Why would you want to download YouTube videos? Perhaps you’re planning a long trip where you’ll spend several hours without internet/mobile data access. Or, maybe you want to be prepared for when a power outage knocks out your wifi.
But we’re not here today to discuss the why. But, if you’re wondering how to download YouTube videos, then you’ve come to the right place.
The following guide lists several methods for this, including specific apps and third-party websites. We’ll also ease your conscience about whether or not downloading from YouTube is legal.
Get ready to have all your questions answered. Read this guide to learn how to download YouTube videos for offline viewing.
Is It Legal to Download YouTube Videos?
Technically speaking, downloading YouTube videos or watching them separately from YouTube is almost always a violation of YouTube’s terms and conditions. To clarify, watching any video that’s posted on YouTube means that you are agreeing to the terms of conditions of that service.
Those terms specify that you must only watch their videos through the official YouTube site or apps. You are not to watch those videos anywhere else except with permission from YouTube and possibly the creators of the content.
What Will Happen If You Download YouTube Videos Illegally?
YouTube’s service is how they make money. Therefore, YouTube has the right to sue anyone who violates their terms.
Now, it’s doubtful that even a corporate giant like YouTube has the resources to track down and prosecute each of the millions of users who download their videos illegally. That said, it’s still highly possible for you to be caught and prosecuted for committing this crime.
Why Is Downloading YouTube Videos Against the Rules?
YouTube and its content creators make money by running ads with their videos. If you view the videos apart from YouTube, they don’t get any advertising revenue.
Thus, you are stealing from their service. It’s similar to pirating cable TV.
Is It Ever Legal to Download YouTube Videos?
Rest assured, there are some videos that can be downloaded from YouTube legally. It depends on who what type of copyright applies to the video.
For example, if a work is in the public domain, YouTube doesn’t own the rights to it; no one does. So, if the YouTube video is an unaltered clip of a public domain work, you may legally download it.
Similarly, there are other copyright licenses that allow reproduction, like Creative Commons. The bottom line is, if you do your research and find that a YouTube video falls into one of these copyright categories, you can download it legally. Here’s some additional information about the legality of downloading from YouTube.
Use The VLC Media Player
The VLC Media Player is a great, free app for playing videos of pretty much any file format. In addition, it offers a way to permanently download YouTube videos in 4k.
First, download the app from the official site and open it up. Next, copy the URL of the YouTube video you wish to download.
Now, open the Media menu in VLC Media Player and click Open Network Stream. Paste the URL and begin watching the video.
During playback, open the Tools (or Window for Mac users) menu and click Codec Information and then Source. Alternatively, your version of VLC might say Media Information instead of Codec Information and Location instead of Source.
Whatever this destination is called, you’ll see a URL there. Copy and paste this URL in your browser and the video will appear. Click the three-dot menu symbol and click Download to save it permanently.
Use WinX YouTube Downloader
The WinX YouTube Downloader is another free app that makes downloading videos from YouTube a bit easier. Download and open WinX and click Add URL. Paste a YouTube video link and click Analyze.
Choose the file format you wish to save the video file as and click Done. That’s all there is to it!
Use 4K Video Downloader
Despite its name, 4K Video Downloader can save files in up to 8K video quality. The app is free (with ads), highly-rated, and very safe. To download from YouTube using 4K Video Downloader, install the app and open it up.
Copy the YouTube link and click Paste URL in the app. Then, simply choose the desired level of quality and press Download.
Google It
Lastly, there’s a way to download YouTube videos without installing any apps. You can download them from your browser off of certain websites.
Be warned, though, some of these sites aren’t exactly trustworthy. So be sure you follow the proper internet safety steps to avoid untrustworthy sites/neutralize security threats.
Also, even though a website allows you to download a YouTube video, that doesn’t mean it’s legal to do so. You still need to check the videos’ copyright licenses or you can be prosecuted for stealing copyrighted property.
Still, if you’re careful, and you’ve done your research, Google “download YouTube videos online.” Then, click a website and follow its instructions.
You’ll probably need to copy and paste the video link. Sometimes, though, these websites have a search feature you can use to find the video you’re looking for.
Follow These Steps to Download YouTube Videos
Ready to give it a try? Then go ahead and use one of the methods above to download YouTube videos. But, when you do so, be sure to remember the legal warnings we listed in the first section.
Want to learn more cool tricks you can do with video files? Then read this guide on how to convert a video into a GIF.