This is not a method that allows you to, say, watch a video using different software such as the VLC Media Player or Plex. It is more akin to the download feature found on mobile apps for Netflix and Hulu, which makes a streaming video available to watch later using your local storage using the app's interface only. The biggest issue is, this feature doesn't really download a video to save on your computer forever. There's one limitation with quality: All the video you download is limited to 1080p quality max or lower.

Now available for subscribers of YouTube Premium-the paid version of YouTube that allows you to watch without ads-are video downloads-kind of. (Especially if you're not really buying.) YouTube Premium Downloads The programs, services, and sites in this story are all free of spam and virus problems as of this writing, but caveat emptor-let the buyer beware. If there's even a whiff of it, even a PUP, it's out.

Not collect your personal data beyond your email address.

Output to MP3 for audio (or offer companion software that does so).

Download entire playlists or channels in a batch (on YouTube), at least with a paid version.

Work with the top three video sites: YouTube, Facebook, and Vimeo.

To prevent this from becoming a laundry list of programs and sites that can download YouTube videos, we came up with a few rules for inclusion. The same goes for the helper websites-a change in a site's ad network can also create issues with malware. Some of those changes are not always pleasant, such as software so full of 'extras,' it gets flagged as malware by antivirus tools. Note: This story is updated frequently, as the tools involved change regularly. If you must download a YouTube video-absolutely need to, just for yourself, and not for dissemination, and not to be a jerk-here's how. You simply do not need to download a video most of the time.īut you have your reasons. If you want to share a video, YouTube and most other video sites make it easy, from embedding to emailing to sharing via social networks.

Obviously, stealing videos from YouTube is a big no-no. There's a reason YouTube runs ads: People make a living this way. Watching YouTube videos offline through unofficial channels takes money from Google and video creators.

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