There are few things as boring as being without internet access for eight hours. Intercontinental flights, train journeys without Wi-Fi, power outages, camping trips that drag on longer than we’d like…
Many times we would love to relax a little by watching our favorite YouTube videos, but it is impossible… unless we have been forward-thinking enough to download the YouTube video beforehand.
Did you think YouTube could only be used online? Not at all. If you want to prepare your phone for the end of the world—or for a two-hour flight—we’re going to show you all the secrets of downloading YouTube videos.
Can YouTube videos be downloaded?
Although you might not see a download button on YouTube if you have a free Gmail account, there are several ways to download YouTube videos to your PC. After all, the videos need to reach your device to be viewed, and saving them permanently to your storage is just a small step. All you need are the right tools.
Broadly speaking, however, it’s helpful to distinguish between two main types of YouTube video downloads. On the one hand, you have downloads integrated into YouTube Premium, and on the other, you have downloads you can perform using external applications. Let’s look at their differences before showing you how to download YouTube videos.
Differences between YouTube Premium downloads and external downloads
YouTube itself offers a video download button on its platform, so there are many videos you can download without installing any third-party tools. However, YouTube Premium still limits what you can save, especially when it comes to restricted or private uploads. If you need options such as how to download private YouTube videos when you already have viewing access, third-party applications are often the only workable solution. Each of these download methods has its own advantages and disadvantages.
- YouTube Premium downloads. The main advantage of YouTube Premium is that you don’t need to install anything to do them. You simply tap a download button that appears on YouTube itself.
- Downloads from sources other than YouTube. Third-party applications allow you to download any YouTube video without needing a YouTube Premium subscription. Furthermore, tools like Wondershare UniConverter let you convert the video to other formats and configure parameters such as bitrate or frame rate.
Why should you download videos from YouTube?
If you only use YouTube casually to watch the occasional video, then using it online will suffice. However, there are many instances where downloading videos to store on a computer or mobile device is advantageous, whether for professional or personal use.
Professional projects
As you can probably imagine, professional video editors and influencers who comment on the work of other popular accounts need to download YouTube videos to work with them using editing software. These types of users are the ones who most commonly use external tools to download videos, because these applications give you maximum control over video quality.
Personal use
On the other hand, many YouTube users also choose to download videos to their devices for personal use. This is an ideal solution, for example, if you want to enjoy your favorite YouTuber’s content before a long-haul flight, or if you don’t have a large data plan and prefer to download videos using Wi-Fi to watch later wherever you go.
Anticipate video deletion
You’ve probably noticed that online content isn’t permanent. Social media accounts and even entire websites can disappear overnight, so if there are YouTube videos you really love, it’s wise to anticipate any unexpected content removal. Being proactive and downloading YouTube videos to your devices will ensure you never lose your favorites, no matter what happens.
Sound extraction
Finally, third-party YouTube video download tools also allow you to download only the audio from those videos. This is ideal if you want to save the music from a video in MP3 format to listen to offline, or if you want to enjoy an audiobook without having to keep the YouTube app open and draining your phone’s battery. And of course, it’s also a great solution for professionals.
How to download YouTube videos with YouTube Premium?
If all you want is to save videos within the YouTube app to watch offline later, then the download button offered by YouTube Premium might be sufficient. This button works similarly to the download feature offered by Spotify and is quite easy to use if you have a YouTube Premium account.
The steps to follow for this type of download are:
- Access your YouTube Premium account.
- Go to the video you want to download.
- Press the ‘Download’ button that you will see in the video settings.
That’s it! The process is very simple, and in just a few minutes, you’ll have the video downloaded to your device to watch offline whenever you want.
Advantages and disadvantages of downloading YouTube Premium
Keep in mind, however, that this type of download isn’t useful for professional projects because it doesn’t allow you to extract the video to formats like MP4 or MOV for use in other applications. Your video will simply be saved on the YouTube platform itself for offline viewing later, for example, while traveling.
✔ It allows you to watch videos offline later.
✔ You don’t need external software to download the videos.
✔ The download process only requires pressing a button.
✖ Videos cannot be exported to other formats.
✖ You can only view the videos from YouTube itself.
✖ Not all videos can be downloaded.
✖ You need to pay for your YouTube Premium subscription for it to work.
How to download YouTube videos with Wondershare UniConverter?
As you can see, the option to download YouTube videos directly from the platform is quite limited. If you need to use YouTube videos more effectively, then what you need is a more comprehensive third-party application designed to download YouTube videos to MP4 without the limitations of YouTube Premium.
To download YouTube videos with Wondershare UniConverter, do the following:
- Open Wondershare UniConverter.
- Go to the ‘Downloader’ option that you will see in the left side menu.
- Paste the URL of the YouTube video you want to download.
- If you want, adjust values such as output format, bitrate, or framerate for your download.
- Press the ‘Download’ button and wait for the download to complete.
Once it’s complete, the YouTube video you wanted will be saved in your device’s downloads folder. It’s that easy! Now you can use it with any video player and video any editing app.
Advantages and disadvantages of downloading UniConverter
Wondershare UniConverter gives you much greater flexibility when working with YouTube videos. With this type of download, you’ll no longer depend on the YouTube app to view downloaded videos, and you’ll also have the option to adjust the output format or compression level.
✔ You can download any YouTube video, not just some.
✔ You can choose the format in which you want to save your video.
✔ You can adjust the ‘bitrate’, ‘framerate’ and other values of the final file.
✔ Videos can be edited or played back with any compatible application.
✔ You don’t need to pay for a YouTube Premium subscription.
✖ This method is not integrated into the YouTube interface itself.
Downloading YouTube videos is easier than you think
Think of all the great content on YouTube: catchy songs, life-saving tutorials, fascinating audiobooks… Relying on an internet connection to access all of this isn’t the best idea, especially if you’re going on a long trip or suddenly experience a power outage lasting several hours. That’s why it’s useful to know how to download YouTube videos to MP4 in just a few clicks.
While there is a rudimentary option to download YouTube videos through a YouTube Premium subscription, this method is very expensive and impractical. The best option is to save YouTube videos as MP4 files using an external converter like Wondershare UniConverter, so you can enjoy your favorite content anytime, anywhere. What are you waiting for? Equip yourself with the best software for downloading YouTube videos today!
