YouTube is still the undefeated champion when it comes to watching videos online. By creating an account via Google, you can easily save videos to your favorites list. Unfortunately it is not possible to download videos on YouTube. There are some third-party tools that can download videos from YouTube. We give some tips.
Tip 01: Via a website
You will discover that there is a great need for being able to download YouTube videos when you type it into Google. Dozens if not hundreds of pages that offer the option to download a video. But which one is the best to use right now? Well, actually they are all fine, so it is just as easy to get a Dutch website.
It works very simply: you copy the URL of the video you want to download, then surf to www.downloadvanyoutube.nl and paste the URL into the text field that you see there. Then click on To download. In the next window that appears, specify the resolution and file type you want to download the video at. Then click Continue and the video will be prepared. Then click on Start download, then the video will actually be saved to your hard drive.
It's not allowed
The fact that YouTube does not want you to download videos from the site is even an understatement, because according to YouTube's terms of use, it is not allowed at all. The terms state explicitly: "Such Content may not be downloaded, copied, reproduced, distributed, transmitted, broadcast, displayed, sold, licensed or otherwise exploited without YouTube's prior written consent." Now you don't have to worry so much about downloading (for your own use), as long as you don't re-upload the videos to YouTube (or another site) or distribute it further.
Tip 02: Audio only
Tip 03: Browser Extension
Downloading via a website is fine in itself, but it does mean that you first have to go to YouTube, copy the url and then paste it into the site. Can't that be faster and easier? That is certainly possible, but for that you will first have to install a browser extension. We have deliberately not included a video downloader, because we already cover it here. A good extension for Firefox is Easy Youtube Video Downloader Express. The name reveals exactly what the extension does: it adds a button below the video, with which you can download the video with one click. Unfortunately, this extension does not exist for Chrome, because Google (due to its own rules) does not allow such an extension. Also, it often happens that such Firefox browser extensions are removed.
Tip 04: flv2mp3
Wonderfully quiet without ads, and even safer, because you can't accidentally click on a link that actually contains junk. We use www.flv2mp3.by to download media from YouTube, we have good experience with this service. Now go (in another tab of your browser) on YouTube to the video for which you want the music. Copy the link from the address bar (looks like something like: //www.youtube.com/watch?v=[code]. Now on the convert site, paste the link into the box and click Convert to mp3. Wait for a while until the file is ready and then click Download.
If you not only want the music, but also want the image, you can also easily download the movie via flv2mp3. Choose in which format (mp4, mp4 hd, avi or avi hd) you want the video, and then paste the YouTube link in the field. Furthermore, this works the same as downloading music. Flv2mp3 also offers a download tool for Windows, useful if you often download movies or songs. It also allows you to download from Dailymotion, Vimeo, and SoundCloud.
Chances are your browser will warn you that the site is unsafe. Perhaps because the site violates YouTube's terms and conditions. If you're a little concerned, turn on an adblocker just to be sure and use an incognito window.
Do you have more videos that you don't want to download because of the images in the video, but because of the music? Then there are many other programs that specifically convert YouTube videos to MP3 files.
Download your own videos
Although YouTube does not want you to download videos from others, that does not apply to your own videos, you are entitled to that. To download a video that you have uploaded yourself, in YouTube go to Video management, and click the down arrow next to To process next to the video you want to download. There you will see the option Mp4 Download. You will then automatically download the video at the highest quality.
Tip 05: Windows program
It is also perfectly possible to download a program that allows you to download YouTube videos. The main advantage (over downloading from a website) of many of these programs is that you are not limited to downloading just one video at a time. It's okay if you want to download three videos, but if you're trying to download a whole bunch of videos from your favorite YouTube channel, it gets quite annoying (and time-consuming) having to wait for your video to download to get the new URL. to paste in it.
A good example of such a (free) program is Free YouTube Download. This program allows you to download more videos simultaneously. You can do this by entering multiple URLs, but you can also download complete channels at the touch of a button. The latter really saves a lot of time and work. The nice thing is that you can also select other file types, such as .wmv and .avi, where you have control over the quality. To download a video, copy the YouTube URL (of the video or channel) and click pasta in the program. The download will start immediately.
Tip 06: Clip Converter
On the Clip Converter site you can download services such as Direct Download, YouTube (HQ and HD), Google Video, Sevenload, MySpace, Dailymotion (HQ), Vimeo (HQ), Metacafe, MyVideo and Veoh. Simply paste the internet address in the media box and click on the desired format. Movie material can be converted directly to the mp4, 3gp, avi or mov format. Moreover, you can have the music pulled from online clips in mp3, m4a and aac. The site detects the best settings itself and if you want to get it right right away, enter the correct tags so that your media player will automatically recognize the song, album and artist.
Download via VLC
VLC owes its popularity to the fact that this media player can handle almost all file formats. If VLC can't play it, then it might not work. This versatile media player can also be used to watch online videos and you can even download video via a shortcut. To stream a video on the PC click Media and choose you Open Network Stream. In the next window, paste the internet address of the YouTube video and click To open.
To download the video, go to the menu Additional nasty Codec Information. Bee Location then read the internet address where VLC gets the video. Copy this link and paste it into your internet browser. Open the video in the browser, then you can right click on the video and save the video without going through YouTube.
On the Mac you use the menu File and then click Open network to get to the box where you can paste the link of the video. The option Codec Information can be found under the button Window.
Tip 07: KeepVid
One of the oldest online movie download services is KeepVid, which is an achievement in itself. After all, Google does not make it easy for online rippers. KeepVid supports 30 media sites and those are not just video streamers, SoundCloud is also among them. Do not click on the banner before downloading, because then you will be diverted to the advertisement, but make a selection from the various options below.
Tip 08: YTD Downloader
The YTD program not only works with YouTube, but supports more than 60 other video hosting sites. At www.ytddownloader.com there are versions for Windows, OS X, Android and iOS. When installing this tool, be careful not to install the annoying Ask toolbar and Ask extension. The free edition will get you started, but if you're willing to pay $22.90 a year, you'll be able to process several downloads at once, the ads will disappear, and you'll use the download accelerator. This tool works with conversion profiles, so YTD itself chooses the right options based on the device on which you want to view the video. YTD also has its own player, so that you don't even have to leave the program to play the downloaded material in full screen.
Tip 09: 4K Video Downloader
4K Video Downloader stands out from the crowd because it caters specifically to videos in 4K format. The ultra-HD quality of 3840 x 2140 pixels is too ambitious for many users and the internet is still sparsely covered with 4K material. When you paste the internet address in the url box, you can already make a selection from the available qualities and each time you see how large the download file will be. With 4K Video Downloader you also get the playlists that YouTube users have created. When video is provided with subtitles, you can download and convert them into an srt file, or you can indicate in the preferences that the subtitles should be integrated into the video. This program comes in both a Windows version and an OS X counterpart.
Tip 10: OS X Program
There are also good programs available for the Mac. The OS X version of ClipGrab is very useful, because while many programs require you to type in the URL, ClipGrab lets you search for videos just like you would on the YouTube site itself. Search for the video you want to download, click Download and voilà, the download process has started. This is much faster than pasting a URL. An additional advantage is that the program can also download videos from sites such as Vimeo, Collegehumor and so on, but unfortunately you have to paste the URL for that.
Tip 11: Softorino Converter
One particular OS X application is Softorino YouTube Converter because it pulls videos from YouTube, immediately strips them of ads, and then places them directly on iPhone or iPad connected to the Mac. This solution also works with Facebook and Instagram videos. With the help of tabs you indicate whether you want to save the video or just the sound. The application normally costs $19.95, but has been available for free for quite some time now.
Tip 12: On smartphone or tablet
Downloading a YouTube video to your computer is easy, but what about your smartphone or tablet? It works a bit more complicated, but contrary to popular belief, it is possible. Read our other article on how to download YouTube videos on your smartphone or tablet
Apps to download from YouTube are taken from the Play Store and App Store at random by Apple and Google. Download apps often pop up, which are then removed again within a short period of time. Most apps work the same way: you're presented with an interface that resembles that of a browser. Enter the URL of the video and the file will be downloaded to your iPhone. There are currently such apps in the App Store, but how well they work and how long they will remain available remains to be seen. Just a matter of keeping an eye on it, and a little bit of luck.
It's significantly easier to download videos via Android, but you don't download the app for that via the official Google Play Store (for the same reason that you can't download an extension for Chrome: Google doesn't want it). You can, however, download the TubeMate YouTube Downloader app as a separate apk installation file.
Note: To install an app outside of the Google Play Store, you must enter the Institutions on the tab Security the option Unknown sources to enable, otherwise the download will not be allowed. Keep in mind that that option is disabled by default for a reason, so be careful with which apps you download.
Now to download a video, open the YouTube app, search for the video you would like to download and open it. Then press the icon To share and in the menu that expands select YouTube Downloader. Then you can choose in what quality you want to download the video and the download can start.
