Author:
Frank Hunt
Date Of Creation:
20 March 2021
Update Date:
23 June 2024
Content
Watching videos on YouTube can be great, but what if you want to watch it later when you're not online or transfer it to your phone? You will have to download the video to do that. Follow this guide to learn how to download the videos and watch them later.
To step
Part 1 of 2: Download video
Find the video you want to download. To download a video in high definition, the video must be available as a high definition (HD) stream. Click on the gear icon at the bottom of the video. If 720p or 1080p are available, you can download the video in HD. 
Go to a download website. These websites take the URL for the video you want to download and provide download links. Many of these websites work for YouTube and other video sites. - In an open browser, type something like "download youtube videos for free" and click a link in the search results. There should be a number to choose from.
Enter the link of the YouTube video. Copy the full URL from your browser's address bar and paste it into the field. Make sure to include the "http: //". Click on the download button. 
Run the Java applet when prompted. To convert the file, the site you are using may need to run a Java applet on your computer. This is an online program, and you will need to confirm it before the program can run. Only confirm this if you are sure that the website can be trusted. Research user experiences before running programs on your computer. 
Download the file. You will be presented with a list of video files to download. The high definition files are at the bottom of the list, and will be the largest. They come in MP4 format, and require special software to view in Windows. Mac OS X itself has MP4 support.
Part 2 of 2: Watch HD video in Windows
Download a universal media player. There are several free and open-source media players available online. VLC Player and Media Player Classic are two of the most popular options. 
Choose the video you want to watch. Right-click on it and select "Open with ..." Select your newly installed media player from the list of programs. Check the box "Always use the selected program to open this kind of file". This means that in the future, all you have to do is double-click the MP4 file and it will be played automatically. 
Download the correct quality. Some older computers may have trouble getting HD video to run smoothly. If VLC or Media Player Classic keeps playing a video in poor quality, you may need to download a lower resolution of the video to watch it successfully.
Tips
- Not every video is available in high definition.
Warnings
- Downloading videos is against the YouTube terms of service.
- From time to time, companies that provide video download software will also install malware on your computer. Be careful when installing anything on your computer.
