As the second-most visited site on the internet - subsequently Google itself - YouTube has around 23 billion visitors per month. Well-nigh of them scout videos on the website or via one of the many YouTube apps.

Sometimes, though, you'll want to download a video. Perhaps that's to scout it offline, or perhaps you want to salvage a useful video just in instance information technology's always taken down. Any your reason, we'll explain a few different means that you can do this. Information technology'southward possible - and like shooting fish in a barrel - to download videos on a Windows laptop or PC, and on Android phones. It's non every bit easy on an iPhone, unless you pay for YouTube Premium, but it'south possible if y'all're determined.

Do remember that watching videos in the YouTube app (or website) and not skipping the ads is the best way to support your favourite channels.

There are two official ways to download videos from YouTube. First, there'southward the YouTube Go app which is available in countries where mobile data is besides expensive for streaming them.

Then there's YouTube Premium, a paid-for service that allows users in other countries - including the United kingdom and US - to download YouTube content in the app. There are other benefits of Premium, as well, such as no adverts and being able to listen to music in the background and then yous can utilise other apps on your phone.

YouTube Premium isn't inexpensive at £11.99/$xi.99 per calendar month, and if you only want to download an occasional clip it'southward probably too much to justify paying.

The good news is that it's easy to download YouTube videos using unofficial methods. First, we recommend reading our guide to whether it's legal to download YouTube videos.

Download videos using YouTube Premium

If you're a YouTube Premium subscriber and so downloading videos is easy. There is 1 big caveat though: you tin can only practise it using the official YouTube or YouTube Gaming apps, which means y'all can't employ Premium to download videos to your estimator - only to a phone or tablet.

To download just open up the app and head to the video you want to download. Underneath the player y'all should see a 'Download' icon - tap that, pick what video quality you want to download, and that's information technology.

How to download videos YouTube Premium

Once the video has downloaded the icon below it will change to a blue tick - tap this if yous want to remove the download. You'll exist able to find all your downloaded videos in the Library or Account tabs.

Download YouTube videos in Windows

As with websites, in that location are lots of options for downloading with a desktop app. Non all are free, but some are. A paid-for 1 we tin recommend is ByClick Downloader. It has an easy-to-use interface, is regularly updated and makes it supremely easy to download video - or merely audio - from YouTube.

All you have to do is to re-create the URL of a video and a pop-up will enquire if you want to download the sound or video. Or you tin set a default and it won't fifty-fifty ask: it will automatically download the MP3 or MP4 at the default quality.

It'due south reasonably priced at $9.99 (around £7.40), and yous tin try it out for 24 hours for free without entering whatsoever payment details.

how to download youtube videos to laptop

There are lots of alternatives, but none that we've found to be every bit proficient.

They include iTubeGo, which offers a basic interface, but which can download playlists and 4K videos. It's more than expensive at $29.95 though.

how to download youtube videos to laptop

If you want a free choice, try WinX YouTube Downloader. This will nag you to upgrade to the full version which includes conversion to other formats (including MP3), but if you lot can put up with these, it won't cost you anything.

How to download YouTube videos

The process is virtually identical to using a website: yous copy and paste the URL of the video into the app. And so you choose whatsoever options, such as the resolution to download, then striking the Download button. Near apps permit you to build up a list of videos and then download them in ane go. Some even let yous paste in a YouTube playlist and automatically download all the videos.

Download YouTube videos in a web browser

If you desire to salve videos without installing an app, there are many websites where you tin can paste the URL of the YouTube video and then click on the resolution yous want to download. These sites often get shut down, considering they're regularly bombarded with cease & desist notices from copyright owners.

Too, these websites tend to redirect you to other sites which may or may not exist safe, and could pose a risk to your figurer. This is why, firstly, information technology's important to run top-quality antivirus software and secondly, why we don't recommend this method of downloading whatever more.

Previous sites we'd used for years, such as SaveFrom, no longer operate in the U.k. or The states, and even if you do notice a 'prophylactic' site that will let you download videos, there are usually restrictions.

Typically, you'll be limited to downloading a lower-quality 720p version, even if a video is in 1080p or 4K. And not all will download only the sound (from a music video, for case).

Sometimes you'll observe that videos are downloaded in WebM format. Yous tin convert these videos into MP4 - or any format you like using Freemake and Any Video Converter, or you could download and install VLC, which is a costless video thespian that can play just nigh whatever file.

How to download YouTube playlists

Sometimes you have to pay for software if yous desire an easy life. Again, ByClick Downloader is what we'd recommend.

If the video is office of a playlist you lot tin can click the 'Download playlist' button and you'll go a pop-upwardly like the i shown beneath where you tin can choose which videos you desire from the playlist. A unmarried click on the Download push button is all you demand after that.

Yous become a day's free trial to see if yous similar the programme, but after that you'll have to pay $9.99.

How to download YouTube Playlists

How do I download music from YouTube?

Sometimes you might desire to download only the audio from a video on YouTube. The easiest manner to do this is to use i of the methods above and choose MP3 (or whichever audio format is offered). This way you'll just download the audio track, with none of the video footage. That'due south ideal if you just want to download some music or the audio from a YouTube podcast, and not have to have YouTube open and running on your phone while you lot heed.

Information technology is possible to heed to YouTube in the background with this workaround for iPhones and a separate one for Android phones.

If you don't mind paying, you can also download music every bit role of YouTube Music Premium, which is £9.99/$9.99 per calendar month. It volition permit you lot download songs and fifty-fifty music videos, just is limited to music - y'all won't be able to download other videos equally you tin can with a YouTube Premium subscription.

Download YouTube videos to a telephone or tablet

There's the official YouTube Premium service which we've mentioned already but there are other apps which allow you to download videos directly on your Android telephone (including for costless), but information technology's trickier on the iPhone. We've written split guides for both types of device:

  • How to download YouTube videos on Android
  • How to download YouTube videos on iPhone & iPad

Only don't forget yous can too download videos on your laptop using the methods above then transfer them to your phone or tablet, or upload them to a deject storage service, where you can then access the videos on any device.

To re-create files from Windows to an Android phone, connect the two with a USB cable and use Windows File Explorer to copy the video files(s) to the advisable folder, typically named Movies. Then, y'all tin can play the video using the Gallery app or another video player on your phone.

If you take an iPhone or iPad, import the file into iTunes so sync information technology to your iOS device. Alternatively, you can drag and drib the file(s) to your iPhone or iPad via the Apps tab when you click on your device in iTunes. All you lot demand is an app, such as Adept Reader or another video playback app which can transfer files using this method.

If you don't want to use iTunes and you're happy to pay, Waltr 2 is an excellent petty utility for copying videos, music and other files to your iOS device then they appear in the native apps. Observe out more in our guide to transferring videos to iPad and iPhone.

Finally, here'due south how to download any online video - not just YouTube, although almost all of the apps and services mentioned hither will also download videos from other streaming services and social media platforms including Facebook and DailyMotion.