After reading this article, you will know five easy and fast ways to download YouTube videos on Mac. Apply one of them to save YouTube videos to your Mac and then you can watch offline without an Internet connection.

As the biggest video site in the world, YouTube has a wide range of users who search, view and upload videos every day. However, unlike you can freely view and upload videos on YouTube, you can't download YouTube videos directly on the site. That's why so many users are looking for a way to download YouTube videos to iPhone/iPad, save videos from YouTube to PC, download YouTube videos on Mac, and more.

This online tool is one of the easiest ways to download YouTube videos without any. How to Download YouTube Videos on Mac (Tutorial) YouTube is our frequently visited website where we can watch any type of video, such as action movies, pop music, practical courses, TV series, talk shows, variety shows, comedy, etc.

Given that, here we provide five proven ways to download videos from YouTube to Mac, including using desktop software, online service, and other workable ways. Read on to learn how to download YouTube videos on Mac in different ways and carry out the one best suited to your needs.

PAGE CONTENT:
Download YouTube videos to Mac for Free
Save a Video from YouTube to Mac Online
Download Videos from YouTube to Mac with Chrome/Firefox
Get YouTube Videos on Mac with VLC Media Player
Save YouTube Videos to Mac via Screen Recording

How to Download YouTube Videos on Mac in 5 Ways

How To Download Youtube Video To Desktop Mac

Some of the ways below need you to download and install the desktop software, while others may not. Learn them in detail and you will know which one is the best YouTube downloader for you.

Method 1. How to Download YouTube Videos on Mac for Free

100% free, no ads, and no plugins, EaseUS MobiMover is a YouTube downloader that you can use at no cost and without any worries about bothering ads or add-ons. With it, you can download videos from YouTube, Vimeo, Dailymotion, Facebook, Twitter and other sites to your computer (PC/Mac) or mobiles devices (iPhone/iPad).

To download YouTube Videos on Mac for Free:

Step 1.Run EaseUS MobiMover > Go to choose the 'Video Downloader' option on the left side > Choose a location to house the videos you download.

Step 2. Copy the URL/link of the YouTube video you wish to download, paste it into the download bar of EaseUS MobiMover, then tap 'Download.'

Step 3. Wait for MobiMover to download YouTube videos to your Mac. When it has finished, you can go to your selected location to check the downloaded item.

In addition to video download, MobiMover also has other features that will help you transfer files between two iOS devices or between an iOS device and computer, which will do a great help if you are an iPhone or iPad user. It's a versatile tool that can work as an iOS content manager and free YouTube downloader at the same time. Don't miss it and make it your good helper.

Method 2. How to Save YouTube Videos on Mac Online

Don't want to install any software? If so, you may prefer online YouTube video downloaders compared with desktop software. Honestly speaking, although much convenient, an online YouTube downloader may cause more troubles than a desktop program. According to my own experience, there are some issues that may occur while using an online tool to save YouTube videos on a computer, including:

  • Ads keep popping up
  • The users are redirected to another shopping site
  • The tool can't find the video according to the link

And more. Luckily, not all the online YouTube downloaders are that troubling. Here is Keepvid that works well to get videos from YouTube onto your Mac.

Keepvid is one of the most popular online video downloader that allows you to download YouTube videos on a computer by inserting the video link into the address bar. You will like it if downloading YouTube videos in different formats and quality is what you need. Besides, it also serves the function of an audio converter that will extract music or other audio files from a YouTube video for you.

To download a YouTube video on Mac with Keepvid:

Step 1. Go to YouTube and copy the URL of the video you want to download.

Step 2. Visit https://keepv.id/ on your Mac and click the 'Download' button.

Step 3. After an analyzing process, you will see the download options available, including videos in different quality and audio in varying formats. Choose the format and click 'Download' to start downloading YouTube videos to your Mac.

Method 3. Download YouTube Videos for Mac with Chrome/Firefox

Want to download a YouTube video with the browser? If that's exactly what you want, you can't miss the helpful browser extensions shown below, which allow you to save YouTube videos on Mac using Chrome or Firefox for free.

To download videos from YouTube with Chrome:

Step 1. Go to visit YouTube Video and MP3 Downloader.

Step 2. The webpage will detect your browser automatically. Confirm your browser and click 'INSTALL VIA CROSSPILOT'.

Step 3. Download and install the extension. Afterward, restart the browser.

Step 4. Go to YouTube and play the video you want to download.

Step 5. Now you should see there is a Download button under the video. Click the Download button to save the YouTube video to your laptop directly or click the three dots next to it to choose other qualities available. (If you don't see the download button, click the icon of the YouTube Video and MP3 Downloader from the menu bar of the browser to download the video.)

To save a YouTube video on Mac with Firefox:

Step 1. Go to add the extension - Easy Youtube Video Downloader Express to Firefox.

Step 2. Restart Firefox.

Step 3. Go to YouTube and play the video you intend to download.

Step 4. Under the video, click the 'Download' button and choose one of the versions (MP4 360p, MP4 720p, MP4 1080p, MP3...) to download.

Of course, there are video download tools for Safari. You can search on the Internet and choose the one you like.

Method 4. Save YouTube Videos to Mac with VLC Media Player

How can you download YouTube videos on your Mac for free? One of the answers is to use the VLC media player. VLC is known as a free and open-source portable cross-platform media player software and streaming media. It also enables you to download a YouTube video on your computer, be it Mac, PC, or laptop.

Step 1. Download and install VLC media player on your Mac and launch the program.

Step 2. Go to YouTube and copy the link of the video you attempt to download.

Step 3. In VLC, choose 'File' > 'Open Network'. In the 'Open Source' window, paste the video URL in the address bar and click 'Open'.

Step 4. Right-click the video and select 'Media Information'.

Step 5. Copy the content in the 'Location' bar and paste the copied URL into the address bar. Then press 'return' to begin to play on your browser.

Step 7. Right-click the video and select 'Save Video as..' to start downloading videos from YouTube to your Mac.

Method 5. Grab Videos from YouTube to Mac with Screen Recording Features

Other than downloading videos from YouTube, you can choose to record the video and save it on your Mac. This method works best when you can't download a YouTube video due to copyright issues or other problems.

To capture the screen, you can either use the built-in screen recording feature in macOS or QuickTime Player.

  • To use the built-in screen recording feature: Press Command + Shift + 5.
  • To use QuickTime: Choose 'File' in QuickTime and select 'New Screen Recording'.
Download

Common Issues Related to YouTube Video Download

There are some frequently asked questions from users about YouTube video download:

How To Download Youtube Videos Onto Macbook Air

'How do I download YouTube videos to my Mac for free?'

If you have read this article, you know now that all the five methods detailed in this guide enable you to save YouTube videos to Mac for free.

'Can I download a video from YouTube with YouTube Premium?'

The YouTube Premium subscription allows you to download videos from YouTube, but only to mobile devices like phones and tablets. Thus, if you attempt to save a YouTube video to Mac, it won't help.

'Why can't I download YouTube videos?'

If you are going to download a private video or a video containing music, you may fail since these videos may give rise to copyright issues.

The Bottom Line

Among all the video download apps, which is the best YouTube downloader for you? Choose the one that fits your needs best to apply.

If you want to watch a YouTube video when you are offline, you might be interested in learning how to download YouTube videos to your computer. Once you have downloaded the video, you no longer need the Internet to play and watch it on your computer. The methods here will help you do it.

YouTube Tip & Tricks

How To Download Youtube Video To Desktop Macbook

YouTube Playing Issues
YouTube Playing Tips
YouTube Loading Issues
YouTube Error Issues
Download YouTube Content
Other YouTube Tips

AnyTrans – YouTube Videos Downloader

This easy-to-use tool can help you download YouTube videos to computer freely. Try it NOW to save your favorite videos.

YouTube is one of the largest video hosting websites out there. With millions of videos available on it, you are never going to get bored using the platform on your devices. To enjoy all the videos, all you need is an Internet connection and a browser. In case you are traveling and you will not have access to the Internet, you can actually download the video for offline viewing on your computer.

There are methods on how to download YouTube videos to a PC and Mac. Using these methods, you can grab an offline copy of any of your videos and access it later when you do not have Internet connectivity.

How To Download Youtube Video To Desktop Mac

The following are some of the tools that help you download YouTube videos.

Tool 1. 4K Video Downloader

4K Video Downloader claims to have helped millions of people download YouTube videos on their computers. You can download the tool to your computer and use it to download any of your favorite videos on your machine.

The tool allows you to save the videos in high-quality and offers you to choose whatever quality you want for your videos. It also offers the option to transfer your videos to iTunes once they have been downloaded to your computer. This way, you do not need to manually add the files to iTunes, if you use this app for your media files management.

Download YouTube videos with ease using 4K Downloader

Not only does the app help you get videos from YouTube but it supports a number of other sites as well. This includes popular sites like Facebook, DailyMotion, Vimeo, SoundCloud, Tumblr, and Flickr. It is a cross-platform app meaning it is available for all three major platforms including Windows, Mac, and Linux.

Tool 2. SaveFrom

SaveFrom is a web-based tool that allows you to download videos from many online video hosting sites including YouTube. It has been around for quite a long time and millions of people have used it to get their favorite YouTube videos as a local copy on their computers.

The tool is available as a web tool as well as browser extensions. The great thing about the web tool is that you only need to paste the URL of the video you want and it will download it for you. If you use a browser extension, then you get the download option directly on the YouTube website.

Download YouTube videos using URL from the SaveFrom

Another interesting feature you might be interested in is that you do not even need to visit the site to download a video. When you are on a video page and you want to download the video, simply add ss before the YouTube domain and your video will download. It is a short domain the tool uses to make it easier for you to download videos to your computers.

Downloading YouTube Videos with SaveFrom extension

Tool 3. Y2mate

Y2mate is both a YouTube downloader and a converter helping you convert the videos to various formats. With this tool in your arsenal, you are flexible in terms of file formats when you download a video. The tool lets you specify the format you would like for your video to be in.

One of the capabilities of the tool is to help you download the audio parts of your chosen YouTube video. That way, if you ever come across a video but you are only interested in the audio part, the tool can help you get the MP3 file of the video.

Like other tools, you can access it using a web browser on your computer. Once you are there, paste the URL of the video you want to download and you are all set. There is even an easier way to do the task wherein all you need to do is add the word pp after the YouTube domain and it will help download the video to your computer.

Use the Y2mate short domain to download videos

Tool 4. ClipConverter

ClipConverter markets itself as a YouTube to MP4 and MP3 converter. It is a web-based tool that can be accessed from any modern browser. When you visit the site, you are presented with a box to type your YouTube video’s URL. You can then choose a format for your file from multiple options available on your screen.

Download YouTube in MP4 and MP3 with ClipConverter

It supports many other platforms as well, including Vimeo and Facebook. The great thing about the tool is it lets you download your videos in both 4K as well as full-HD quality. You are going to have to wait for the conversion to finish when you download videos in a really good resolution but it is all worth it.

How To Download Youtube Video To Desktop Mac

Tool 5. Freemake Video Downloader

Freemake Video Downloader is an installable tool that claims to be helping you download videos from over 10,000 sites for free. It helps you download videos from sites like YouTube in various formats that include MP4, MP3, AVI, 3GP, FLV, among many others.

It also comes with some of the predefined formats for your gadgets, such as Amazon Kindle Fire phones. For devices like these, it has preconfigured options so all you need to do is select your device and your video will be downloaded in the compatible format that plays on your device. You will not have any compatibility issues.

It is actually a flexible tool where you can customize pretty much all the options. You can download full playlists, choose the quality for your videos, and even configure download limits. This should help you if you have a limited data Internet package. It also supports proxy and parental controls so others cannot download inappropriate content.

Tool 6. AnyTrans

AnyTrans is an amazing app that allows you to download videos from a number of websites. All it requires you to do is enter the URL of the video you want to download and the app will get that downloaded on your computer for you. The supported video formats include MP4, M4V, MOV, WMV, RMVB, MKV, AVI, FLV, and RM. You can download your videos in the MP3, M4A, MP4B, WMA, and WAV formats.

Step 1. Download and launch the app. Click on the Media Downloader option.

Step 2. Either paste the URL of your YouTube video or search for your video. Then, press Enter on your keyboard.

Paste or search video

Step 3. Select the quality and format for your video and hit the download icon.

Step 4. The video will be downloaded to your computer. You will also have the option to transfer it to your mobile devices if you want.

It can do more than downloading YouTube videos, it also gives you full authority to transfer data from your iPhone to the computer.

The Bottom Line

If you are looking for ways on how to download YouTube videos to your computer, look no further than this guide as it shows several ways to download the videos to your computers. We hope the guide helps you get your favorite videos on your machine for offline viewing.

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