How to Download YouTube Videos on a Mac
YouTube is one of the most popular video-sharing platforms in the world, with billions of hours of content available for streaming. But what if you want to watch your favorite YouTube videos offline, or save them for later viewing? Maybe you're going on a long trip, or you want to watch something without ads or interruptions. Or maybe you just want to have a backup copy of your favorite videos in case they get deleted or blocked.
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Whatever your reason, downloading YouTube videos on a Mac is not as easy as it sounds. Unlike iOS devices, which have dedicated apps for YouTube and other streaming services, Macs don't have an official way to download YouTube videos. You can't just tap a button and save the video to your device. You need to use some tricks and tools to get the job done.
In this article, we'll show you how to download YouTube videos on a Mac using different methods and apps. We'll cover both free and paid options, and explain the pros and cons of each one. We'll also answer some frequently asked questions about downloading YouTube videos on a Mac. By the end of this article, you'll be able to download any YouTube video you want on your Mac with ease.
How to Download YouTube Videos on a Mac for Free
If you don't want to spend any money on downloading YouTube videos on a Mac, you can use some built-in features of your device to record the video and audio from your screen. This is not the most elegant or efficient way, but it works for simple and short videos. Here are two ways you can do this:
Option 1: Screen capture with audio on a Mac
One way to download YouTube videos on a Mac for free is to use the screen capture feature that comes with macOS. This feature allows you to record anything that's happening on your screen, including sound. Here's how to use it:
Open the YouTube video you want to download in your browser.
Press Command + Shift + 5 on your keyboard to open the screen capture toolbar.
Select the Record Entire Screen or Record Selected Portion option, depending on whether you want to record the whole screen or just part of it.
Click Options and make sure that Built-in Microphone is selected as the sound source. This will allow you to record the audio from your speakers.
Click Record and start playing the YouTube video.
When you're done, click Stop in the menu bar or press Command + Control + Esc.
The recorded video will be saved as an MOV file in your desktop or in the location you specified in the Options menu.
The downside of this method is that it will also record any background noise or notifications that might pop up during the recording. Option 2: QuickTime Player
Another way to download YouTube videos on a Mac for free is to use QuickTime Player, which is a media player and editor that comes with macOS. QuickTime Player can also record the screen and audio of your device. Here's how to use it:
Open the YouTube video you want to download in your browser.
Open QuickTime Player from your Applications folder or Launchpad.
Go to File and select New Screen Recording.
Click the arrow next to the record button and make sure that Built-in Microphone is selected as the sound source. This will allow you to record the audio from your speakers.
Click the record button and drag to select the area of the screen you want to record, or click anywhere to record the whole screen.
Click Start Recording and start playing the YouTube video.
When you're done, click Stop Recording in the menu bar or press Command + Control + Esc.
The recorded video will be saved as an MOV file in your Movies folder or in the location you specified in the Save dialog box.
The downside of this method is that it will also record any background noise or notifications that might pop up during the recording. It also has a limit of 15 minutes for screen recordings, so it might not work for longer videos.
Best Apps to Download YouTube Videos on a Mac
If you want a more reliable and convenient way to download YouTube videos on a Mac, you might want to use some third-party apps that are designed for this purpose. These apps can help you download YouTube videos in different formats, resolutions, and qualities, and also offer some extra features like batch downloading, playlist downloading, subtitle downloading, and more. Here are some of the best apps to download YouTube videos on a Mac:
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Option 1: YouTube Premium
The easiest and most official way to download YouTube videos on a Mac is to use YouTube Premium, which is a subscription service that gives you access to ad-free and offline viewing of YouTube videos, as well as other benefits like YouTube Music and YouTube Originals. Here's how to use it:
Sign up for YouTube Premium on the YouTube website or app. It costs $11.99 per month, but you can get a free trial for one month.
Open the YouTube video you want to download in your browser or app.
Click or tap the Download button below the video player.
Select the quality and resolution you want for the downloaded video. The higher the quality, the more space it will take up on your device.
The video will start downloading and will be saved in your Library under Downloads.
To watch the downloaded video, go to your Library and select Downloads. You can watch the video offline for up to 30 days, after which it will expire and need to be downloaded again.
The downside of this method is that it requires a paid subscription, and it only works within the YouTube app or website. You can't transfer the downloaded videos to other devices or apps, or edit them in any way.
Option 2: VideoProc Converter
A more versatile and powerful app to download YouTube videos on a Mac is VideoProc Converter, which is a video processing software that can also download, convert, edit, and record videos from various sources. Here's how to use it:
Download and install VideoProc Converter from its official website. It costs $29.95 per year or $42.95 for a lifetime license, but you can get a free trial for limited features.
Open VideoProc Converter and click Downloader.
Click Add Video and paste the URL of the YouTube video you want to download.
Select the format, resolution, quality, and output folder for the downloaded video. You can also choose to download subtitles, playlists, channels, or live streams.
Click Download Now. The video will start downloading and will be saved in your specified folder.
To watch the downloaded video, go to your output folder and open it with any media player or app you like.
The downside of this method is that it requires a paid license for full features, and it might be too complicated for some users who just want a simple downloader. Option 3: 4K Video Downloader
Another great app to download YouTube videos on a Mac is 4K Video Downloader, which is a simple and fast downloader that can handle 4K and 8K videos, as well as 3D and 360-degree videos. Here's how to use it:
Download and install 4K Video Downloader from its official website. It costs $15 for a personal license or $45 for a pro license, but you can get a free version with some limitations.
Open 4K Video Downloader and click Paste Link.
Copy the URL of the YouTube video you want to download and paste it in the app.
Select the format, resolution, quality, and output folder for the downloaded video. You can also choose to download subtitles, playlists, channels, or smart mode.
Click Download. The video will start downloading and will be saved in your specified folder.
To watch the downloaded video, go to your output folder and open it with any media player or app you like.
The downside of this method is that it requires a paid license for full features, and it might not work for some videos that are protected by YouTube's encryption.
Conclusion
Downloading YouTube videos on a Mac can be tricky, but not impossible. You can use different methods and apps to get the job done, depending on your preferences and needs. Whether you want to download YouTube videos on a Mac for free or with a paid app, you can find a solution that works for you.
However, before you download any YouTube video on a Mac, you should always respect the rights of the content creators and follow the terms of service of YouTube. You should only download YouTube videos on a Mac for personal use, and not for commercial or illegal purposes. You should also avoid downloading copyrighted or restricted videos that might violate the law or harm others.
With that said, we hope this article has helped you learn how to download YouTube videos on a Mac easily and safely. If you have any questions or suggestions, feel free to leave a comment below. Happy downloading!
FAQs
Is it legal to download YouTube videos on a Mac?
It depends on the video and how you use it. According to YouTube's terms of service, you are not allowed to download any content from YouTube unless you see a "download" or similar link displayed by YouTube on the service for that content. You are also not allowed to access, reproduce, distribute, display, or perform any content without prior written consent from YouTube or the respective licensors of the content.
However, there are some exceptions and fair use cases that might allow you to download YouTube videos on a Mac legally. For example, if the video is in the public domain, or if you have permission from the content owner, or if you use the video for educational, research, or criticism purposes. You should always check the license and terms of use of each video before downloading it.
How can I download YouTube videos on a Mac without software?
If you don't want to install any software on your Mac to download YouTube videos, you can use some online tools or websites that can do the same thing. For example, you can use Y2mate.com, SaveFrom.net, ClipConverter.cc, or KeepVid.pro. These websites allow you to paste the URL of the YouTube video you want to download and choose the format and quality you want. Then, they will generate a download link for you to save the video on your Mac.
The downside of these websites is that they might not support all types of videos, formats, resolutions, or qualities. They might also have some ads, pop-ups, or malware that might affect your browsing experience or security. They might also have some limitations on the number or size of videos you can download per day.
How can I download YouTube playlists on a Mac?
If you want to download multiple YouTube videos at once on a Mac, you can use some apps that support playlist downloading. For example, you can use VideoProc Converter or 4K Video Downloader as mentioned above. These apps allow you to paste the URL of the YouTube playlist you want to download and choose the format and quality you want for each video. Then, they will download all the videos in the playlist for you automatically.
The downside of these apps is that they might require a paid license for full features, and they might not work for some playlists that are protected by YouTube's encryption.
How can I convert YouTube videos to MP3 on a Mac How can I convert YouTube videos to MP3 on a Mac?
If you want to download YouTube videos on a Mac and convert them to MP3 format, you can use some apps that support audio extraction and conversion. For example, you can use VideoProc Converter or 4K Video Downloader as mentioned above. These apps allow you to paste the URL of the YouTube video you want to download and choose the MP3 format as the output. Then, they will download the video and convert it to MP3 for you automatically.
The downside of these apps is that they might require a paid license for full features, and they might not preserve the original quality or metadata of the audio.
How can I download YouTube subtitles on a Mac?
If you want to download YouTube subtitles on a Mac, you can use some apps that support subtitle downloading. For example, you can use VideoProc Converter or 4K Video Downloader as mentioned above. These apps allow you to paste the URL of the YouTube video you want to download and choose the subtitle language and format you want. Then, they will download the subtitles for you automatically.
The downside of these apps is that they might require a paid license for full features, and they might not work for some videos that don't have subtitles or have embedded subtitles.
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