When the topic of
downloading YouTube videos comes up, there's a side-subject that must
always be broached: Is it even legal? When it comes to copyright, that
may be a bit of a gray area. As long as you're downloading a video for
your own personal offline use, you're probably okay.
It's a trifle more black and white when you consider
Google's terms of service for YouTube,
which read: "You shall not download any Content unless you see a
'download' or similar link displayed by YouTube on the Service for that
Content."
After all, watching YouTube videos offline is taking money out of
Google's pocket (and those of its creators). There's a reason it runs
those ads in front of videos; a lot of people making a living with
YouTube videos. As a result, only
users in India officially have offline video viewing.
So, let's be clear: taking video from YouTube is probably a big no-no
and you shouldn't. If you want to share a video, YouTube makes it
pretty damn easy to do, from embedding to emailing to sharing via social
networks. The company is even experimenting with animated GIF files.
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.
Software
Third-party software is where many will find the best control for
downloading online videos. Typically you just paste the URL for the
YouTube video you want into the app, and it downloads the highest
quality version it can find, probably in MP4 format.
(It used to be that
YouTube videos were all Flash-based, so your download was an FLV file, but those tend to be harder to play back. MP4, short for
MPEG-4 Part 14 multimedia format, plays everywhere on anything.)
Here are some options:
ClipGrab
(Donationware for Windows/Mac/Linux)
Clipgrab works with YouTube, Vimeo, and DailyMotion specifically, and a
lot of others unofficially. It has a search function for the officially
supported sites built in. You pick a format to download the video in,
and it'll convert it on the fly as needed. Formats include MP4, WMV, but
also audio-only MP3 or Ogg Vorbis (converting video to audio is a
tried-and-true trick for those not into buying music). As donationware,
you don't have to pay for it, but it's nice if you do so it can stay
afloat.
YTD Video Downloader
(Free or $29.90/year for Mac/Windows)
YTD works not just with YouTube but over 60 other video-hosting sites,
and will convert files to other formats. Pay the yearly fee and you get
even more functions, like downloading multiple videos at once and
download acceleration.
Any Video Converter
$49.95 (Pro) to $69.95 (Ultimate) for Mac/Windows
It's expensive, but AVC Ultimate claims it can also capture streaming
video—like from Netflix. It'll also rip DVDs and provides some video
editing.
Fastest YouTube Downloader
Free or $19.95/month for Mac/Windows
It swears it's the quickest downloader going, as in 600 times faster—for
that monthly price, it better be. It'll convert YouTube videos to MP3
audio format and turn videos into formats suitable to play back on not
just the PC but also smartphones and tablets.
Helper Sites
Want to avoid installing software? Download helper sites do the work
for you, providing conversion and then a download link. It can take a
lot longer, depending on the size of the video, but you can't beat the
convenience.
Savefrom.net
Savefrom.net was smart enough to register the domain name
ssyoutube.com.
Just type it into a browser, and it forwards you to the site. But if
you're looking at a video on YouTube itself, put that "ss" in the URL
after the "www." and the forward takes you to an instant download page
for that video in every format available. You also have the option to
just paste a URL into Savefrom.net. And it supports over 35 video
sites—even Facebook. It also has a
Web browser add-on.
ClipConverter.cc
ClipConverter.cc does the usual—takes a URL and lets you download the
video hosted there in multiple formats, both video and audio—but also
lets you upload your own files for conversion to new formats. Change the
start and end time of the video if you like. YouTube, Vimeo, and others
are supported; it also offers
browser add-ons.
KeepVid
Supporting downloads from 57 sites and counting (including Veoh, Vine,
Instagram, Facebook, Break, CollegeHumor, even TED Talks and
Kickstarter), KeepVid does more than video (as evidenced by supporting
downloads from SoundCloud). Just paste in the video's URL and click
download—don't click the big advertisement that also says "download."
You'll need Java installed for it to work.
YouTube mp3
Want the instantaneous pleasure of making a musical MP3 file out of a
video on YouTube? This site exists for no other reason. Expect a 1- to
4-minute wait per conversion, depending on the length of the video.
Browser Extensions
We mentioned a few browser extensions in the section above. If you
can be spared a step from taking a URL to a site to convert it, why not?
You're going to run into some issues with downloading video from
YouTube, however, especially if you're using Chrome as your primary
browser.
The Chrome Web Store where you get such browser extensions is
controlled by Google, naturally, since Google makes the Chrome browser.
Even an extension ostensibly for this purpose—the obviously named
Video Downloader professional—states
right up front in its description, "The download of YouTube videos to
hard drive is locked because of restrictions of the Chrome Store."
Google isn't in the habit of letting one division screw over the others.
The download of any RTMP protocol video (protected videos) or streaming
video also isn't possible. (
Video Downloader Ultimate, however, is software from the same developer that downloads from YouTube, Facebook, Vimeo, etc.)
It's the same with other extensions like
vGet. But you can use them on
other sites with video, of course. Just not YouTube.
Want to get around it? You need an extension that doesn't come from the Google Web Store.
Download YouTube Chrome
says it'll do the job, and even spells out how to do the install
without the assistance Chrome users typically get from Google Web store.
Other browser extensions that can do the job, if you don't get them from Google:
FastestTube
(Free for Opera, Safari, Chrome, Firefox, Internet Explorer)
This downloader tool is on all the platforms, and even has an installer
for Chrome that skips the Google Web Store. It puts a "download this
video" menu right on any YouTube page you load, with all the format
options on display.
Video DownloadHelper
(Free for Firefox on Windows/Mac/Linux)
Supporting a huge number of sites—even those for
adults!—this
Firefox-specific extension adds to your Tools menu and provides a bunch
of format options for download when you're on a page with a supported
video. You'll know when the icon for the extension animates.
Mobile
Remember that problem of using Chrome extensions from the Google Web
Store to try and grab YouTube videos? (Seriously, we just talked about
it. I worry about your memory.)
You're going to have an even bigger issue when you want to get an Android app from the
Google Play store.
Google's got an even tighter grip on the apps there. And of course you
can't actually download anything with your officially sanctioned YouTube
apps. Unless you live in India.
That said, with Android it is possible to install apps without going through Google.
WonTube's Free YouTube Downloader
for Android is one—you can download the APK (Android application
package) file to "sideload." Find it in your download and click it to
install. (You may have to go into your security settings and enable
"Unknown sources.") After that, launch the app, use it to surf around
YouTube, and the download links and video management features are built
right in. It's buggy as an ant hill covered in syrup, but one of the few
options.
On the iOS platform, you'd think there would be no such restriction,
since Apple and Google aren't exactly best of pals anymore. But on the
few apps I tried, including the former
Titan Downloader,
VIATube,
VDownload, and
Video Downloader,
they could grab some videos—but not from YouTube. It says right on one
description, "downloading from YouTube is prohibited due to its Terms of
Service." Apple is ensuring that app makers play by the rules—even
Google's rules. All the better to get Google to block someone who
eventually does something illegal with iTunes downloads, probably.
You can, of course, use iTunes to sync videos you have on your
Windows or Mac desktop, even use AirDrop. But it's not the same. Chances
are, the minute you find an app that can download YouTube videos, it
will get "fixed." The only serious option: jailbreak your iPhone to get
some sideloaded apps that do what you want.
