

Third-party software is what will give you the best control over downloading online videos. The page says "Downloads remain available as long as your device has an active internet connection at least once every 30 days." This probably isn't exactly what you are looking for in a download read on for tools that are a better fit. You access the download by going to the YouTube hamburger menu and selecting Downloads to view the list of what you've grabbed. This is not a method that allows you to, say, watch a video using different software such as the VLC Media Player or Plex. It is more akin to the download feature found on mobile apps for Netflix and Hulu, which makes a streaming video available to watch later using your local storage using the app's interface only. The biggest issue is, this feature doesn't really download a video to save on your computer forever. There's one limitation with quality: All the video you download is limited to 1080p quality max or lower. Now available for subscribers of YouTube Premium-the paid version of YouTube that allows you to watch without ads-are video downloads-kind of. (Especially if you're not really buying.) YouTube Premium Downloads The programs, services, and sites in this story are all free of spam and virus problems as of this writing, but caveat emptor-let the buyer beware. If there's even a whiff of it, even a PUP, it's out.


The same goes for the helper websites-a change in a site's ad network can also create issues with malware. Some of those changes are not always pleasant, such as software so full of "extras," it gets flagged as malware by antivirus tools. Note: This story is updated frequently, as the tools involved change regularly. If you must download a YouTube video-absolutely need to, just for yourself, and not for dissemination, and not to be a jerk-here's how. You simply do not need to download a video most of the time.īut you have your reasons. If you want to share a video, YouTube and most other video sites make it easy, from embedding to emailing to sharing via social networks. Obviously, stealing videos from YouTube is a big no-no. There's a reason YouTube runs ads: People make a living this way.

Watching YouTube videos offline through unofficial channels takes money from Google and video creators.
