Skip to content
Ref » Home » Blog » Technology » Computing

How To Download YouTube Videos | 10 Topmost Best Simple Steps

You can Download YouTube Videos in seconds or minutes through these simple step-by-step downloader versions for free. After all, YouTube has been a popular source of videos, music, and movies. And having a better means to download YouTube videos is an added advantage. It’s, important to realize, that the YouTube app offers an “Offline” feature to play videos.

More so, when you’re not connected to the internet, although not all videos are eligible for it. This is why you may look up how to download YouTube videos without any software, right? And, that’s how you stumbled upon this page. Well, I am glad to inform you that you’ve reached the right place. As in that case, we’re going to discuss full step-by-step guidelines.

Especially, on how to download YouTube videos without any software! And, therefore, without much further ado, let’s get started and explore some of these simple methods together. Shall we?

Should You Use Software To Download YouTube Videos?

In the year 2005, YouTube launched its first video “Met at the Zoo.” Since then it has gained popularity and it is still continuously growing as millions of people are using it and is also supported by various communities. It becomes quite irritating when you have to buffer a video again and again. It was never so easy to download videos from YouTube.

Whether, it is an informative video, a tutorial, or your favorite music. But, those days are gone when you have to search for videos when you have to gain some insights or show them to your friends or relatives. When you search on Google, you will come across thousands of free and paid software through which you can download YouTube videos.

There may be a risk in doing so as downloading software may also get viruses into your system. Or, at times, the process is too complex that you cannot achieve download your favorite YouTube videos. So, it is highly recommended not to use any unknown software. With the online tools below a novice or an expert can download YouTube videos without any app.

YouTube studio is the basement for YouTubers to upload and track their videos for some newbies who might not know how to use YouTube Manager. If you happen to be one of them, check this article to read and learn more about Everything You Need To Know About YouTube Video Manager >> in full and elaborate details first.

How To Download YouTube Videos Without Any Software

Here, we’ll cover how you can download and save YouTube videos, on both mobile and desktop devices, to ensure you’re never without that quick entertainment fix when you need it.

Disclaimer: According to Google’s Terms of Service for YouTube, “You shall not download any Content unless you see a ‘download’ or similar link displayed by YouTube on the Service for that Content.” If you want to share a video, YouTube offers a variety of super-easy methods beyond downloading.

Such as embedding, emailing, and sharing on social media. If you absolutely must download a video, make sure it’s strictly for your own personal use. Or you risk violating a number of privacy and copyright laws. Not to mention, taking ad revenue away from people who depend on YouTube for a living.

When it comes to downloading YouTube videos without any software, online tools stand as the most suitable option. You not only can access them across any platform, be it Windows, Mac, or Android. But also utilize them to get hold of your favorite YouTube video, when there’s no internet available, by downloading it.

For this purpose, we have brought proven ways with step-by-step guidelines on how to download YouTube videos without any software. So, below are some of the topmost best tools that you can use to Download YouTube Videos for free. Feel free to check them out to decide the best option for you.

1. VLC

VLC runs on both Windows and Mac computers. If you’re using a Mac, make sure you have Mac OS X 10.7 or newer. The tool makes it easy to take your favorite videos offline and save them for viewing in any file format: MPEG-2, MPEG-4, WMV, MP3, MP4, and more.

How to get things right:
  1. Download VLC, or another open-source media player
  2. Open VLC and click “Open Media”
  3. Click “Network” and paste YouTube URL
  4. If using Mac, select “Window” and then “Media Information”
  5. If using Windows, select “Tools” and then “Codec Information”
  6. Find the “Location” bar at the bottom and copy that URL
  7. Paste that URL into your browser
  8. Right-click the video and select “Save Video As”
  9. Name the file and save it to the desired location

2. MP4 Downloader Pro

MP4 Downloader Pro is a free video downloader that allows you to download YouTube videos in bulk. You can also prompt the tool to shut down your computer after your files have finished downloading. It’s a helpful piece of software for people who need to download lots of video content at once.

3. Freemake 

Technically, the Freemake Video Downloader was built with YouTube videos in mind. You can save videos, playlists, and entire YouTube channels to which you subscribe right to your desktop. Freemake downloads YouTube videos in the most common file formats today: MP3, MP4, AVI, FLV, and more.

4. ClipConverter

ClipConverter is a choice for YouTubers who’d rather not download a tool to their computer. It’s a website that delivers an offline version of your desired YouTube video via the video’s URL. Just enter the URL of your video, hit “Continue,” select the file type you want, and click “Download.” You can select from these mirror sites: ClipConverter.cc, ClipConverter.cx, or even use their ClipConverter app to get results much more easily and quickly.

5. 4K Video Downloader

Compatible with both Windows and Mac, this free 4K Video Downloader converts YouTube videos with just the video’s URL. Copy the YouTube link from your browser into this tool, and 4K Video Downloader will create an offline playlist of videos for you. The software produces videos in MP4, MKV, M4A, MP3, FLV, and 3GP file formats.

6. YouTubeMP4

YouTubeMP4 is an online tool that is one of the easiest ways to download YouTube videos without any software. You can also preview the video that you love from YouTube before downloading it and that too, without any hassles.

7. SaveTube

Next, I have SaveTube online tool to download YouTube videos without any software. The tool is quite easy to use and even beginners can use it without any fuss. Simply use the steps below to download your favorite YouTube video.

Step 1: Check your YouTube Video URL.

Step 2: After “www.” Add “SS” to your link.

Note: Another substitute for the above step is you can add “kiss” in place of “SS”.

Step 3: As you press “Enter” you will be redirected to SaveTube.

Step 4: Now, select the resolution and download the video.

8. Savefrom.net

Savefrom.net is yet another free tool with which you can directly download YouTube videos. It also supports websites like Daily Motion, Facebook, and Vimeo. This is one of the best things you will come across. By using Savefrom.net helper add-ons you can easily download YouTube videos.

Step 1: Just add the plugin to your web browser. Visit the official site and tap Add to Chrome, then under your videos, you can see the download button.

Step 2: Once you have installed the plugin, restart the browser for seeing the Download button.

9. Catchvideo

Last but not least, you can also make use of Catchvideo. It is one of the best online Youtube video-downloading websites. For using this, you will have to follow the steps mentioned below:

1: Copy the URL of the video to be downloaded.

2: Paste the URL into the site’s bar.

3: Select the video quality.

4: On top of the page, you will be seeing the Quick Download button, press that, or Press Catch.

10. BitDownloader

The next YouTube downloader is by BitDownlaoder. This online medium lets the users download videos not just from YouTube but other websites too like Vimeo, Facebook, Instagram, etc.

Also, if you want a video without sound, this online downloader has the option for the same too. This free website is completely safe and reliable to use and you can easily get your favorite video with you when your priority is to download YouTube videos without any software.

Let’s get to know how you can download YouTube videos with BitDownloader.

Step 1: There is little to no dissimilarity that has the steps of this tool and the aforementioned one. Just visit YouTube to get the link to the video copied as the first step.

Step 2: Now, get to the official website of this online platform and paste the link in the search box. Either press the Enter key on the keyboard or tap the “Download” button.

Step 3: In addition, multiple formats and quality for the videos will be shown to you. You can right-click on the “Download” button and select “Save As/Download” to get the video.

Download MP4 From YouTube 

1. Download VLC, or another open-source media player

For the sake of time in this example, we downloaded VLC to illustrate, you can find this free product here to have it running in your system. Click the link and follow VLC’s download instructions and then proceed with the next steps.

2. Open VLC and select “Open Media”

Below, you’ll see the homepage of VLC once you download the program to your computer. Select “Open media…” on the bottom right.

3. Click “Network” and paste your YouTube URL

Basically, navigate over to YouTube and grab the URL of the YouTube video you’d like to download from the address bar at the top of your browser. You can simply copy this URL to your clipboard by typing Control+C on a Windows computer or Command+C on a Mac.

Then, return to the VLC media player, click “Network” along the top menu bar and paste in the URL of the YouTube video you copied above. You can do this by typing Control+V on a Windows computer or Command+V on a Mac.

4. If using Mac, Select “Window” and then “Media Information”

In the top navigation bar of your Mac computer, click “Window” and select “Media information…” from the dropdown.

5. If using Windows, select “Tools” and then “Codec Information”

This step will retrieve the same information as in the step for Mac users above. You’ll see this information in the next step.

6. Find the “Location” bar at the bottom, and copy the URL

See that long string of text highlighted in white at the bottom? Copy it to your clipboard (Control+C for Windows or Command+C for Mac).

7. Paste the URL into your browser

Return to your internet browser and open a new tab. Paste the text that’s currently copied onto your clipboard into your address bar. This will open an MP4 version of your YouTube video that you can actually save to your desktop.

8. Right-click the video, and click “Save Video As”

Right-click (or control+click on your Mac’s trackpad) the enlarged YouTube video that appears. Click “Save Video As” and select your Desktop as the video file’s destination.

9. Name the file and save it to the desired location

Above all, hit the save button and see your newly downloaded YouTube video on your desktop. Then transport downloaded MP4 to Mobile Phone. This might not be the “official” solution, but if you want that same MP4 video on your phone, you can email it to yourself and open it up as an attachment, and you’re good to go!

Download MP3 From YouTube On The Desktop

Sometimes, all you need is the audio of a YouTube video — especially if it’s new music. That’s where MP3 files come in. Want to download an MP3 version of a YouTube video to your desktop? GenYouTube is the easiest and quickest way to convert YouTube videos to MP3 audio downloads, particularly because you can do it from the YouTube video.

Here’s how to go about it:
  1. Find a video on YouTube you want to convert.
  2. In the URL, add the word “gen” right before the word YouTube (e.g. http.://www.genyoutube.com/watch?…)
  3. This URL will lead you to the same video on the GenYouTube page. Scroll down the page, and see your options for audio and video formats (including 3GP, WEBM, MP4, and M4A).
  4. Select “MP3” to immediately start the download.

You can also visit the GenYouTube website from your mobile phone, and download it from there.

Option 1 (search from YouTube): 

Option Two (search from GenYouTube … then follow the same instructions as above):

That’s it! You’re all set to listen and watch your favorite YouTube videos wherever, and whenever, you want.

Pro Tips to Download Your Video Successfully

Tip 1: Stable Network Connectivity: Connecting your PC/device to a stable Wi-Fi network source, while downloading the video, ensures proper connectivity between your PC/device and the server.

Tip 2: Inspect for bloatware/crapware being pushed along: Not forgetting, ensure not to use any of the tools that push unwanted crapware along with downloading the video. Therefore, inspecting a Lil’ more about the online YouTube Downloader tool is recommended. After all, you can rely on the aforementioned tools as they do not push bloatware along with the requested video.

Tip 3: Feasibility across devices: By all means, when you’re in a situation where you can access a computer immediately, you can always make use of the aforementioned online tools over your smartphone devices to download the desired YouTube video.

Notably, whether it’s VLC, Freemake, or even MP4 Downloader Pro, they are all great options for downloading an MP4 video from YouTube to your desktop.

You can read and learn more about:
  1. How to Reverse Search a Video >>
  2. Should I Use Software to Download YouTube Videos?
  3. How to Download YouTube Videos without Any Software: Step-by-Step Tutorial
  4. Bonus: Download YouTube Videos Easily on Firefox/Opera
  5. Pro Tips to Download Your Video Successfully

Important Note:

If you are finding video editing software to edit a YouTube video, I recommend you try a versatile video editing app like Wondershare Filmora to edit videos on Windows PC and Mac which offers both basic and advanced video editing features.

Creating a video in Filmora doesn’t require a developed set of video editing skills, since all of the tools and options the editor offers are remarkably easy to use. It’s important to realize, Wondershare Filmora offers a free full version 9 download which is Portable for Windows PC. Whereby, it is an all-in-one home video editor.

It comes with advanced controls allowing you to put together your timeline photos, videos, texts, and even audio. You can read and learn more about that in this article so as to gather more details.

More Related Resource Articles


Explore Blog Tags:


Get Free Updates!