You can download YouTube videos three ways: YouTube Premium's built-in offline mode (legal, paid), the YouTube app's free download feature in select regions, or third-party converters (varies legally by country). Each method has trade-offs across quality, legality, and convenience.
Here's the working method for every device, what's legal where you live, and the quality + format options to know before you click "download."
Method 1 — YouTube Premium (the legal way)
YouTube Premium ($13.99/mo US) includes native offline downloads on mobile + desktop. Downloads stay valid as long as you remain subscribed and the device syncs at least once every 30 days.
Open the video on the YouTube app or web.
Tap the "Download" button below the player.
Pick quality: 144p, 360p, 720p, 1080p.
Download stores in the "Downloads" tab.
Premium downloads are encrypted — playable only inside the YouTube app. They can't be transferred to other devices, edited, or shared. Quality cap: 1080p on most accounts. Family Premium = 5 accounts at $22.99/mo.
Method 2 — YouTube app free offline (limited regions)
In some countries (India, Indonesia, parts of Latin America), YouTube offers free offline downloads with ad-supported viewing. Downloads expire after 48 hours unless re-synced.
Available in: India, Indonesia, Philippines, Nigeria, Egypt, Pakistan, Kenya, others (varies)
NOT available in: US, UK, most EU, Canada, Australia
Quality cap: usually 480p
Auto-deletes if you don't open the app for 48 hours
Method 3 — Third-party YouTube downloaders
Tool homepages dominate the top of Google for this query — Y2Mate, Y2Down, ClipConverter, savefrom.net. They convert YouTube URLs to MP4/MP3 files. Important caveats first:
Against YouTube's Terms of Service. Downloading without explicit permission breaches Section 5(B). Your YouTube account can be suspended if detected.
Copyright law varies by country. Many countries allow personal-use offline copies; commercial use is illegal almost everywhere.
Quality varies. Free tools cap at 720p; 1080p+ usually behind a paywall.
Malware risk. Many tool sites bundle adware. Stick to well-known names; never install browser extensions from unknown sources.
Quality and format options
Format | Resolution | Use case |
|---|---|---|
MP4 (H.264) | 144p-4K | Universal compatibility |
WebM (VP9) | 360p-8K | Smaller files, modern browsers |
MP3 | 64-320 kbps | Audio only |
M4A | 128-256 kbps | Apple ecosystem audio |
For most use cases, MP4 at 720p or 1080p is the sweet spot — universal playback, reasonable file size.
Downloading on mobile
iOS: YouTube Premium is the only reliable in-app option. Apple's App Store removes third-party downloaders.
Android: YouTube Premium + Google Play apps like TubeMate or YT Studio (sideload required for some).
Always download over Wi-Fi to avoid burning mobile data. A 10-minute 1080p video = roughly 100-200 MB.
Downloading on PC / Mac
Browser-based: Paste URL into a converter site, pick format, click download. No software install.
Desktop apps: 4K Video Downloader, JDownloader, yt-dlp (command-line, advanced).
Browser extensions: Most are unreliable and risk-laden — YouTube blocks them periodically.
If you're the creator
YouTube Studio lets creators download their own uploads at any time, full quality, no third-party tools. Studio → Content → click video → three-dot menu → Download. This is the safest source for any video you own.
FAQ
Is downloading YouTube videos legal?
Depends on country + use case. Personal offline use through YouTube Premium = legal everywhere. Third-party downloaders = against YouTube's ToS regardless of country. Commercial use of downloaded content = copyright infringement almost everywhere.
What's the best quality for downloading?
720p MP4 for most use cases. 1080p if you'll play on a big screen. 4K only if you have storage + bandwidth to spare.
Is YouTube Premium worth it?
If you watch 5+ hours a week and value offline + ad-free + YouTube Music, yes. If you watch occasionally, no.
Can I download YouTube without software?
YouTube Premium = browser/app, no extra software. Third-party converter sites = paste URL, click download, no install. Software downloaders = more reliable but require install.
Can I download YouTube Shorts?
Yes. Same methods work — paste the Shorts URL into your downloader of choice, pick quality, download.
Next steps
For one-off downloads, try YouTube Premium's 1-month free trial. For your own content, use YouTube Studio's download button. For multi-platform scheduling of YouTube + other channels, see saving YouTube videos guide, downloading YouTube audio, and 1080p YouTube downloads. To schedule YouTube posts alongside Instagram + TikTok, use the So-me Studio calendar.
