Learning how to get videos from YouTube can be helpful in different situations. For instance, when you are travelling and there is no good internet, you can download videos from your favorite creators beforehand to watch on a long train ride. Or, if you want to save your phone’s data, you can download some videos when you have the Wi-Fi.
Downloading videos from YouTube also means you will not have to deal with buffering by internet or it can be due to poor connection issues. Let’s start our discussion:
How to download videos from YouTube
Is it okay to download YouTube videos? According to the rules from Google, which owns YouTube, the answer is no:
If you really want to download YouTube videos in a responsible way, you need to pay $11.99 for YouTube Premium.
Breaking the rules on YouTube can lead to your account being closed, as mentioned here: “YouTube will stop a user’s access to the Service if, in the right situations, the user is found to be a repeat rule-breaker.”
You can download Content from YouTube if it is okay to do so. This includes videos in the public domain that are not under copyright, clips with a Creative Commons license, and homemade videos shared by family (who are cool with you downloading them) and friends.
How to download videos from YouTube
Getting YouTube videos can vary depending on your device, but there are some usual steps for doing it without joining the Premium service. The main steps are always:
- Sign up for a 1-month trial of YouTube Premium, or:
- Get a YouTube downloading app like Documents by Readdle, TubeMate, 4K Video Downloader, or VLC Media Player.
- Pick a YouTube video that you want to donwload and copy the web address (URL).
- Paste the URL into the app.
- Select where you want to save it and save your video file.
How to Get YouTube Videos on iPad and iPhone
Getting YouTube videos on your iPad and iPhone is difficult because Apple checks the apps in its store. If you do not want to jailbreak your phone, here is the best and easiest way.
- Get and open the documents using the Readdle app.
- Tap on the icon looking like a compass to open the browser and visit www.videosolo.com/online-video-downloader/.
- Put a video link of YouTube in the box and click on the Download option. After a bit, the video will decode and give you a list of different choices for format and quality.
- Tap Download on the one you like.
- Type in a name and choose where to save the video.
- Tap the Downloads section at the bottom to see your downloaded videos in the Documents app.
- To keep your downloaded videos on your iPad and iPhone, go back to the Documents app main screen and open the Downloads folder.
- Look for the video you are downloading and click the three dots icon beside it.
- Tap Share and then click on the Save Video option.
- Open the iOS Photos app, and there is your video.
How to download videos from YouTube on Mac
There are different programs and tools that let you download videos from YouTube on a Mac.
A good way is to use the tool called screen capture in macOS. It might not be super clear, but it works. Click Command + Shift + 5 to see the screen recording options. You can choose a window or record the whole screen and adjust the settings to include sound from your microphone.
How to Use It:
- Get and set up 4K Video Downloader, then open it.
- Pick a YouTube video that you want to download and copy the link.
- Press the Paste Link.
- Click Download after choosing the quality and format.
- Once your video is done downloading, tap the three-dot icon. Now you can play it, find it on your computer, and do other things.
How to download videos from YouTube on a PC
The best way to download videos from YouTube on a Windows PC is by using 4K Video Downloader. Just follow the simple steps we talked about earlier for downloading YouTube videos on a Mac.
However, there is another way to get YouTube videos on your PC: using the great free program VLC Media Player. Here is how to do it:
- Get and install the newest VLC Media Player version if you do not have it on your Windows PC.
- Copy the URL the YouTube video that you want to download.
- Open VLC app and click the Media menu. Choose Open Network Stream.
- Put the copied video link into the network URL box and click on the Play option. And you will see the video playing in VLC.
- Then, go to Tools > Codec Information and copy the URL from the Location box.
- Paste the URL into the address bar of the browser and click OK. The video will start playing in a new tab. And you get the downloaded video.
