Download YouTube videos free
Paste a link and save it as an MP4 up to 1080p, or pull just the audio as an MP3. No account, nothing to install.Works with regular videos, Shorts and finished live replays
How to download a YouTube video
Three steps, about ten seconds for a short video.
Copy the link
In the YouTube app, tap Share then Copy link. On a computer, copy the address from the browser bar.
Paste and pick a quality
MP4 up to 1080p, a smaller size to save space or data, or MP3 for the sound only.
Save the file
The download starts by itself. A Save button appears as well, in case your browser blocks it.
What it works with
Stated here rather than discovered halfway through a progress bar.
Works
Regular videos and Shorts
Unlisted videos, if you have the link
Finished live streams, once the replay is up
Videos up to roughly an hour
Does not work
Live streams still in progress
Private, deleted or members-only videos
Playlists and whole channels
Age-restricted videos, not always
Formats and quality
Videos are saved as MP4 files with H.264 video and AAC sound. That is the format every phone, computer, smart TV and messaging app plays without extra software, so the file works wherever you open it.
The highest option is 1080p. Smaller sizes such as 720p, 480p and 360p are listed when YouTube has them, which helps when you are short on storage or mobile data. The MP3 option extracts only the audio at 192 kbps, handy for lectures, interviews and podcasts.
How this downloader works
The other tools on this site run entirely in your browser. A video downloader cannot: YouTube sends the picture and the sound as separate streams, and they have to be joined into one file. So when you press the button, the link you pasted is sent to our download server. It fetches the video, combines video and sound into a single MP4, and gives you a temporary link to save it.
Prepared files are deleted automatically, usually within about 30 minutes. You do not need an account, and nothing is installed on your device.
Download responsibly
Only download videos you made yourself, videos released under a Creative Commons licence, or videos the owner has allowed you to save. YouTube’s Terms of Service limit downloading to cases where YouTube itself offers a download button or link, so check before you save something.
Please do not re-upload other people’s videos as your own. If you want to share someone’s work, share the original link.
If something goes wrong
Four things cover almost every failed download.
“Video not found”
The video is private, deleted, or blocked in the server’s region. Check that it plays in a private browser window.
“The server is busy”
Many people are downloading at the same moment. Wait a minute and try again.
Nothing happens on iPhone
Open the Files app and look in Downloads. Safari also lists downloads under the arrow next to the address bar.
The link is not accepted
Make sure you copied a single video or Shorts link, not a channel, playlist or search page.
Frequently asked questions
Is this YouTube downloader free?
Yes. There is no account, no sign-up and no limit on the number of videos, apart from a short pause if many downloads start from one connection within a minute.
Does it work on iPhone and Android?
Yes. On iPhone the file goes to the Files app, in the Downloads folder; from there you can share it or save it to Photos. On Android it lands in the Downloads folder, and most gallery apps show it straight away.
What is the highest quality I can get?
1080p. YouTube offers higher resolutions only in VP9 or AV1, formats many phones and editors cannot play, and those files are several times larger. The 1080p MP4 plays everywhere.
Can I download a whole playlist or channel?
No. The downloader takes one video at a time. Open the video you want from the playlist and paste its own link.
How long can the video be?
Videos up to about an hour work best. Very long videos, such as multi-hour streams, can time out while the file is being prepared.
Is this the YoutubeDownloader app for Windows?
No. That is a separate open-source desktop program made by Tyrrrz. This page is a web downloader that needs nothing installed. You can read more on our YoutubeDownloader for Windows page.
Seven more free tools
These run entirely in your browser. Nothing you paste is sent anywhere.
Looking for the Windows app?
YoutubeDownloader by Tyrrrz is separate open-source software, not ours. We list every release with links to the official GitHub downloads, so you avoid the look-alike installer sites.