1. Get 4K Video Downloader

To download YouTube videos to a Windows PC, start by downloading and installing 4K Video Downloader. This versatile software is completely free, and can download whole playlists, as well as 360-degree and 3D videos. When it’s done, check the box marked ‘Launch’ and click ‘Finish’.

2. Copy and paste the video URL

Open your web browser, find the video you want to download from YouTube and copy its URL from the address bar. Then return to 4K Video Downloader and click the green ‘Paste Link’ button at the top left.

The software will retrieve information about the video and give you a choice of quality options. These will vary depending on the quality of the original video, but the software can download YouTube videos in 4K if it’s available.

3. Choose the quality and format

4K Video Downloader will allow you to download whole YouTube videos, or just rip the audio. Choose your preferred selection using the drop-down menu on the left, then choose a format using the menu on the right. We prefer MP4 for our videos, because it gives a good balance of quality and file size – and will play on basically every device.

Then, choose your quality. For playing back video on your TV or PC, we recommend picking the highest resolution, but bear in mind that this will take longer and will take up more space. Luckily, you can check the estimated file size on the left to see how much space it will take.

You can also choose where the downloaded video should be saved using the ‘Browse’ button at the bottom. Once you’re happy, click ‘Download’.

4. Download the YouTube video

The YouTube video will now be downloaded for you. If there are other videos in the creator’s channel, 4K Video Downloader will ask whether you want to download those as well. It can download up to 24 videos at once.

Once the video has finished downloading, you can find it in the destination folder, or right-click it in 4K Video Downloader and select ‘Play’. Unless you adjust the settings, the video will stay in this list until you choose to remove it – even if you close and restart the software.

5. Try Smart Mode

If you often download videos in the same format, check out Smart Mode. This saves your download preferences and loads them automatically. Click the lightbulb icon at the top right and next time you paste a URL into 4K Video Downloader, it will be downloaded instantly with the last settings you used.

DOWNLOAD YOUTUBE VIDEOS TO AN ANDROID DEVICE

1. Install TubeMate

TubeMate is one of the most popular tool for downloading YouTube videos on Android smartphones, and with good reason: it’s really easy to use and has the features you need without any bells and whistles you don’t.

The TubeMate video downloader isn’t available on the Google Play Store (Google isn’t too keen on YouTube downloaders), so first of all you’ll need to allow your Android device to install and run apps downloaded from other places. Be cautious when you turn on this setting, as you’ll want to make sure you only download apps you know are safe.

Open up ‘Settings’ and go to ‘Security’. Scroll down and next to where it says ‘Unknown sources’, tap the toggle to turn this setting on. Now, on your Android device visit the TubeMate YouTube Downloader website and select one of the verified sites to download it from.

2. Choose a video to download

You might see a warning message about downloading APK files, so click ‘OK’ to allow it. Once TubeMate has downloaded, run the file and tap ‘Install’, then tap ‘Open’. You’ll then be informed which permissions the video downloader needs to run. If you’re happy to proceed, let it go ahead and the app will launch.

TubeMate looks much like the official YouTube Android app, with a black background. Search for a video and begin playing it, then tap the red ‘Download’ button that appears at the bottom right.

3. Download the video

The next thing you’ll see is a list of formats. You’ll see video and audio formats and different quality and resolution options for each. If you have a high-end device then by all means download the highest possible quality versions, but remember that the higher the resolution the bigger the file: if your phone or tablet doesn’t have much free space, YouTube videos will soon fill it up.

When you’re happy, tap the red ‘Download’ button again. The video will download in the background, so you can keep using your phone as normal – though downloading videos uses a lot of juice and might make your batter run down faster.

You can also add YouTube videos to a queue to download later. This handy if you’re currently using 4G and want to wait until you have Wi-Fi before downloading any large files.

DOWNLOAD YOUTUBE VIDEOS TO AN IPHONE

The process of downloading YouTube clips is very slightly different depending on which Apple OS you’re on. If you’re using iOS on an iPhone, iPad or iPod touch then you’ll need our first method, and if you’re using OS X or MacOS on a Mac you’ll need the second.

On iOS, the trick is to install a clever little app called Documents. It’s a file manager, but it also happens to be able to download YouTube clips too. The process is a little fiddly but still straightforward.

First of all, find the clip you want to download in the YouTube app for iOS or in Safari. Once you’ve found it, tap the ‘Share’ icon and then ‘Copy Link’.

Open Documents and look for its web browser icon, which is the little compass at the bottom right of the display. Tap on that and go to savefrom.net. Paste the address of the YouTube clip in the big input box, choose the quality options you prefer and the file will start to download.

When it’s finished it’ll appear in Documents’ downloads section, from which you can drag it over ‘Photos > Camera Roll’ so it’s available from outside the Documents5 app.