. First of all, let me state that I use Y2mate which is a great service. Y2mate allows you to convert & download videos from YouTube, Facebook Video, Dailymotion Video, Youku Video, Vimeo Video, Break Video to Mp3.
Y2mate is a free, smart, and easy-to-use software tool that allows you to download mp3 from YouTube with the highest quality. Moreover, it provides you with fascinating features, such as batch conversion, automatic split, YouTube video quality selection.
yt1s.com
YT1s is a tool that allows you to download videos from YouTube as MP4 or 4K. Just paste the URL of the YouTube video and click on the Download button! YT1s does all the job for you and it’s very easy to use.
YT1s is a multipurpose tool that allows you to download videos from YouTube. This online video downloader lets you easily download any video from YouTube as MP4 file, 3GPP, MP3 or M4V format. You can also convert a YouTube video into a GIF animation with one simple click. All the files downloaded with YT1s are DRM-free and without any limitation on how they can be used.
9convert
Have you ever wished that you could download YouTube videos? You’re not the only one. Millions of people search for a way to download videos from YouTube every year. The reason: they want to watch those videos offline or transfer those videos to their mobile devices. Although YouTube now lets you download videos for free, it’s still a cumbersome process that can take hours to download a single video.
9convert is a professional YouTube video downloader, which help you to download your favorite YouTube videos in HD 720P or 1080P. You can easily watch the downloaded YouTube videos with the built-in player.
keepvid
KeepVid is one of the best video downloaders in the market. It includes all the features you need for downloading videos from YouTube, Facebook, Vimeo and many more sites. With KeepVid you can download any kind of videos onto your computer or convert them easily to any format you want. The formats supported by this app are MP4, MOV, 3GP, AVI, FLV, etc.
If you are looking for a capable online video downloader, Keepvid is the best choice. This online web service allows users to download videos, music and many more things from various video hosting sites.
videoder
If you want to download or save a video from youtube, and you want to play the video offline without internet access. Videoder is best tool for this. It can download any kind of videos from Youtube, Facebook, Instagram and other socials networks.
Videoder is the best video downloader and converter.This is a great youtube converter and you can also download mp3 songs, movies and videos from other sites like Youtube, Dailymotion, Vimeo, Facebook and more.
Videoder is best tool to download videos from Youtube. Also this is best Youtube music video downloader. Videoder allows you to download videos in high definition (HD). You can download high quality mp3 songs, Playlist of any video with Ads free experience.
Snappea
Snappea.com is wonderful site with tons of features which is very helpful for downloading music, videos, and audios online. It’s super easy to use and free tool which allows you to download YouTube videos, Facebook videos , Snapchat Video without any cost. Just open the page, paste the link of the video you want to download and then select MP3 or MP4 format according to your need. That is all you need to do, just sit back and wait for the magic to happen.
4KDownload
Downloading YouTube videos is now made easy with 4Kdownload. It allows users to download YouTube videos in just only 3 steps. Users can use its built-in video & audio converter to convert downloaded mp4, webm, etc. into different devices/formats they want.
4KDownload is a FREE desktop application that allows you to save 4K and HD videos from popular video sites. It’s very easy to use, just press one button and it does everything for you. Just download the video with one click. The program automatically saves downloaded video in correct format and quality, with or without ads! Currently, the websites supported are videos and music from YouTube, Vimeo, TikTok, SoundCloud, Bilibili Flickr , Facebook, Instagram, DailyMotion , Naver TV and much more.
FAQs: How to Download YouTube Videos
Is it okay for me to download YouTube videos?
Well, based on YouTube’s Terms of Service, downloading the videos without permission is considered illegal. It is considered committing copyright infringement. However, despite the site’s claim that such an action is illegal, YouTube doesn’t have any desire to penalize users who download the videos. Moreover, if users keep the videos only for personal usage, it would be considered okay and legal.
If YouTube considers the action to be illegal, then why there are still many tools to download the videos?
Well, it isn’t an easy matter, really. You can’t ban every program or tool appearing online. The development of such third-party apps continuously happens, and it would be impossible to stop it. It depends on personal ethical concern up to this point, really.
Which method would be the best?
It depends on your personal preference, really. Everyone has their own preferences and like, so it would be hard to suggest the best site. You can only try one at a time to see which one works best for you.
Conclusion
As you can see, there are so many different options when it comes to downloading the videos. Some methods may be quite short and straightforward, while some may be lengthy. Don’t be discouraged. Go with the ones that you are comfortable with. With so many different options and alternatives, you shouldn’t worry about anything when you can’t download YouTube videos.
