YouTube is the largest on-demand video platform on earth.

In fact, over 30 million visitors watch 5 billion videos every single day on YouTube.

If you would like to save videos to watch later, you need to learn how to download YouTube videos efficiently. You may download YouTube videos into formats like MP4, AVI, MPEG, and more. Or if you only need music, you can convert YouTube videos into MP3 files.

With all these ways to download and get videos on demand, I created this resource with the most recent ways to download YouTube videos this year.

Let’s begin.

Disclaimer: Please note, I may get affiliate reimbursement for some of the links below at no cost to you. However, these are the best tools I have tested for downloading and converting YouTube videos to MP3 files. You can read my affiliate disclosure in my privacy policy.

Is Downloading YouTube Videos Legal?

YouTube has a fairly straightforward Terms of Service that delineates what a viewer can or can not do on the platform.

Downloading videos without prior permission, selling them, and committing copyright infringement are violations of their terms of service.

While downloading YouTube videos is a criminal action, YouTube has made no desire to penalize users for downloading movies. Certain royalty-free videos on YouTube with the right licenses are legal to download. Additionally, if you are just using the video for personal use, it can be considered legal.

YouTube says,”You will not copy, reproduce, distribute, transmit, broadcast, display, sell, license, or otherwise exploit any Content for any other purposes without the prior written approval of YouTube or the respective licensors of the Content.”

In other words, you can watch Youtube videos, but only from Google applications.

Nevertheless, third-party programs will continue to sprout up online and let people download YouTube Videos. It’s difficult to enforce or ban users for exploiting them you can still watch YouTube videos when you are not signed in.

Ultimately, it is up to you to decide if downloading videos from YouTube for personal use is something you should be doing.

Downloading videos from YouTube is a simple and straightforward procedure.

The first way to download YouTube videos is to use a video converter.

Download YouTube Videos With a Video Downloading Tool.
Working with a YouTube downloader is the fastest way to download YouTube videos. Let’s look at it step by step:

Choose a Downloading Tool/Converter.
First, select the best possible YouTube downloading tool.

In my view, the best tool on the market is 4K Download.

4K Video Downloader
4K Download works with Windows, Mac, and Linux and offers great features like batch downloading, saving playlists, and downloads in 720p, 1080p, and 4k. You may also extract YouTube subtitles and save them in more than 50 languages.

Give 4K Download a try and find a 14-day money-back guarantee.

There are various other programs out there and while there are some good free tools, the paid versions provide way higher quality.

Characteristics to Look for in A YouTube Downloading Tool.
Quality of The Video — The transformed file should have standard video quality for excellent viewing. Ideally, you should be able to control the quality of the video. It may range between low, moderate, or high. It’s even better if you can choose specific video resolution like 360p, 720p, 1080p, and more.
Subtitles — We all like videos that are in different languages. In such situations, the use of subtitles is vital while playing with it on YouTube or YouTube Premium. Logically, you will prefer to download those particular videos together with the subtitles.
Batch Downloading — You can download the files individually or in bulk based on playlists from YouTube channels.
If you like a particular band, you may want to download their entire discography. And if you like a film director, you might want to download their entire filmography.
Multiple Document Format Compatibility — You might want to download and save videos in multiple formats in your file manager. Having various options to choose from, such as MP3, MP4, FLAC, or AAC, allows you to be more elastic.
Built-In Video Editor — You may want to view a particular song in the middle of a video. Or you may choose to edit out a specific portion of a film. Video editing needs can arise at any point in time, making it an important feature in a YouTube video downloading tool. You can try any Video Converter (AVC) that comes with a built-in editor.
Speed — The application should be able to download and convert videos fast. The download times ideally should not be highly affected by fluctuations in internet and wi-fi connectivity.
Copy The Video Address Bar URL From YouTube.

Suppose you are using an online video downloading tool. In this case, you will need to head to YouTube and open the video you want to download.

You can simply copy and paste the link URL displayed in the box.

It is possible to open the application in a new tab on the exact same window. When it opens, it will show a text box for you to input the URL.

Here is a screenshot from y2mate where you are able to download the video. You simply must paste the URL in the text box above and click on the’Start’ option.

Glue URL y2mate
in the event you’re using a downloadable tool, you need to download and install it on your computer . Once you run it, it is going to supply you with the same choices to copy and paste the URL for conversion.

Be cautious about unnecessary software you might need to download also. Avoid those whenever possible. Some good alternatives are Keepvid, which can help you download video files with Apple MacOS, iPad, iPhone, and Android devices.

You may also have to check into alternative YouTube programs that work from the Google Play Store or with different smartphones. And if you are downloading from Vimeo to watch videos offline, you will find a host of different options to choose from.

As soon as you glue the YouTube video URL into the search box, you’ll get a host of choices. As an example, y2mate lets you choose the video format you want to download, video quality, and the file size.

 

If you’re looking for batch downloads, you can also specify a folder in your computer to save all the videos that are downloaded. You may face some confusion if you are using a VPN because tools usually highlight on your IP address within the movie URL you input. So if you’re a VPN user, you might want to change the place for appropriate downloads.

When the video gets downloaded, you can play it whenever and wherever you need.

How Do You Download YouTube Videos Directly?
You don’t always have to use a YouTube video downloading tool. It’s pretty simple to download YouTube videos straight from YouTube.

Here are the steps:

Open YouTube on your browser and head into the video you want to download.

Add’ss’ From The URL.

Simply, enter ‘ss’ after ‘www.’

After you have entered it, simply press the’Enter’ button on your keyboard.

3.
Proceed to the Download Website

Once redirected, there are plenty of free services to use that you don’t have to download or install. As soon as you press the’Enter’ button, you get redirected to its site.

You’ll see that the text editor currently has the video URL, so you don’t have to copy and paste any connection. Your video is also prepared to get downloaded — all you will need to do is click on the’Download’ button.

 

You also get to choose the format and the quality of the video. Finally, click on the”download” option, and you will have your video in a few seconds.

How Do You Download YouTube Videos with Browser Add-Ons?
You may not want to tinker around with the YouTube video URL. And some of you may not want to use any third-party tool to download the videos.

In this case, using add-ons in your browser is simply the solution you need.

Choose An Add-on.
There is an add-on for practically everything you could desire.

The fantastic thing is that there are a variety of choices available to download YouTube videos.

Some of them are best suited to Firefox and Chrome, while others are standalone tools.

Here is an example of a similar add-on known as’YouTube Video and Audio Downloader’ for Opera.

Opera Add-Ons YouTube Downloader
2.

The approach is simple in Opera. And it’s more or less the exact same for other browsers too.

 

 

In Opera, you can simply go ahead and click on the’Add to Opera’ option displayed in green colour. Moreover, be certain you download the right add-on concerning the browser you’re using. They won’t work otherwise.

Once the add-on gets downloaded, install it. If the add-in does not work after installation, then restart your computer.

3.

Next, head into the YouTube video you want to download. Once you’re there, you will see an icon on the top right-hand side (for Opera users).

When you install this add-in, you get some options:

Fast download
Download panel
Conversion tool
Settings
Next, click on the”quick download” option, and you’ll have the video installed in your system.

You will not get the direct download option from YouTube regardless of what browser you use if you don’t use an add-on.

Pick Your File Format.
Most add-ons provide you with many different choices to save the movie. Choices range between multiple formats, as well as various video qualities. Ordinarily, a pop-up pops during the download option, asking for your tastes.

How Do You Download YouTube Videos using a Virtual Desktop?
Working with a Virtual Desktop (VD) is another simple way to download YouTube videos.

Here’s how you can do it.

 

1.

First, take a look at the YouTube platform and type the name of the video you need to see and download. As soon as you do this and press the’Enter’ button, then the video starts playing.

Now the practice is very similar to when you directly download videos by adding’ss’ to the URL. In cases like this, you need to edit the movie address and add the words’vd’ before’youtube’ and after’www.’ .

Check this out:

After the edit, press the ‘Enter’ button.
Next, you get redirected to the Django site for the video you wish to download.

VDYouTube
3.

On the VDYouTube site, scroll down to Pick the quality and the format of the YouTube video. Based on your needs, you can go ahead.

4.

As soon as you click on the”download” option, it is only a matter of seconds before it gets installed in your computer system.

How Do You Download YouTube Videos with a VLC Player? VLC Media player is protected and makes it easier for you to download YouTube videos.

 

 

Here’s how:

Head To YouTube Video & Copy The URL.

Head to YouTube and open the video you want to download. Then copy the URL of this movie.

Ideally, you should not wait for this measure to start the VLC media player. You need to keep it open on the taskbar to your advantage.

3.
New Network Stream.

When you start the VLC media player, head over to the’Media’ option, and click on it.

Needless to say, this is the case when you are using a Windows OS.

When you are using Mac, the flow is FILE > OPEN NETWORK.

4.
Open Media.

In this stage, you will see a page with a text editor, no matter what OS you are using. Here, paste the copied URL of the YouTube video you want to download.

5.
Hit The ‘Play’ Option.

6.
Codec Information.

Next, click on the ‘Tools’ option on the top right-hand corner.
There, you will find an option called’codec information.’ You can also reach the’codec information’ option by using the’CTRL + J’ command.

7.
Location.

The window looks something like this:

You want to copy the information of the video in the location text box at the bottom of the page. This step is pretty simple for Windows users.

But if you are a Mac user, you want to right-click on the field and click on the’Open URL’ option.

8.

If you are on a Windows system, you copied the URL. Paste it onto your web browser and click’Enter.’ The measure is redundant for Mac users.

9.
Save the Video.

At this point, the video should be playing on your browser online. Right-click on the movie and choose the’Save video as’ option.

Download The Video.

The movie will now start downloading. The default format is MP4, and the default title would be’videoplayback.’ When it gets downloaded, save it with your other movies.

Although the process may seem lengthy right now, it’s pretty easy when you do it yourself.

Executive Summary.
In my opinion, go with 4K Download — it is the ideal tool for video quality and MP3 conversions.

This tool lets you access your favorite YouTube videos anytime, even without an Internet connection. Downloading videos and saving them onto your computer or telephone helps you never lose out on the videos you prefer.

Do you download YouTube videos? Which tool do you use? Let me know in the comments below.

Downloading YouTube videos offline without using an unofficial channel takes more money out of Google’s pockets and smaller movie founders. There is a good reason YouTube runs ads on their site: people actually make a full living doing this. But, of course, you also have your own reasons.

If you truly need to download a YouTube video without the hassles of using an illicit server or paying for a toll, then you want to use a special program for this purpose. The proper one will make it very easy to download any movie you need from YouTube. And on top of that it will do it quickly. In less than a few minutes, the job will be done. Downloading videos from the internet is getting more difficult nowadays, which is why the right software is so vital.

There are numerous programs out there that offer to download YouTube videos from any computer you choose. Most include free trials, but the actual paid ones usually offer a money back guarantee in the event you’re not satisfied with the service. You will want to look at the various services available, such as some of the better known names in the downloading field, such as Winx Media Player, Ultra Handy Mariner and the always reliable download manager, WinVera. All these programs offer something different, which is where you need to separate the wheat from the chaff.

The best downloads will offer not only one single service for downloading movies to your computer, but a bunch of them. This means you can save time by downloading multiple videos, rather than having to figure out which one you wanted to watch, by going to each site individually. There should also be tools available to help you organize your files. Tools like SavesDL allow you to organize your videos in folders, while other services, such as Zumob, allow you to do similar with music and pictures. Even if you don’t have a great deal of space, you may use the best downloader by setting up a playlist of stations that you wish to view and sorting through the list to locate what you want to download.

Finding the best downloader tool for downloading videos from YouTube is just half the battle, since you also need a great program for burning these videos to DVD. Most of the popular services offer this but not all of them, which is why you’ll want to be cautious. The superior free movie download tools have the capability to create a perfect video for burning to DVD with the best picture and audio quality, in addition to being simple to use. So look for a website that offers everything it claims, including features like video editing, so you won’t need to spend hours learning how to create a DVD video from scratch.

If you need a simple way to burn the videos onto a DVD, consider using a program named Videoproc. Videoproc is built-in in Windows, which makes it a cinch to convert your YouTube videos into the right DVD format. In actuality, many folks prefer using Videoproc instead of other complimentary DVD burning programs simply because it’s built-in, easy to use, and a great video conversion tool. Additionally it is very fast when beginning the process, as a result of built-in video transcoding abilities.

If you’re looking for a better choice for burning your movies, then check out Fimca, which is built on flash and is the fastest and most innovative video conversion program on the web today. Fimca is also a great tool for downloading videos from YouTube, but not so much for burning. If you will need the flexibility of a web browser and also the advantages of an FTP client, then Fimca should be your best choice. You also won’t have to be concerned about compatibility issues as it’s designed to operate on every computer and web browser, no matter its platform.

If you’re still having difficulty figuring out how to convert your videos into a good format for burning, then research downloading the software from the links below. Downloading the software allows you to quickly convert your videos into a high excellent ripper that’s compatible with the vast majority of common video players. Once you’ve downloaded the software, you can get started immediately. It has a simple interface, but once you get started it provides a number of helpful features including an embedding option, an interface to customize your video players, in addition to a gallery that allow you to view your videos at a timeline. Using the Download YouTube Videos Tool With Fimca will save you time, effort, and money, so you can start downloading videos from YouTube instantly!