The best free YouTube downloader apps to utilize in 2022

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If you've ever wanted to lookout your favorite online videos when offline, so the all-time YouTube downloaders for Mac and Windows are for y'all. In fact, it'south pretty difficult saving a video from a video-hosting site without the use of ane of these programs. Thankfully, you tin can utilise ane of these downloaders to your benefit regardless of what platform you're using, whether information technology'south a smartphone, Mac, or Windows PC.

There are a few different reasons why you might need to download a video. Information technology's possible you demand it for a presentation. Or, maybe there'southward something yous uploaded in the past and don't accept access to the original file anymore. No matter the reason, using a YouTube downloader volition make your life much simpler. All you need to practise is get the video'south URL that you lot want, plug information technology into 1 of these downloaders, and let them practise the remainder. It's a much easier process than attempting to capture a video with a screen recording app.

Our current acme selection is the 4K Video Downloader, a program that volition remove watermarks when downloading videos and save them in an advertizing-free format. Yous tin can even download a whole playlist at a time if y'all want. Information technology offers a few paid-for options that come with some actress features too.

However, there are a few different apps that you can check out. So, no matter your needs, at that place'southward something here that will 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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i. 4K Video Downloader

Fast, free and flexible – the well-nigh versatile YouTube downloader

Specifications

Operating system: Windows, macOS, Linux

Reasons to buy

+

Not bad choice of formats

+

Downloads playlists

+

Supports 3D and 360-degree videos

+

No bundled extra software

Reasons to avoid

-

Limits on playlist downloads

4K Video Downloader is the best free YouTube downloader around for quick, fuss-free YouTube downloads. Information technology'south simple to use, highly customizable, ad-free, and doesn't include whatever bundled extra software.

To grab a video (or a whole playlist, provided information technology's non longer than 24 videos), simply copy its URL from your web browser, click 'Paste URL' and select an output format, quality and location.

In that location's a swell choice of formats – both video and audio – including MP4 and MP3. Y'all can download captions for private videos, and there'south support for 3D and 360-degree videos also.

Delving into the properties lets you tweak options like multi-stream downloads (increasing the number of streams will speed upward downloads, but increases the risk YouTube blocking your IP accost) and fix a proxy connectedness.

Buying a fundamental will let you download longer playlists and playlists with captions, and at £vii.95 (about US$10, AU$15) for a lifetime license for three PCs, it'due south a deal, but the free 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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2. WinX YouTube Downloader

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

Specifications

Operating organization: Windows, macOS

Reasons to buy

+

Supports over 30 video sites

+

Can download 4K video

+

Downloads multiple videos at once

Reasons to avoid

-

No 360-degree video support

Running a very close second, WinX YouTube Downloader can download videos from all the most popular sites, including Facebook, Vimeo and DailyMotion. It'south very easy to utilize. Just paste in a URL, select an output format and quality setting, and it volition exist added to the electric current batch.

One time you've added all the videos you want to download, just click the 'Download' button and they'll all be candy at one time, and saved to the destination folder of your pick.

WinX YouTube Downloader can download 4K video when available, and only loses out to 4K Video Downloader because it'south unable to download 3D and 360-degree videos. If this isn't a problem for you, this free 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 Gratuitous

Download and catechumen videos, and add together special effects

Specifications

Operating system: Windows, macOS

Reasons to buy

+

Excellent format back up

+

Congenital-in video editor

Reasons to avoid

-

No batch downloads

-

Bundled extra software

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

There are lots of video formats to cull from, and there'due south fifty-fifty a basic video editor built into this YouTube downloader. This tin be used to ingather a video yous download, add together simple effects such as colour adjustment, and add together overlay text.

The whole process is quick and like shooting fish in a barrel. Whatever Video Converter's interface may not be to anybody's liking, but that'southward really nitpicking; this is a fantastic free YouTube downloader all other respects. Watch out for the arranged ByteFence and Yahoo software during installation, and yous're proficient to become.

Read our full review: Whatever Video Converter Free

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The Free YouTube Download tool being displayed on a laptop

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four. Free YouTube Download

Catch videos without clicking a single button

Specifications

Operating system: Windows, macOS

Reasons to buy

+

Automobile download option

+

Batch downloading

+

Can shut down PC when finished

Reasons to avoid

-

Iii-minute time limit

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

You can download several videos at one time if you need to, and you lot can convert to several dissimilar formats on the fly. Just which formats are bachelor to you lot will depend on the quality of the original video, but AVI, MP4, iPhone/iPod and MKV should be available in most cases. Information technology's also possible to catechumen to audio-just MP3 if you don't demand the footage too.

In that location's only one real drawback, merely it's a biggie – you can just use Free YouTube Download to take hold of clips that are less than three minutes long. That rules out most music videos for a start, and is a real shame.

Read our total review: Free YouTube Download

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

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five. aTube Catcher

Download, catechumen and merge videos as they're playing

Specifications

Operating system: Windows

Reasons to buy

+

Batch downloading

+

Converts to popular formats

+

Automatic file conversion

Reasons to avoid

-

Adware in installer

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

First, however, a word of warning: sneaky adware abounds during the installation. When y'all're offered the offset app, make sure to hit Cancel, and for the second one click Turn down – then you'll exist free to enjoy aTube Catcher without whatsoever unwanted surprises.

Downloaded videos tin can be converted automatically to a number of popular formats, so you tin can tailor them for their intended use, or any device you intend to watch them on. If you're looking to download a big number of videos, yous can download them all at once, maxing out your bandwidth – something not available in all of the best costless YouTube downloaders on this list.

This complimentary YouTube downloader offers plenty of added extras too, such as the power to record whatever on-screen video, video merging, and disc burning.

Read our total review: aTube Catcher

Is it legal to downloaded YouTube videos?

Before y'all use a complimentary YouTube downloader, bear in mind that using third-party apps to download videos is against YouTube's terms of service, which say y'all tin can only stream videos direct from its servers.

Downloading videos is likewise potentially a copyright infringement unless you own the video yourself, have permission from the copyright holder, or it'southward in the public domain.

What'due south the difference betwixt Online YouTube downloaders and desktop apps?

At that place are many sites that yous tin can use to download YouTube videos, but nosotros don't recommend them due to their disadvantages over desktop software. Start of all, they're slower due to the limitations of the remote server and your data connection. Many such sites too feature ads of a NSFW variety, or display thumbnails of recently downloaded videos, which may not exist appropriate.

Online video converters typically don't give you much (if any) choice almost the video file either, in terms of quality or good format. They only let you to download a single video at a time, and you tin can forget about 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 iii years before joining TechRadar, now reporting on everything software-related. In his spare fourth dimension he'southward written a book, 'The Making of Tomb Raider', alongside podcasting and usually establish playing games onetime and new on his PC and MacBook Pro. If yous have a story virtually an updated app or 1 that's almost to launch, driblet him a line.

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