YouTube is the most popular video platform in the world, but it does not allow you to download videos directly, unless you use YouTube Premium. However, there are external tools that allow you to save videos to your device for offline viewing.
Next, we explain how to download YouTube videos in different formats and safely.
📌 Step 1: Copy the video link
To download a YouTube video, you first need to get its link. Follow these steps:
- Open the YouTube application on your mobile or access it from a browser on your computer.
- Find the video you want to download.
- Press the “Share” button (usually represented by an arrow icon).
- Select the “Copy link” option. This will save the video URL to your clipboard.
If you’re on a computer, you can copy the URL directly from the browser’s address bar.
🌎 Step 2: Choose a reliable download website
Since YouTube does not allow direct downloading of videos (except on YouTube Premium), you will need to use a third-party service. To do it safely:
- Open your web browser (Google Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Edge, etc.).
- Type in Google: “Download YouTube videos in MP4”.
- Choose a reliable platform like [name of site] or something similar.
- Make sure the site has good reviews and does not contain malware or invasive ads.
- Some sites allow you to select different download formats, such as MP4 (video) or MP3 (audio).
There are also apps and browser extensions that make this process easier if you download videos frequently.
📥 Step 3: Download the video to your device
Once you have selected a suitable tool, follow these steps:
- Open the download website you chose.
- Paste the video link in the download bar.
- Press the “Download” button and wait while the video processes.
- If the site offers quality options, choose the resolution you prefer (for example, 720p, 1080p, or even 4K).
- Save the video to your phone’s gallery or your computer’s downloads folder.
In some cases, the download may start automatically or you need to right-click and select “Save video as…”.
✅ Additional Tips
- Some videos may be protected by copyright: Do not use downloaded videos without permission from the creator, especially if you plan to share them.
- Consider using YouTube Premium: With this subscription, you can download videos legally and without ads within the app.
- Some download pages can be risky: Avoid sites with too many pop-up ads or that ask for unnecessary permissions on your device.
- Check the format before downloading: If you only need the audio, you can download the video in MP3 format instead of MP4.
- Clean your browser after downloading: Some downloading tools may leave cookies or temporary files on your device.
