In some cases you may need to download a video from YouTube, for example:

• To review someone else’s video;
• to save a live broadcast;
• to take fragments and use them in your video (without copyright infringement);
• add your own or someone else’s video to another platform;
• to save to a PC or gadget and then rewatch.

In this article we’ll tell you what services and programs you can use to download YouTube videos to your PC or phone for free.

To computer

1. 4K Video Downloader

This is a multifunctional application for Windows, macOS and Linux. It allows you to download videos and audio from YouTube, Vimeo, TikTok, SoundCloud, Flickr, Facebook, Instagram, DailyMotion, Likee and Tumblr. You can also download streams from Twitch and YouTube Gaming.

To download videos, go to https://www.4kdownload.com/ru/products/product-videodownloader – download and install the 4K Video Downloader on your PC.

Then, go to YouTube and copy the link to the video you want to download. The copied link will be automatically added to the program from the clipboard – you do not need to press Cmd+V/Ctrl+V. After that, a window appears with the download settings.

After specifying the necessary parameters of the video to be downloaded, click “Download” and select a location for saving the video on your PC.

Besides individual videos, you can also download whole playlists and all YouTube videos, save subtitles and annotations, download 3D videos and 360° videos.

Savefrom.net.

This site allows you to download videos from several resources, including Instagram, VKontakte, Facebook.

To download a video, go to YouTube, copy the address of the desired video. Then paste this link in the service, choose the desired resolution and format and click “Download”.

Another way to get the video from Savefrom.net is to put two letters ss after www and before youtube in the YouTube video line. Then hit Enter and you will be redirected to the service site.

3. Ummy Video Downloader

This is a program for Windows that allows you to download videos from YouTube and RuTube in a couple of clicks. It has several quality options, for example, you can save a video in HD with sound or only audio in mp3. To download, open the program on your PC and paste the link to the YouTube video.

You can choose the video quality right away, e.g. MP4 1080 FullHD, MP3 or other. When you have chosen, click download.

By default, videos are saved in the default folder on the C drive, but you can customize your saving path by clicking on the gear icon. Then Settings.

Choose the saving path, and at the same time, you can check the box “Always ask for save location” (in case you change your mind) and select the default video quality.

Programs are usually faster than online services, it’s convenient to use them for uploading large number of videos.

4. Clipconverter

This service is good for downloading videos in 2K and 4K quality. The principle is similar to the two previous services – find the video on YouTube, copy the link and paste it into the Clipconverter site line. Then choose the format, for example, MP4 and click “Continue”.

You have to choose the quality of the video, and then click “Start”. And then “Download”.

P.S. Sometimes the service slows down and you need to click twice.

5. y2mate

Service with Russian language support, download on the same principle – insert link to video, choose format, press button “Download”. Several formats to choose from, you can download as video or audio. The maximum quality is 1080 pixels. The service has an extension for your browser.

6. noTube

YouTube video converter, maximum quality – 1080 pixels. Formats: MP3, MP4, MP4 HD, 3GP, FKV, M4A. Copy and paste link, press OK.

The service immediately redirects us to another page that prompts us to sign up for push mailings. It doesn’t say this directly, of course, but you have to supposedly confirm that you are not a robot. We close this page quietly.

On the download page we also see an offer to subscribe and are asked to click “Allow”. Since we need videos, but not incomprehensible newsletters, we click “Block” or just ignore this window. To get the video, we press the green button “Download.

7. VDyoutube

VDyoutube allows you to download video with the maximum quality of 720 pixels with sound, 4K quality is available without sound. Besides YouTube, there are other services – Vimeo, VKontakte, Facebook. There are a lot more of them, but some of them disappear from the site (appear crossed out in the list), apparently due to changes in them.

Go to the site, insert a link to the video, click “GO!

Here you can see the details of the video, who uploaded it, when, how long it lasts, how many likes and views it has. At the same time, you can share the video on social networks.

The author’s other videos are displayed below, which is very convenient – you don’t have to go back to YouTube to find another video, copy/paste the link again. Find the video you want without leaving the service.

Under each video there are a huge number of quality options, with or without sound. More than our competitors.

8. preSaver

Minimalistic online service. There is nothing extra in it. Insert the link, click on the red button with an arrow.

There is only one format – MP4 and two types of quality – 360 pixels and 720 HD. Unfortunately, there is no resolution of 1080, much less 4K. You can’t download the video in audio format either, but there are other services for that. But there are no redirections to other sites and attempts to impose push-notifications under the guise of anti-spam check – video is downloaded immediately, you only need to click on the “Download” button with the selected format.

9. YTcutter

This online service is interesting because you can cut the necessary fragment of video or make a screenshot. For example, the video lasts 15 minutes, but you need a piece of 20 seconds. You don’t need to download the whole video and then cut it in the editor – you can get the desired fragment in YTcutter.

What else can the program: export video to audio or animated GIF, make screenshots of video. Works without registration, although it is possible to authorize on the site.

Copy the address of the video and paste it into the service bar. You need to wait a while until the video is loaded (the first few seconds to half a minute nothing happens).

Then the video is uploaded and you can choose the beginning and the end to trim it. As well as the format of saving – video, GIF, audio file, screenshot. When everything is set up, we click “Download.

10. Browser Extensions

In addition to online services and programs for your PC, you can use extensions for Chrome and other browsers. However, Google does not like these plug-ins, and they often disappear from the official Chrome store or stop being supported. You have to look for your favorite extensions from other sources, such as addoncrop.com. Or look for an alternative among the ones that haven’t been removed yet. Some developers of online services immediately release browser extensions and post them on their site.

In the Chrome Web Store, such plugins can be found by the keywords YouTube or Video downloader/saver/cutter.

Not bad extensions from the Chrome store:

• YouTube Video Downloader;
• y2mate (there is also an online service);
• Video Downloader professional;
• Video Downloader Pro;
• Video Downloader Plus.

On your phone

The official YouTube app

To download videos to your phone, all you need to have the latest version of the YouTube app – it has such a function. Under the video, find the “Download” button, press it.

Choose the resolution of the video – 720 or 360 pixels and download. The only drawback is that this feature is available in YouTube Premium, which means that it’s essentially a paid service.

Free social video downloader app

Who is not subscribed to YouTube Premium can use the application Free social video downloader.

Go into the application, choose from where to download the video – in addition to YouTube, there are Instagram and Facebook.

Find the video you want and click on the orange download button.  In very low quality you can download immediately, in medium quality (360 pixels) with viewing ads, for downloading high quality videos we are offered a trial version of the paid tariff.

Through the application you can download videos in audio format and in MP4 with a resolution up to 1080 pixels. The premium version costs about $2.5.

Conclusion

When downloading someone else’s video, keep in mind copyright and the rules of fair use of other people’s content. If you decide to take snippets of someone else’s video for your own work – you need the author’s permission, a link to the source or the rights to use it. This rule does not cover royalty free video clips where the author allows using his own videos without any limitations. But this applies more to video stacks than to YouTube.