Easy Ways to Download & Convert YouTube Videos Online & With Software

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Convert YouTube videos on any device with these downloaders & converters
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Do you want to convert that YouTube video or clip? While it is against YouTube's Terms of Service to download videos that you don't own without express permission from the video's creator, you're allowed to download your own videos. [1] This wikiHow article will teach you how to download and convert YouTube videos into video and audio files that you can play on any device.

Converting YouTube Videos

On a video you own or have permission to use, get the URL of the video, short, or clip, then paste it into a website converter. Select your download options (MP3 or MP4) if offered, then click Convert . After the video converts, click Download and select a location to save the downloaded file.

Section 1 of 4:

Online Converters

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  1. Open the video on YouTube, then highlight the URL in the address bar. You can right-click the highlighted address and select "Copy," or you can press ⌘ Command + C (Mac) or Ctrl + C (Windows).
    • You can convert YouTube videos, clips, and shorts this way.
    • Be aware that many sites contain ads and malware, but you can expertly avoid them by not clicking on elements that are not part of the page. You can tell if an icon that you want to click will redirect you by hovering your mouse over it and looking in the bottom left corner to the link pop-up; if it says a site other than the site you're on, it's most likely a malicious link that you shouldn't click. Take your time and look around and you'll find the legit button elsewhere on the page. Examples include download and upload icons, or Go buttons.
  2. 2
    Open a YouTube downloader website. There are several websites that will convert the video into MP4/MP3 format and provide you with download links, but these change all the time, and some may no longer work. Remember that downloading from sources you don't trust increases the chance of downloading malware or malicious code. Current popular converter sites include:
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  3. 3
    Paste the YouTube URL into the text field. Click the field and press ⌘ Command + V (Mac) or Ctrl + V (Windows).
  4. 4
    Choose any download options. Different website converters will look different, but most offer you a choice to download MP3 or MP4 of the video. Some sites even let you choose the download bitrate.
  5. 5
    Click Convert . This will process the video with your chosen format settings. The download might take a while depending on your internet connection and the size of the video you link.
    • On some sites, you may need to click Download to download the converted video; other sites will have your file manager open so you can select a location to save the file. So save the file and you'll have the converted YouTube video on your computer or phone!
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Section 2 of 4:

4K Video Downloader+

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  1. Open the video on YouTube, then highlight the URL in the address bar. You can right-click the highlighted address and select "Copy," or you can press ⌘ Command + C (Mac) or Ctrl + C (Windows).
  2. 2
    Open 4K Video Downloader+. If you don't have this software on your computer, you can download it for free.
    • Go to https://www.4kdownload.com/products/videodownloader-42 and click Get 4K Video Downloader+ .
    • Once the 4K Video Downloader+ setup file finishes downloading, you can install it by doing the following:
      • Windows: Double-click the setup file, click Yes when prompted, and follow the on-screen setup instructions.
    • Mac: Double-click the setup file, verify the installation if necessary, click and drag the 4K Video Downloader+ app icon onto the "Applications" folder, and follow any on-screen instructions.
    • As long as you download 4K Video Downloader from their official site, the download will be safe.
  3. 3
    Click Paste Link . It's in the upper left corner of the app window and the software will get the video for you.
  4. 4
    Select the format, quality, and output folder. For example, to download a high-quality version of the YouTube video, select 4K , then click the location in the lower left corner if you don't like the default location to save your video.
  5. 5
    Click Download . It's a green button on the right side of the pop-up window. [2]
    • You can find the video in the location shown and double-click it to play it.
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Section 3 of 4:

Using yt-dlp

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  1. 1
    Open the Terminal or Command Prompt. If you are using Windows, open Command Prompt . If you are using a Mac open Terminal in the Utilities folder or using the Spotlight search bar. On Linux, press Ctrl + Alt + T to open a Terminal.
    • If you haven't installed YouTube-dl yet, follow the install instructions for Windows , Mac , and Linux .
    • If you just installed YouTube-dl on your Mac or Linux machine, open a new Terminal instead of reusing the one you used to install YouTube-dl.
  2. 2
    Change the directory to which you want to download videos. YouTube-dl will download the videos to whichever folder you are in in the Terminal or Command Prompt. To change directories in Command Prompt or Terminal, type cd <directory location> and press Enter or Return .
  3. 3
    Copy the URL to a YouTube video. Go to the YouTube video you want to download in your preferred web browser and copy the URL from the address bar. To copy, highlight the URL, right-click it (or Ctrl-click if you're using a Mac without a right mouse button), then select Copy.
  4. 4
    Download a video: Enter the following command in Terminal or Command Prompt; youtube-dl <url_to_video> and press Enter or Return .
    • If you want to save the video file without being in the right directory, you can use this command instead: yt-dlp <MY_URL> -o <WHERE_TO_DOWNLOAD_TO> .
    • To download audio only as an MP4, enter this command: youtube-dl -x <url_to_video> .
    • To download audio only as an MP3, enter this command: youtube-dl -x --audio-format mp3 url_to_video .
    • If you want to download an entire playlist, here are some options:
      • Download a playlist in order: Type youtube-dl <url_to_playlist> and press Enter .
      • Download playlist in reverse order: Type youtube-dl --playlist-reverse <url_to_playlist> and press Enter .
      • Download playlist in random order: Type youtube-dl --playlist-random <url_to_playlist> and press Enter .
      • Download a section of a playlist: Type youtube-dl --playlist-start <number> --playlist-end <number> <url_to_playlist> and press Enter .
    • If you want to download information about the video, like subtitles, the thumbnail picture, description, and title, enter youtube-dl --skip-download <url_to_video> .
    • This will download the video without subtitles or a description. It automatically chooses the best video and audio quality.
    • You can find more commands and options for downloading videos in the README file .
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Section 4 of 4:

FAQ

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  1. 1
    Can I use VLC to download YouTube videos? Previously, VLC worked for downloading YouTube videos. Unfortunately, you can no longer use VLC. YouTube has changed how things work behind the scenes, so that method isn't reliable. You'll want to use a different YouTube downloader or record your screen instead.
  2. 2
    Is downloading videos from YouTube legal or safe? Sometimes, you can download and use YouTube videos under the fair use doctrine. [3] This typically applies to educational or transformative use. However, this only applies to the US; note that copyright law differs between countries. Also, remember that it's definitely illegal if you make money from a downloaded video that isn't your own. [4]
  3. 3
    Can I download a video with YouTube Premium? Yes, you can download videos to watch offline if you subscribe to YouTube Premium. However, you aren't downloading the actual video files and will need to open YouTube to see your downloaded content.
  4. 4
    Can I use software to download YouTube videos? Yes, you can use screen capturing software like OBS to record your screen and capture a YouTube video for offline viewing. You can also do this on mobile by using the built-in screen recorder on your iPhone or Android phone.
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Community Q&A

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  • Question
    How do you download videos to an MP3?
    ValleyCool
    Community Answer
    If you want to listen to the video on the MP3, you should download or record the video on your computer first. Then convert the video to the .mp3 format with VLC, Handbrake, or FonePaw Video Converter Ultimate. There are lots of converting tools.
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      Tips

      • Install an ad blocker extension if you plan on using YouTube download sites, as they are often riddled with ads and pop-ups.
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      • As YouTube changes behind the scenes and how videos play, website converters will stop working and new ones will pop up. Be careful so you don't download malware or malicious code.
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      • According to copyright law, it is illegal to download videos that aren't your own. Using these converters could result in getting your YouTube account banned.
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      References

      1. ↑ https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/9783148?sjid=9435578795461964001-NC
      2. ↑ https://www.4kdownload.com/howto/howto-download-youtube-video/3
      3. ↑ https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/9783148?hl=en
      4. ↑ https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/2797449?hl=en&ref_topic=2778546&sjid=9435578795461964001-NC#zippy=

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