How to Download YouTube Videos: The Complete Guide
Step-by-step guide to downloading any YouTube video as MP4 or MP3 on desktop, Android or iPhone. No apps, no sign-up, no watermark.
Downloading a YouTube video is one of those things everyone needs at some point — for watching offline on a flight, saving a tutorial before it disappears, or keeping music for the gym. But most downloader sites are a minefield of pop-ups, fake Download buttons and sneaky extensions.
This guide shows you the clean way: paste a link, pick a quality, download. No app, no account, no watermark.
What you need
Nothing but a browser. The downloader works in Chrome, Safari, Firefox and Edge, on Windows, Mac, Android and iPhone. There is no software to install and no extension to add.
Step 1 — Copy the video link
Open the video on YouTube and either:
- Tap Share on the video, then Copy Link, or
- Copy the URL straight from the browser address bar.
youtube.com/watch?v=..., youtu.be/... and youtube.com/shorts/... links all work.
Step 2 — Paste and fetch the formats
Paste the link into the downloader and click Get video. You will see the video’s thumbnail, title and duration, followed by a list of every quality YouTube offers — usually 360p, 480p, 720p and 1080p — each with its file size. There is also an MP3 tab if you only want the audio.
Step 3 — Download
Click Download next to the quality you want. The MP4 (or MP3) saves straight to your device’s Downloads folder. Done.
Which quality should you pick?
- 360p — smallest and fastest. Good for quick saves and low bandwidth.
- 720p — the everyday sweet spot for phones and laptops.
- 1080p — the crispiest; best when the source quality is high.
Bigger files take longer, which is why we always show the file size before you commit.
What you cannot download
Almost all failures come from the video, not the tool. You cannot download:
- Private videos
- Age-restricted videos
- Live streams while they are still live
- Whole playlists in one go (paste each video separately)
A quick note on legality
Downloading for personal, non-commercial use of videos you own or have rights to is generally fine. Downloading copyrighted content without the creator’s permission can violate YouTube’s Terms of Service and copyright law. Save files for yourself, and respect the people who made them.
That’s it — three steps and the video is yours. Try the downloader now.
Ready to download?
Paste a link and get every quality — plus MP3. Free, no sign-up.
Open the downloader