The best free YouTube downloader apps to use in 2022

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If you've ever wanted to sentinel your favorite online videos when offline, then the best YouTube downloaders for Mac and Windows are for you. In fact, it'south pretty hard saving a video from a video-hosting site without the utilize of one of these programs. Thankfully, you can utilize 1 of these downloaders to your benefit regardless of what platform you're using, whether it'due south a smartphone, Mac, or Windows PC.

In that location are a few different reasons why yous might demand to download a video. It's possible you need it for a presentation. Or, possibly there's something you lot uploaded in the past and don't have access to the original file anymore. No matter the reason, using a YouTube downloader will make your life much simpler. All you demand to do is become the video'south URL that you desire, plug it into one of these downloaders, and permit them do the residue. Information technology's a much easier procedure than attempting to capture a video with a screen recording app.

Our current meridian pick is the 4K Video Downloader, a programme that will remove watermarks when downloading videos and save them in an ad-gratis format. You tin even download a whole playlist at a fourth dimension if you want. It offers a few paid-for options that come with some actress features equally well.

However, there are a few dissimilar apps that you tin can bank check out. So, no affair your needs, there's something here that volition help. Read on to see our top picks.

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Laptop on a desk displaying the 4K Video Downloader

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1. 4K Video Downloader

Fast, free and flexible – the virtually versatile YouTube downloader

Specifications

Operating system: Windows, macOS, Linux

Reasons to purchase

+

Great choice of formats

+

Downloads playlists

+

Supports 3D and 360-degree videos

+

No bundled actress software

Reasons to avoid

-

Limits on playlist downloads

4K Video Downloader is the best gratuitous YouTube downloader around for quick, fuss-complimentary YouTube downloads. It's simple to use, highly customizable, ad-gratuitous, and doesn't include any bundled extra software.

To grab a video (or a whole playlist, provided it's not longer than 24 videos), only re-create its URL from your spider web browser, click 'Paste URL' and select an output format, quality and location.

There's a great choice of formats – both video and audio – including MP4 and MP3. You can download captions for individual videos, and there'due south support for 3D and 360-degree videos too.

Delving into the properties lets you tweak options like multi-stream downloads (increasing the number of streams will speed up downloads, just increases the risk YouTube blocking your IP address) and set a proxy connection.

Buying a key volition permit you lot download longer playlists and playlists with captions, and at £7.95 (almost United states of america$10, AU$fifteen) for a lifetime license for three PCs, information technology's a bargain, but the complimentary edition has everything else you could wish for.

Read our full review: 4K Video Downloader

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A laptop on a desk displaying the WinX YouTube Downloader

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two. WinX YouTube Downloader

Clear, powerful and well designed – a very close runner-upwards

Specifications

Operating organization: Windows, macOS

Reasons to buy

+

Supports over 30 video sites

+

Can download 4K video

+

Downloads multiple videos at in one case

Reasons to avoid

-

No 360-degree video back up

Running a very close second, WinX YouTube Downloader can download videos from all the most pop sites, including Facebook, Vimeo and DailyMotion. Information technology's very like shooting fish in a barrel to apply. Just paste in a URL, select an output format and quality setting, and it volition be added to the electric current batch.

Once you've added all the videos you lot want to download, but click the 'Download' push button and they'll all be processed at once, and saved to the destination folder of your choice.

WinX YouTube Downloader tin can download 4K video when available, and only loses out to 4K Video Downloader considering it'due south unable to download 3D and 360-caste videos. If this isn't a problem for you, this complimentary YouTube downloader comes highly recommended.

Read our full review: WinX YouTube Downloader

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A laptop on a desk displaying the Any Video Converter Free

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3. Any Video Converter Complimentary

Download and convert videos, and add special effects

Specifications

Operating system: Windows, macOS

Reasons to buy

+

Excellent format support

+

Built-in video editor

Reasons to avoid

-

No batch downloads

-

Bundled extra software

At first glance, Whatsoever Video Converter Free is one of the best complimentary YouTube downloaders out there. The but drawback is that this free version limits you to downloading a single video at a time, but if you're looking for a complimentary solution, this is something you may decide yous're happy to put upwardly with.

There are lots of video formats to choose from, and there's fifty-fifty a basic video editor congenital into this YouTube downloader. This can exist used to crop a video you download, add uncomplicated effects such as colour adjustment, and add together overlay text.

The whole procedure is quick and easy. Whatsoever Video Converter's interface may not be to everyone'southward liking, merely that'due south really nitpicking; this is a fantastic free YouTube downloader all other respects. Sentry out for the arranged ByteFence and Yahoo software during installation, and y'all're good to get.

Read our full review: Any Video Converter Gratis

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The Free YouTube Download tool being displayed on a laptop

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4. Free YouTube Download

Grab videos without clicking a unmarried push

Specifications

Operating system: Windows, macOS

Reasons to buy

+

Auto download selection

+

Batch downloading

+

Tin shut down PC when finished

Reasons to avert

-

Three-minute time limit

There are no prizes for guessing what Gratis YouTube Download does. This is a very simple, tightly focused free YouTube downloader that does away with distractions to get the job done well. Paste in a URL from YouTube and yous can download the video in just a couple of clicks – or no clicks at all if you enable the Automobile Download option.

You lot can download several videos at once if you need to, and yous can convert to several unlike formats on the fly. Only which formats are available to you will depend on the quality of the original video, but AVI, MP4, iPhone/iPod and MKV should be available in about cases. Information technology's also possible to convert to audio-only MP3 if you lot don't need the footage as well.

There'south just 1 real drawback, only it's a biggie – you lot can only utilize Free YouTube Download to take hold of clips that are less than three minutes long. That rules out most music videos for a kickoff, and is a real shame.

Read our full review: Costless YouTube Download

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The aTube Catcher being displayed on a laptop sitting on a desk

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5. aTube Catcher

Download, convert and merge videos as they're playing

Specifications

Operating system: Windows

Reasons to buy

+

Batch downloading

+

Converts to pop formats

+

Automatic file conversion

Reasons to avoid

-

Adware in installer

Although the name suggests that this is just a YouTube downloader, aTube Catcher tin can actually save videos from nigh of the big video hosting sites.

Outset, notwithstanding, a word of warning: sneaky adware abounds during the installation. When you're offered the first app, make certain to hit Cancel, and for the second one click Decline – then you'll be costless to enjoy aTube Catcher without any unwanted surprises.

Downloaded videos can be converted automatically to a number of popular formats, so you can tailor them for their intended use, or any device you intend to watch them on. If you lot're looking to download a large number of videos, you can download them all at once, maxing out your bandwidth – something non bachelor in all of the best complimentary YouTube downloaders on this listing.

This gratuitous YouTube downloader offers plenty of added extras also, such as the ability to tape any on-screen video, video merging, and disc called-for.

Read our full review: aTube Catcher

Is it legal to downloaded YouTube videos?

Before you use a free YouTube downloader, bear in mind that using third-political party apps to download videos is against YouTube'south terms of service, which say you tin just stream videos straight from its servers.

Downloading videos is also potentially a copyright infringement unless you lot own the video yourself, have permission from the copyright holder, or information technology's in the public domain.

What's the departure betwixt Online YouTube downloaders and desktop apps?

In that location are many sites that y'all can apply to download YouTube videos, but nosotros don't recommend them due to their disadvantages over desktop software. First of all, they're slower due to the limitations of the remote server and your data connection. Many such sites also feature ads of a NSFW variety, or display thumbnails of recently downloaded videos, which may non be appropriate.

Online video converters typically don't give yous much (if any) choice about the video file either, in terms of quality or skillful format. They only permit you to download a single video at a time, and you can forget nigh saving whole playlists. 3D and 360-degree videos are also out of the question, and very few can handle 4K.

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Daryl Baxter

Daryl had been freelancing for 3 years before joining TechRadar, now reporting on everything software-related. In his spare time he's written a volume, 'The Making of Tomb Raider', alongside podcasting and normally found playing games old and new on his PC and MacBook Pro. If y'all have a story near an updated app or ane that's well-nigh to launch, driblet him a line.

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