How to Download YouTube Videos for Free
YouTube is one of the most popular and diverse platforms for watching and sharing videos online. Whether you want to enjoy music, movies, documentaries, educational content, or anything else, you can find it on YouTube. But what if you want to watch your favorite videos offline, or save them for later? In this article, we will show you how to download YouTube videos for free using two different methods: using the official app or using a web browser. We will also discuss some of the benefits and drawbacks of downloading YouTube videos, as well as some of the legal and ethical issues you should be aware of.
Introduction
What is YouTube and why you might want to download videos from it
YouTube is a video-sharing platform that allows users to upload, view, comment, like, share, and subscribe to videos of various genres and categories. It was founded in 2005 by three former PayPal employees and acquired by Google in 2006. Today, it has over 2 billion monthly active users and hosts billions of hours of video content.
home - youtube https m.youtube.com reload 9 download free download
There are many reasons why you might want to download videos from YouTube. For example, you might want to:
Watch videos offline when you don't have an internet connection or a reliable one
Save videos for future reference or personal use
Backup your own videos or those of your favorite creators
Edit or remix videos for your own projects or purposes
Avoid ads or other interruptions that might affect your viewing experience
What are the benefits and drawbacks of downloading YouTube videos
Downloading YouTube videos can have some benefits, such as:
Saving data and bandwidth by avoiding streaming
Having more control over when and how you watch videos
Being able to watch videos in higher quality or different formats than available online
Having access to videos that might be deleted or restricted by YouTube or the uploader
However, downloading YouTube videos can also have some drawbacks, such as:
Taking up storage space on your device
Potentially exposing your device to malware or viruses from untrusted sources
Losing some features or functionalities that are only available online, such as captions, annotations, comments, etc.
Risking violating YouTube's terms of service or infringing on the rights of the content owners
What are the legal and ethical issues of downloading YouTube videos
Before you decide to download YouTube videos, you should be aware of some of the legal and ethical issues that might arise. According to YouTube's terms of service, you are not allowed to download any content from the platform unless you see a "download" or similar link displayed by YouTube on the service for that content. You are also not allowed to use any technology (including any software, device, or means) to remove, alter, bypass, avoid, interfere with, or circumvent any copyright or other proprietary notices marked on the content or any digital rights management mechanism, device, or other content protection or access control measure associated with the content. Therefore, you should only download YouTube videos for personal and non-commercial use, and only if you have the permission of the content owner or uploader. You should also respect the intellectual property rights and privacy rights of the content creators and not use their videos for any illegal, unethical, or harmful purposes. You should also give proper credit and attribution to the original source when using their videos. How to download YouTube videos using the official app
If you want to download YouTube videos using the official app, you will need to have a YouTube Premium subscription. YouTube Premium is a paid service that offers ad-free and offline access to YouTube videos, as well as other features such as background play, downloads, and YouTube Music. You can sign up for YouTube Premium on the YouTube website or app for a monthly fee that varies depending on your location and plan.
Once you have a YouTube Premium subscription, you can follow these steps to download YouTube videos using the official app:
Step 1: Install the YouTube app on your device
You can download the YouTube app for free from the Google Play Store for Android devices or the App Store for iOS devices. You can also access the YouTube app from your smart TV, game console, or streaming device. Make sure you have the latest version of the app installed and updated on your device.
Step 2: Find the video you want to download and tap on the download icon
Open the YouTube app and sign in with your Google account. Browse or search for the video you want to download and tap on it to open it. You will see a download icon (a downward arrow) below the video player. Tap on it to start the download process.
Step 3: Choose the video quality and confirm the download
You will be prompted to choose the video quality you want to download. The higher the quality, the more storage space and data it will use. You can choose from low (144p), medium (360p), high (720p), or HD (1080p or higher). You can also change your default download quality in the app settings. Tap on OK to confirm your choice and start downloading the video.
Step 4: Access your downloaded videos in the library section of the app
You can check the progress of your download by tapping on the downloads icon (a downward arrow with a line) at the bottom of the app. You can also pause, resume, or cancel your downloads from there. Once your download is complete, you can access your downloaded videos in the library section of the app. Tap on the library icon (a folder) at the bottom of the app and then tap on downloads. You will see a list of your downloaded videos that you can watch offline anytime. How to download YouTube videos using a web browser
If you don't have a YouTube Premium subscription or you want to download YouTube videos using a web browser, you can use a free online video downloader website. There are many websites that allow you to download YouTube videos for free, but you should be careful and choose a reputable and safe one. Some of these websites might contain ads, pop-ups, malware, or viruses that could harm your device or compromise your privacy. You should also check the terms and conditions of these websites and make sure they are not violating YouTube's policies or the rights of the content owners.
One of the most popular and reliable online video downloader websites is y2mate.com. It supports various formats and qualities, such as MP4, MP3, 3GP, WEBM, HD, Full HD, 4K, etc. It also has a simple and user-friendly interface that makes it easy to use. Here are the steps to download YouTube videos using y2mate.com:
Step 1: Open your web browser and go to
This is the mobile version of YouTube that works on any device and browser. You can also use the desktop version of YouTube if you prefer, but the mobile version might be faster and more convenient.
Step 2: Search for the video you want to download and copy its URL
Type the keywords or the title of the video you want to download in the search box and tap on the magnifying glass icon. You will see a list of results that match your query. Tap on the video you want to download and it will start playing. Then, tap on the share icon (a curved arrow) below the video player and tap on copy link. This will copy the URL of the video to your clipboard.
Step 3: Go to a free online video downloader website such as y2mate.com or savefrom.net
Open a new tab or window in your web browser and go to or These are two of the most popular and trusted online video downloader websites that work with YouTube and other platforms. You can also use other websites that offer similar services, but make sure they are safe and reliable.
Step 4: Paste the URL of the video and choose the format and quality you want
On y2mate.com, you will see a box where you can paste the URL of the video you want to download. Paste the URL you copied from YouTube and click on start. The website will analyze the video and show you a list of available formats and qualities. You can choose from MP4, MP3, 3GP, WEBM, etc., and from different resolutions such as 144p, 240p, 360p, 480p, 720p, 1080p, etc. You can also see the file size and duration of each option. Choose the one that suits your needs and preferences and click on download.
On savefrom.net, you will see a similar box where you can paste the URL of the video you want to download. Paste the URL you copied from YouTube and click on go. The website will analyze the video and show you a list of available formats and qualities. You can choose from MP4, WEBM, MP3, etc., and from different resolutions such as 360p, 480p, 720p, etc. You can also see the file size and duration of each option. Choose the one that suits your needs and preferences and click on download.
Step 5: Click on the download button and save the video to your device
After you click on download, you will be redirected to another page where you can see a preview of the video and a green download button. Click on the download button and a pop-up window will appear asking you where you want to save the video on your device. Choose a location and a name for your file and click on save. The download will start automatically and you can see the progress in your browser's downloads section.
Conclusion
In this article, we have shown you how to download YouTube videos for free using two different methods: using the official app or using a web browser. We have also discussed some of the benefits and drawbacks of downloading YouTube videos, as well as some of the legal and ethical issues you should be aware of.
Downloading YouTube videos can be useful for various purposes, such as watching videos offline, saving videos for future reference or personal use, backing up your own videos or those of your favorite creators, editing or remixing videos for your own projects or purposes, or avoiding ads or other interruptions that might affect your viewing experience. However, downloading YouTube videos can also have some drawbacks, such as taking up storage space on your device, potentially exposing your device to malware or viruses from untrusted sources, losing some features or functionalities that are only available online, or risking violating YouTube's terms of service or infringing on the rights of the content owners. Therefore, you should only download YouTube videos for personal and non-commercial use, and only if you have the permission of the content owner or uploader. You should also respect the intellectual property rights and privacy rights of the content creators and not use their videos for any illegal, unethical, or harmful purposes. You should also give proper credit and attribution to the original source when using their videos. We hope this article has been helpful and informative for you. If you have any questions or feedback, please feel free to leave a comment below. Happy downloading! FAQs
Q: How can I download YouTube videos without an app or a website?
A: There are some tricks that you can use to download YouTube videos without an app or a website. For example, you can add "ss" before the "youtube.com" part of the URL of the video you want to download and press enter. This will take you to a website where you can choose the format and quality of the video and download it. Another trick is to add "dl" after the "www." part of the URL of the video you want to download and press enter. This will take you to a website where you can choose the format and quality of the video and download it. However, these tricks might not work for all videos or devices, and they might not be safe or reliable.
Q: How can I download YouTube videos in bulk or in a playlist?
A: If you want to download YouTube videos in bulk or in a playlist, you will need to use a third-party software or tool that supports this feature. For example, you can use 4K Video Downloader, which is a free and easy-to-use software that allows you to download YouTube videos in bulk or in a playlist. You can also choose the format and quality of the videos and download them with subtitles if available. However, you should be careful and make sure that the software or tool you use is safe and legal.
Q: How can I download YouTube videos with subtitles or captions?
A: If you want to download YouTube videos with subtitles or captions, you will need to use a website or a software that supports this feature. For example, you can use y2mate.com, which is a free online video downloader website that allows you to download YouTube videos with subtitles or captions. You can choose from different languages and formats for the subtitles or captions and download them along with the video. However, you should be aware that not all videos have subtitles or captions available, and some websites or software might not support this feature.
Q: How can I convert YouTube videos to MP3 or other audio formats?
A: If you want to convert YouTube videos to MP3 or other audio formats, you will need to use a website or a software that supports this feature. For example, you can use ytmp3.cc, which is a free online video converter website that allows you to convert YouTube videos to MP3 or MP4 formats. You can also choose the quality of the audio file and download it to your device. However, you should be careful and make sure that the website or software you use is safe and legal.
Q: How can I edit or remix YouTube videos after downloading them?
A: If you want to edit or remix YouTube videos after downloading them, you will need to use a video editing software or tool that supports this feature. For example, you can use Windows Movie Maker, which is a free and easy-to-use video editing software that allows you to edit or remix YouTube videos after downloading them. You can also add effects, transitions, music, text, etc., to your videos and save them in different formats. However, you should be respectful and creative when editing or remixing YouTube videos, and not use them for any illegal, unethical, or harmful purposes. 44f88ac181