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You can download YouTube videos to watch offline later using the YouTube Premium Downloads tool. This is the only official way to download YouTube videos, and it stores them within the app itself and not on your device.
However, there are other ways to download YouTube videos. But you’ll need to make sure you follow all of the legal guidelines, or you can land yourself in some trouble or infect your device with a virus.
Key Takeaways
- YouTube Premium is the safest and official way to download videos, but it only allows offline viewing within the app.
- Third-party apps and software offer more flexibility but come with security risks like malware and potential legal issues.
- Online video downloaders are convenient but often risky due to unreliable performance and possible security threats.
- Downloading YouTube videos without permission can violate YouTube’s terms and copyright laws.
- Always choose trusted tools and methods to avoid legal and security problems.
- Show Full Guide
What You Should Know Before Downloading YouTube Videos
Downloading YouTube videos comes with legal and security risks that you should be aware of. First off, grabbing videos without permission can break copyright laws, especially if the video isn’t meant for public use.
Even when it’s allowed, those downloads are usually just for personal use – sharing or using them for profit could land you in legal trouble. Fair use might cover things like educational purposes or commentary, but that’s a tricky area and not always guaranteed.
On top of that, using third-party software to download videos can be risky, with the general dangers of third-party sites. You might end up with malware or viruses on your device, and some apps might collect your data without you even knowing it. These tools aren’t always reliable either – sometimes the quality isn’t great, or they just stop working when YouTube updates its systems.
YouTube’s rules clearly say you can’t download videos unless you’re using YouTube Premium. If you break these rules, you risk getting your account suspended or banned altogether. Plus, using unofficial methods leaves you open to copyright issues if someone decides to take action.
So, to make this more easily digestible:
- Downloading videos without permission can violate copyright laws
- Most downloads are for personal use only. Sharing or profiting from them can lead to legal trouble
- Fair use (e.g., education or commentary) is a gray area and is not always guaranteed
- Third-party software can expose your device to malware or collect data without consent
- These tools can be unreliable, have poor quality, or cause issues after YouTube updates
- YouTube only allows downloads through YouTube Premium. Using other methods can lead to account suspension or copyright claims
How to Download YouTube Videos
The most straightforward option is YouTube Premium, which allows you to download videos directly from the YouTube app for offline viewing. These videos stay in the app and can’t be saved to your device’s storage. We’ll cover that a bit more later, though.
If you don’t have YouTube Premium and you’re following the legal and ethical guidelines mentioned earlier, here’s what you need to do.
How to Download YouTube Videos on iOS or Android
If you’re using an iOS mobile device, your best option is the Shortcuts app. With the right shortcut, you can download videos to your device, but it can be a bit finicky and doesn’t always work smoothly.
On Android, you’ve got apps like TubeMate and VidMate. These let you save YouTube videos directly to your device in different formats and quality levels. However, since these apps aren’t on the Google Play Store, you’ll need to download them from other websites, which can come with security risks like malware.
These methods work, but be careful, especially when using third-party apps, as they might not always be safe or legal.
How to Download YouTube Videos on Windows PC or Mac
Whether you’re on Mac or PC, there are a few solid options for downloading YouTube videos.
Both platforms have plenty of reliable tools, so just make sure you’re using trusted software to avoid any security issues.
YouTube Premium (not to be confused with YouTube Studio) is the only official way to download YouTube videos. It allows you to download videos for offline viewing directly in the app.
Here’s how you can do it:
- Open the YouTube app and find the video you want to download.
- Tap or click Download below the video.
- Choose the quality (low, medium, or high).
How to Download YouTube Videos Using Online Video Downloaders
Online video downloaders let you grab YouTube videos by pasting the link and picking the format you want.
Popular sites like Y2Mate and SaveFrom are simple to use, but they come with some risks. You’ll often see ads that can lead to sketchy downloads or malware, so you need to be careful.
While these sites are convenient, they’re not always reliable, and using them can expose your device to security issues.
How to Download YouTube Videos Using Browser Extensions
Browser extensions make it easy to download YouTube videos straight from your browser. A popular one is Video DownloadHelper, which works on both Chrome and Firefox.
To install it:
- Head to the Chrome Web Store or Firefox Add-ons page.
- Search for Video DownloadHelper.
- Click Add to Chrome or Add to Firefox to install.
Once it’s installed, you’ll see an icon in your browser. While watching a YouTube video, just click the icon, pick your format, and start the download.
How to Download YouTube Videos Without Any Software
If you don’t want to install any extra software, you can use your browser‘s developer tools to download YouTube videos. It’s not the easiest method and can be a bit clunky – especially since high-quality videos often come as separate audio and video files, which makes things more complicated and time-consuming.
Here’s how to download clips from YouTube without any software:
Where to Find Downloaded YouTube Videos
The location of your downloaded YouTube videos depends on the method used:
If you can’t find the file, search for its name on your device.
Legal Considerations of Downloading YouTube Videos
We touched on this at the beginning of our guide, but it’s important so we’ll highlight it once again. Downloading YouTube videos without permission is against YouTube’s rules and can also break copyright law. YouTube only allows downloads if you’re using their own tools, like YouTube Premium. Any other method, like third-party apps or websites, goes against their terms of service.
Most videos on YouTube are copyrighted, so unless the creator says it’s okay to download, doing so is technically illegal.
There’s something called “fair use” that might let you download videos for things like education or commentary, but it’s a gray area and not always clear-cut.
In most cases, it’s best to avoid downloading without permission.
The Bottom Line
Downloading YouTube videos comes with trade-offs. YouTube Premium is the safest, while software and extensions offer more flexibility but pose security and legal risks. Online downloaders are convenient but risky.
Always stay legal and be aware of the potential consequences when downloading videos.
FAQs
How do I download and save a YouTube video?
How do I download YouTube videos without YouTube Premium?
How do I download a YouTube video to computer for free?
Can you download YouTube videos to watch offline?
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Is it risky to use a third-party downloader?
References
- YouTube Rules & Content Policies – How YouTube Works (Youtube)
- ?Shortcuts on the App Store (Apps.apple)
- TubeMate – Youtube Downloader APP For Android | OFFICIAL (Tubemate)
- VIDMATE – APP & APK Download Vidmate (Official) 2024 (Vidmateapp)
- 4K Download | Free and useful applications for PC, macOS and Linux (4kdownload)
- Official download of VLC media player, the best Open Source player – VideoLAN (Videolan)
- WinX YouTube Downloader for Windows – Free download and software reviews – CNET Download (Download.cnet)
- YouTube Premium (Youtube)
- YouTube Downloader – Download YouTube videos in MP3, MP4, 3GP (Y2mate)
- YouTube Downloader – Download Youtube videos for free! (Us.savefrom)
- Video DownloadHelper – Chrome Web Store (Chromewebstore.google)
