Let’s admit it, sometimes the ads on YouTube becomes so annoying. Many of us don’t have the inernet connectivity all the time. So, listening to a favourite song or enjoying a video with friends that is on youtube is a dream without internet.
Here comes the need to download Youtube vidoes. But is it legal? Yes, it is legal as far as the copyright issues go you can use video for your personal use.
If you consider Google’s Terms of Service for YouTube it’s more black and white, it reads “You shall not download any Content unless you see a ‘download’ or similar link displayed by YouTube on the Service for that Content.”
Downloading and watching videos offline is taking money out of YouTube and the creator’s pockets. The ads that are run on YouTube is how they make a living of it.
This is pretty clear that downloading and sharing videos from YouTube is illegal. However if you want to share a YouTube video it is pretty easy, you can embed a video or share it through email or to your social networking connectios. But if it really necessary to download a YouTube video , just keep it to yourself, don’t desseminate it.
So, here are some steps that will help you to download Youtube videos.
Softwares that can help you download vidoes from Youtube
Third-party softwares gives you to most control over the process of downloading Youtube Videos. Basically in every application out there all you have to do is just copy and paste your URL select the desired format, which I will recommend to use the MP4 format as it is widely acceptable by albmost every type of device. Here is a list of softwares and applications that you can use to download videos from Youtube.
1. 4k Video Downloader
FREE!!
- No ads
- Frequent Updates
- Can download subtitles
- Can download upto 4K quality videos
- Can download an entire subscribed channel
- Comes with a companion application to convert 4K videos to MP3
- Supports Vimeo, Facebook and other platforms including YouTube
2. Freemake Video Downloader (with caveats)
FREE!!
- Can download videos from over 10,000 websites
- Can download videos in any format and it allows to download multiple videos at once
- Can download a two-hour HD video in four minutes (speed can be restricted)
- Offers a free Youtube to MP3 converter
- Trusted by over 83 million people
- ADs
3. Airy
$19.95
- Super easy to use
- You can set the quality or format
- Can download directly in MP3 format
- It has integration with browser so allows one click download
- No other sites are supported
- Some people complains that they haven't got the activation code even after the payment
4. Gihosoft TubeGet
FREE!!
- Can download video in HD, SD or 4K
- Supports 10,000 plus video hosting websites
- It claims to even support Netflix
- It supports a built-in MP3 coverter
- Can download upto 5 videos simultaneously
5. YTD Video Downloader
Free or $29.90/Year
- Works with over 50 websites
- Can convert format of files
- No ads, download acceleration, download multiple videos (paid)
- Also available for Android but not on Google Play
- Little hard to use as it is old
6. YouTubeByClick
Free or $14.99/year or $40/unlimited
- Same features as YTD
- Supports over 50 websites
- Can download in Full HD
- Can convert to any format on the fly
- MP3 converter in-built
- Browser Integration (Firefox, Chrome, IE and even Edge) one-button download
7. Any Video Converter
Free to $49.95 (Ultimate);
- Works with over 100+ websites
- Can download videos from Netflix
- Have some video editing options and to rip DVDs
- Expensive
8. DLNow Video Downloader
FREE!!
- Works with over 570 websites
- Can download videosin high quality
- Can convert your videos to MP3
- Can live stream videos while downloading
- Can download multiple videos at once
9. Softorino YouTube Converter
Free to $19.95
- Has a converter called Waltr 2 for iPhone or iPad for $39.99
- Can dsend YouTube videos directly to device (supports integration)
- ADs
Websites that can help you download Youtube videos
There are hundreds of sites out there that can help you download or convert a video. Why you should go for websites that softwares? They save you time, you remove the hassle of finding a software than downloading it to your device.
Websites comes with some cons too like it can really take too long to download a 4K or 1080p video. One such website is www.ssyoutube.com or www.vdyoutube.com.
Other websites like Other sites that do that: Save-Video.com (put the word “magic” between the “you” and the “tube”) and YoutubeMonkeydownloader (change to “youtubemonkey.com”), SaveFrom.net (add “ss” before the “youtube.com”), and CONV. (add “conv” before the “youtube.com”).
But you should be beware of some malicious sites they use ad traps or use the download button to redirect you to a malicious website.
Here are few extra helper websites –
1. KeepVid
- Supports over 28 sites
- Easy to use
- Has built-in converter for every format including MP3
- Supports android and many has integration with many browsers
- Has a desktop versio for $19/year or $29 for lifetime both windows and mac
- ADs
2. TubeNinja
- Supports huge number of websites
- Easy to use
- Ability to add functions via a browser bookmarklet
- Adding "dl" to a URL before a site's name for quick downloads,
- ADs
3. ConvertToAudio.com
- Easy to use
- Has built-in converter for every format including MP3
- It offers a bookmarklet to put in the toolbar—click it whenever you're on a video site to start a conversion
4. ClipConverter.cc
- Easy to use
- Browser extensions for Chrome, FireFox, Safari
- Can change the start and end of a video
- Can convert video to different formats even MP3
- Prevents people from downloading copyright materials
5. VIDFB.com
- Easy to use
- Supports many websites
- Especially made for Facebook
Browser Extensions
Browser extensions are one of the best ways to download videos from Youtube or any other websites. But you will have problems with Youtube especially if you are using chrome.
Chrome is made by Google and all the extensions Chrome offers follow guidelines of YouTube. Though they have video downloading extensions but they cannot download from YouTube.
The download of any RTMP convention video (secured recordings) or gushing video likewise is preposterous. Video Downloader Ultimate ($9.99 ) in any case, is programmed from a similar designer that downloads from YouTube, Facebook, Vimeo, and so forth.
But in this article we are here to know only about extensions which can help you download videos from YouTube.
So the list of such extension is here-
1. FastestTube
FREE!! – Opera, Safari, Chrome, FireFox, Internet Explorer, Chromium based browsers
This extension is not available in the chrome’s web store. It puts a ‘download this video’ menu just below the video player on youtube. It offers you to download the videos in any format you desire.
2. Video DownloadHelper
FREE!! or $28.50 – Firefox, Chrome
It supports a massive number of sites even some adult sites. This extension adds in the tools menu and it provides user with many formats to choose from. Premium offers to convert files (but only in Firefox).
Mobile
Android
Well, on android devices you cannot find a application on the Google play store that can allow you to download videos from YouTube. Google has a tight control over that apps of Play Store.
You can download WonTube’s Free YouTube Downloader for android. You will not find it on Google Play store but on Google. Search for it download the apk, go into your downloads folder and click on APK install it. Open the application paste the URL ofthe video you want to download and done. YTD and KeepVid, are similar applications,
iOS
People tend to think that Apple and Google does not have that good terms so Apple store will have an application to download videos from youtube. But it is not true. Initially, there were some video downloading applications but they are not available anymore on the store. Apple is a reputed brand so it has to follow rules and regulations that are implemented by other brands on their products or services.
If you find an app on iOS that can download videos from YouTube chances are that it will be fixed or banned by Apple. The only option you have is to jailbreak your iPhone.
There is a free iOS file manager application named Document 5
You have to use its- in built browser to visit the websites (youtube supported) and download a YouTube video to the downloads folder inside the app. Hold the video and drag the file up until you get on the main screen, then drag and drop it in the desired folder. If you are doing it for the first time you will have to give location access permission to the Document 5. The video will be downloaded and can be accessed like any other video on the phone.
There are more applications like Video Downloader Pro For Dropbox, Google Drive, OneDrive($1.99). They cannont download videos from YouTube but can from other video hosting websites. You can download videos from cloud storage/backup platform and the videos get saved in your Camera Roll to watch later.
Another such method is you can try an app named AnyTrans($39.99 avalable on windows and mac both). It is available for Mac users meaning desktop or laptop of Apple. It has integrated video downloader that supports 900 websites including Facebook and YouTube. It is not necessary to pay for AnyTrans as the download option still remains intact as it is free. You can transfer your downloaded videos over to your iPhone with a USB cable.
Or you use some old school techniques – using iTunes to sync videos on your Windows or Mac to iOS, you can even try using AirDrop. But this process is not same as direct download.