3 Simple Ways to Download YouTube Videos to the iPad

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Watch YouTube videos offline on your iPad for free
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If you subscribe to YouTube Premium, downloading videos to watch offline is easy. If you aren't a subscriber, you'll need a workaround. You can use the free Cobalt Tool or Video Solo, but keep in mind this violates YouTube's user agreement, and may also violate local copyright laws—make sure to only download videos you have permission to own. This wikiHow will show you how to download YouTube videos to the iPad for offline viewing.

Quick Steps to Download to iPad from YouTube

  1. Navigate to a video in the YouTube app.
  2. Tap the Share icon and select Copy link .
  3. Go to cobalt.tools in a web browser.
  4. Paste the URL and tap Download .
  5. Tap Download again.
  6. Find the video in the Files app.
Method 1
Method 1 of 3:

Using the Cobalt Tool

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  1. 1
    Open the YouTube app. You can also use YouTube in a mobile web browser.
    • Before you can use the Cobalt tool, you'll first need to copy the YouTube video link. Keep in mind that some videos cannot be downloaded due to age restrictions, privacy settings, or other restrictions or bugs.
  2. 2
    Navigate to a video. You can browse your feed and playlists, or use the search bar at the top to find a specific video. Once you find a video, tap it.
  3. 3
    Tap Share . This is the button underneath the video. It will have a right-pointing arrow.
  4. 4
    Tap Copy link . The video's URL will be copied to your iPad's clipboard.
  5. 5
    Go to Cobalt in a web browser. You can use any mobile web browser on your iPad. [1]
    • This website allows you to directly download YouTube videos onto your iPad for free.
  6. 6
    Tap the link field and tap Paste . You can tap the paste icon on the on-screen keyboard (paper and clipboard icon), or tap the blank link field to open the paste menu.
    • You can also tap Cobalt's paste button at the bottom right of the field, and then tap Paste .
    • The link will be pasted in the field, and a pop-up menu will open.
  7. 7
    Tap Download . This is underneath choose how to save .
    • A new page will open with the download prompt.
  8. 8
    Tap Download again. The video will begin downloading to your device. If you're using Safari, you can check its progress in the top-right corner, next to the address bar.
    • This may take some time depending on the size of your video.
  9. 9
    Open the Files app. Now that you've completed the download, you can find it in the iOS Files app. [2]
  10. 10
    Tap the Downloads folder. Depending on your settings, you may find this folder in the On My iPad location, iCloud Drive location, or another synced location.
    • To browse your folders, tap the sidebar icon to expand it. Then, tap a location under the Locations header.
  11. 11
    Tap your video to view it. The video should be in your Downloads folder in full. Tap the play button to view it. If needed, you can change the video's orientation by tapping the icon of the cube with the curved arrow.
Method 2
Method 2 of 3:

Using VideoSolo

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  1. This free app comes with its own web browser and file management tools that make it easy to download videos to your iPad. [3]
  2. After installing Documents, tap Open in the App Store, or tap the Documents icon to launch the app. The first time you open it, you'll have to move through a few welcome screens that ultimately bring you to a screen called My Files. You can stop when you get there.
  3. It's at the bottom of the screen. This opens the built-in web browser.
  4. Go to the VideoSolo website in the built-in web browser. Copy and paste the link, or enter it manually into the field.
    • You can also go to videosolo.com and select Online-Downloader in the top-right corner of the page.
    • Always be careful when using third-party web tools. After using any free tools, computer technician Stan Kats advises to look out for adware, which may look like ads suddenly appearing all over your device.
  5. You'll need to enter the URL of the YouTube video you want to download into the VideoSolo downloader. Return to the Home screen and launch the YouTube app to get started.
  6. Tap the video that you want to download onto your iPad. This starts playing the video in the YouTube app.
  7. To do so, tap Share below the video, and then tap Copy Link to save the link to your clipboard.
  8. Documents will still be open to the VideoSolo downloader site. Tap the Paste the link here box, and then tap Paste when it appears.
  9. You'll see the sizes available for download.
  10. The higher the number in the "Quality" column, the larger the file, and the better the quality. Tap Download next to the size you want, and then tap Done to start the download.
    • Some of the better-quality options may require a paid upgrade. Usually a lower-quality file will still look great on your iPad's large screen.
  11. It's at the bottom-left corner.
  12. This is where you'll find the video you saved.
  13. This makes it easy for you to find the video so you can watch it later. You can move the video to a different folder if you prefer, but you'll definitely want to move it outside of Documents (unless you want to watch it in the Documents app—which you can do!):
    • Tap the three dots at the bottom of the video and select Move . A list of locations you can move the video to will appear.
    • Tap Photos (or the desired folder).
    • Tap Allow Access to All Photos to continue (this will only appear the first time you try to move a file to Photos from Documents).
    • Tap Move .
    • You can now open the Photos app and tap the video in the Recents folder.
Method 3
Method 3 of 3:

Using YouTube Premium

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  1. It's the icon of a white triangle on a red background.
  2. You can search for the video or select something from your Library.
  3. It's a downward-facing arrow icon below the video window. [4]
  4. Tap the checkbox to the right of a quality setting (e.g., 720p ) in the pop-up window. The higher the quality, the more space the video will take up on your iPad. Once you select a quality, the video will begin to download.
  5. When you're offline, just open the YouTube app, tap the Library tab, and then select the video.
    • You can remove the downloaded video at any time by tapping the blue-and-white checkmark icon below the video and selecting Remove .

Community Q&A

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  • Question
    What do I do if I can't get the app from the Canadian iTunes store?
    Community Answer
    You can check for another similar app.
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  • Question
    Can I do it without installing an app?
    Community Answer
    Yes, there are various sites available for downloading YouTube videos, either in mp3 or mp4 format.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
    Thank you for your feedback.
    If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
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  • Question
    Why isn't the app on the AppStore? What other apps could I use?
    Community Answer
    There should be an app called video downloader. Once you install it click on Files and you can download the videos.
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    Thank you for your feedback.
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      References

      1. ↑ https://cobalt.tools/
      2. ↑ https://support.apple.com/en-us/102440
      3. ↑ https://apps.apple.com/us/app/documents-file-manager-docs/id364901807
      4. ↑ https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/11977233?hl=en&co=GENIE.Platform=iOS&oco=0#zippy=,download-videos-to-watch-offline

      About This Article

      Article Summary X

      1. Download " Documents by Readdle " from the App Store .
      2. Open the YouTube app and navigate to a vide you want to download.
      3. Tap Share below the video playback and tap Copy Link .
      4. Open Documents by Readdle" and tap Browser .
       5. Navigate to https://bitdownloader.com/ in the Documents browser.
      6. Paste the video URL in the white bar in the middle and tap Download .
      7. Scroll down and tap Download next to the video format you want to download.
      8. Enter a name for the video file and tap Done . 9. Navigate to the video using the Files app.

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