How To Download Youtube Videos Pcmag

Bonisiwe Shabane

-Jan 11, 2026, 1:50 PM

People watch literally a billion hours of video on YouTube every day. That's just one astounding statistic about the site, which has been the go-to destination for uploading and watching videos online for two decades. Why go anywhere else when there's so much to watch? But sometimes you really want or need to have one of those videos on your computer or phone. That's when the topic of downloading YouTube videos arises, and a question emerges: Is it legal? On the copyright front, as long as you're downloading a video for your own personal offline use, you're probably OK.

That said, Google's terms of service for YouTube read: "You are not allowed to...access, reproduce, download, distribute, transmit, broadcast, display, sell, license, alter, modify or otherwise use any part of the Service or any... Watching YouTube videos offline through unofficial channels takes money away from Google and video creators. There's a reason YouTube runs ads: People make a living this way. 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. You typically do not need to download a video. But you have your reasons.

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. Use simple, open-source tools to get an MP4 or MP3 file from YouTube. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works. YouTube is, by far, the most popular video streaming service in the world, hosting everything from children's songs to live streaming tech shows. To use it though, you need a constant Internet connection.

But you can download YouTube videos for offline viewing. The official way is to use YouTube Premium which costs $14 per month, but there are free tools to download any YouTube video as an MP4 file, which you can transfer to any device... Note that downloading copyrighted work without permission is illegal and downloading files from YouTube violates its terms of service and may lead to termination of your account. Below, we'll show you three different methods of downloading YouTube videos to your PC. The first method involves using a free, open-source command-line tool called YouTube-DL. The second method involves using a freeware app called ClipGrab, which has the advantage of allowing you to choose the download resolution -- grabbing 4K videos at 4K if you want -- and file...

The third method of downloading YouTube videos to a PC is to use a free web tool called CnvMP3. Note that our previous recommended method, using VLC player, no longer works. This article was co-authored by wikiHow staff writer, Travis Boylls. Travis has been a tech writer at wikiHow for more than 10 years. He has also worked in technical support for Dish Network and AT&T Wireless. He studied graphic design and web design at Pikes Peak Community College.

He specializes in Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, and video game consoles. Travis has had a fascination with computers and technology that goes all the way back to childhood. He is proficient in all manner of software and computer operating systems. There are 8 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 1,055,326 times.

Learn more... Is there a YouTube video you want to watch offline? Downloading from YouTube makes it easy to watch your favorite videos when you don't have an internet connection. The videos you download will be helpful if you're traveling, have spotty internet access, or need to keep the kids entertained without using your cellular data. While it's not illegal to download most YouTube videos, using a YouTube video downloader (instead of YouTube Premium) to save videos does violate Google's Terms of Service.[1] X Research source This wikiHow article teaches... Keep up with the latest tech with wikiHow's free Tech Help Newsletter

Heads up! The screenshots in this article are from Clipchamp for personal accounts. The same principles apply to Clipchamp for work and school accounts. Have you seen an epic YouTube video and wished you could use some parts of the footage in a video creation of your own? While your creative mind might be buzzing, it’s important to download YouTube videos safely and legally before you start adding them to your own video. If you're building a personal video library or crafting shareable social media clips, getting a usable YouTube video file doesn’t have to be complicated.

We’ve updated our guide with reliable tools and methods for 2026 to make downloading videos easier than ever. And if making great videos is your goal, remember that Clipchamp video editor is a free online editing tool that can help you tell your story, your way. Considering a hassle-free and lawful way to download YouTube videos? Subscribing to YouTube Premium might be your golden ticket. As much as we love binging a bit of Netflix or Disney+, there’s no denying that when it comes to breadth of content, YouTube is by far the frontrunner, as it has everything from... For all situations, YouTube can be an immeasurably valuable tool – that is, if you have a decent internet connection.

For example, if you’re out driving in an area with no phone signal and you find yourself in the unfortunate situation of needing to replace a tyre, things can get rather tricky, fast. However, if you had the sense to download a video about how to swap out a flat tyre before your trip, then you can get the job done easily and without worry. If you want to make sure that you’re as prepared as possible for your next trip then there are three key methods that you can use to ensure that you have your favourite videos... YouTube Premium subscribers have the ability to save videos which can then be watched offline via a smartphone or tablet. Although this feature is available within the YouTube app, it can be the most expensive option for most people due to the cost of YouTube Premium. There are billions of hours of video on YouTube, literally.

And that's hardly the most astounding statistic about the site, which has been the go-to destination for uploading and watching videos online since 2005. That said, sometimes you really want or need to have one of those videos on your computer or phone. But when the topic of downloading YouTube videos comes up, a question arises: Is it legal? On the copyright front, as long as you're downloading a video for your own personal offline use, you're probably OK. It's more black and white according to Google's terms of service for YouTube, which read: "You are not allowed to...access, reproduce, download, distribute, transmit, broadcast, display, sell, license, alter, modify or otherwise use any... Watching YouTube videos offline through unofficial channels takes money from Google and video creators.

There's a reason YouTube runs ads: People make a living this way. Obviously, stealing videos from YouTube is a big no-no. 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. You simply do not need to download a video most of the time. But you have your reasons. 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.

When the topic of downloading YouTube videos comes up, there's a side subject that must be broached: Is it legal? When it comes to copyright, as long as you're downloading a video for your own personal offline use, you're probably okay. It's more black and white when you consider Google's terms of service for YouTube, which reads: "You shall not download any Content unless you see a 'download' or similar link displayed by YouTube on... After all, watching YouTube videos offline is taking money out of Google's pocket and those of the videos' creators. There's a reason YouTube runs pre-roll ads: people make a living that way. So, let's be clear, taking video from YouTube is a big no-no.

If you want to share a video, YouTube makes it pretty damn easy to do, from embedding to emailing to sharing via social networks. You don't really need to download a video most of the time. But maybe you have your reasons. We won't judge. If you must download a YouTube video—absolutely need to, just for yourself, and not for dissemination, and not to be a total douche-nozzle—here's how. [Note: This story is updated frequently as the tools involved change regularly.

Some of those changes are not always pleasant, such as software so full of "extras" it gets flagged as malware by antivirus tools. Th same goes for the helper websites—a change in the advertising network used by the site can also create issues with malware. The programs, services, and sites in this story are all working spam/virus/problem free as of this writing, but caveat emptor. Big time. Especially if you're not really emptor-ing.]

How To Download Youtube Videos Pcmag

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