How can I download videos to my computer for free?

YouTube has billions of videos available for streaming, but sometimes, you might want to download some of them for offline viewing. 

However, there's no download button that allows you to save them onto your computer. This is odd, considering that the YouTube mobile app allows you to download videos on your smartphone and watch them offline.

Luckily, you can use third-party services – of which they're dozens – to download videos from YouTube.

Important: Many videos on YouTube are copyrighted; this means that it's illegal to download them from YouTube without paying the creator. Before you download anything, check if it's legal to do so. And don't use anything you've downloaded to make yourself money or otherwise violate a copyright.

Here are the two ways to download YouTube videos on your computer.

How to download YouTube videos using VLC Media player

VLC Media Player is a free app that lets you watch videos or play music from your Mac or PC. There's a chance you might already have it installed on your computer.

And although it'll take a few minutes, you can use it to download any YouTube video.

1. Find the video you want to download off YouTube and copy its URL.

Quick tip: You can copy text by highlighting it and pressing Control + C on a PC or Command + C on a Mac.

2. Open VLC. If you're on a PC, click Media in the top menu, and then Open Network Stream. If you're on a Mac, click File in the top menu, and then Open Network.

3. In the pop-up that appears, select the Network tab and paste the YouTube video's URL in the text box at top, and then click Play or Open at the bottom.

Quick tip: You can paste text you've copied by pressing Ctrl + V on a PC or Command + V on a Mac.

4. After a moment, the YouTube video will begin playing. A longer YouTube video will take longer to open.

5. If you're on a PC, click Tools in the top menu, and then Media Information. If you're on a Mac, click Window in the top menu, and then Media Information.

6. In the Media Information" pop-up, there will be a Location text box at the bottom. Double-click the URL in this text box to select it, and then copy it.

7. Go back to your web browser and paste that link into the URL text box at the top of the screen, and then hit the Enter key on a PC or Return key on a Mac.

8. You'll be brought to a page with just the video playing. Click on the three vertical dots in the bottom right corner, and then click Download.

The video will download onto your computer as an .MP4 file. You can name it or move it wherever you like.

How to download YouTube videos using the WinX or MacX YouTube Downloader

WinX and MacX are a whole suite of programs, each of which is made for downloading videos from different sources. The WinX and MacX YouTube Downloaders, as the names suggest, are meant for downloading YouTube videos.

1. Go to the WinX website and download the application. If you're on a Mac, go to the MacX download page instead.

2. Once the program is installed, open it and click Add Url in the top left corner.

3. Paste the link to the YouTube video in the text box at the top and then click Analyze on the right. 

Note: You need to include the entire URL — including the "https" that's likely at the start.

4. The app will check the video to see how high quality it is. Once done, you'll be offered a variety of file types to download it in.

5. Select the version of the video that you want, and then click Download Selected Videos or Done in the bottom-right.

6. On the next page, click Download now.

Your videos will download in the format you asked for, and be saved to your computer's Videos or Movies folder.

Quick tip: If you have the paid "Pro" version of WinX or MacX, once the video's been downloaded, you can also click the Convert to MP3 option to get just the audio.

How to download YouTube videos on mobile

The easiest way to watch YouTube videos offline is to download them on your smartphone using the mobile app.

1. Open the YouTube app on your Android or iOS device.

2. Find the video you want to download for offline viewing.

3. Tap the Download button.

Quick tip: To view the downloaded video in the YouTube mobile app, tap Library in the bottom left corner of the screen and then on Downloads. Then, tap the video you downloaded in the Your Downloads section to watch it.