YouTube Video Downloader

A YouTube video downloader for videos you are allowed to keep

This free YouTube video downloader turns a video link into a file on your device: paste the URL, confirm the preview, and save the video as MP4 or grab just the audio track. Nothing to install, no browser extension, no Google sign-in.

It is built for people with a legitimate reason to keep an offline copy: creators who lost the original export of their own upload, teachers who need a Creative Commons clip to play in a classroom with unreliable Wi-Fi, or a small business that wants its own promo video in a local archive.

What you may download, and what you should not

Please read this before you paste a link. YouTube's Terms of Service restrict downloading unless YouTube shows a download option or you have permission from the rights holder, and copyright law applies no matter which tool you use. Good uses look like this:

• Your own videos – anything you uploaded to your channel, including unlisted videos.
• Creative Commons content – videos the creator has explicitly released under a CC license. Follow the license terms, which usually means crediting the creator.
• Public domain material – for example, many works produced by US federal agencies.
• Videos you have permission for – a client video you produced, or a family recording a relative uploaded and agreed you can keep.

Do not use this tool to re-upload someone else's work, to rip music from official music videos, or to get around paid or members-only access.

How to download a YouTube video as MP4

1. Open the video on YouTube and copy its full link from the address bar, or use Share → Copy link. Both youtube.com/watch?v=… and youtu.be/… links work.
2. Paste the link into the box at the top of this page and click Get Video Info.
3. Check the preview: title, thumbnail, channel name, and duration. If any of these look wrong, you copied the wrong link.
4. Choose the MP4 video download or the audio-only download.
5. Wait for the download to start. Your browser saves the file to its usual downloads location (the Files app on iPhone, the Downloads folder on Android and desktop).

What you actually get

The MP4 option fetches the best-quality version available for that video. When YouTube offers a direct stream, the download starts almost immediately; otherwise our downloader service has to prepare the file first, which takes longer for long videos. The audio option saves the sound track only, usually as an M4A file. The exact format depends on what YouTube makes available for that video.

There is no manual resolution picker, and this page does not promise 4K or 8K, whole playlists, or subtitle files. If you need those for your own channel, YouTube Studio lets you download your own uploads directly.

When a link will not work

• Private, age-restricted, members-only, or region-blocked videos usually fail, because they cannot be opened without a signed-in account.
• Live streams cannot be saved while they are live. Wait until the stream has ended and YouTube has processed it as a regular video.
• Shorts: if a youtube.com/shorts/… link fails, copy the ID at the end and try youtube.com/watch?v= followed by that ID.
• Playlist links: a link containing &list= points at a playlist. Remove that part so only the single video remains.
• Cut-off links: links copied from chat apps are sometimes truncated. Copy the link again from YouTube itself.
• Temporary errors: YouTube changes how it delivers video from time to time. If a link that worked yesterday fails today, try again later.

Privacy: where the processing happens

Unlike most of our PDF tools, this one does not run entirely in your browser. The link you paste goes to our server, which asks our downloader service for the video details and the available streams. The file then comes either straight from YouTube's video servers or from our downloader service. We never ask for your Google account, and you should not give your Google password to any downloader site.

Online downloader vs. desktop app vs. browser extension

Other platforms: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook and X

The same box also accepts public links from TikTok, Instagram posts and Reels, Facebook videos and Reels, and X (Twitter) posts with video. The preview card shows which platform it detected, and the download buttons work the same way. Douyin and Bilibili links are not supported right now. For platform-by-platform tips, read the online video downloader guide for every platform.

Related tools

Promoting your own video offline? Make a printable code that opens it with the QR Code Generator. Need a quick voice-over for your next upload? Try Text to Speech.

Frequently asked questions

Is it legal to download YouTube videos?

It depends on the video and your rights to it. Saving your own uploads, Creative Commons videos (within the license), or public domain material is generally fine. Downloading copyrighted videos without permission can break both YouTube's terms and copyright law, so only save what you are allowed to keep.

Can I choose 1080p or 4K?

No. The tool downloads the best version it can access for that video, and there is no quality menu. Do not expect 4K or 8K files.

Can I download only the audio as MP3?

The audio-only option usually gives you an M4A file. It plays in iTunes/Music, VLC, Windows Media Player, and on most phones. If you specifically need MP3, convert the M4A with an audio converter afterwards.

Does it work on iPhone and Android?

Yes, it runs in a mobile browser. On iPhone, Safari saves downloads to the Files app (Downloads folder) rather than to Photos; from Files you can share the video to Photos.

Can I download a whole playlist or the subtitles?

No. One video per link, and subtitles are not included. Paste each video link separately.

Do I need to install anything or create an account?

No. Paste a link and download. No software, no extension, no sign-up.