How to Download YouTube Videos on Mac for Free. 100% free, no ads, and no plugins, EaseUS. Mac Video Downloader is a shareware web video application. It's a full-featured tool that can create, convert, and download web videos, but unlike freeware tools that only work with a few sites.
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.
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.
- 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
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'.
Common Issues Related to YouTube Video Download
There are some frequently asked questions from users about YouTube video download:
'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.
When you are online on a social media site like Facebook or Twitter and you come across certain interesting videos and you are not able to save it as the option is not available on most sites. In that case, you can use a Facebook Video Downloader or Twitter Video Downloader. These Video Downloader Software are free to use and can be used very easily. Most of the Flash Video Downloader can be accessed online.
Related:
Video Downloader Pro
This free software from Video Downloader Pro is used for downloading any video or music file from any website. It has a simple interface and you will be able to watch the video before you could download it.
Speedbit Video Downloader
This free software is a video downloader that can be used for downloading videos and converting them to any format. It will be able to work with most sites and fast downloads and conversions can be done.
4K Video Downloader
This free software from OpenMedia LLC will allow users to download videos, audio and subtitles from YouTube is very high quality. It can be converted into other forms for playing on other devices.
Orbit Downloader
This free software from OrbitDownloader.com will be able to download videos, music and streaming media from many sites.
VDownloader
This free software from Vitzo Ltd is used for downloading videos from most of the major websites and converting them to any audio or video format that you want.
iWisoft Free Video Downloader
This free software from iWisoft Inc. is used for downloading flash audio and video files from any site that have a Flash video player and also for previewing the captured video.
Video Downloader professional
YTD Downloader
Free Download Music Video For Mac Download
Final Video Downloader
iOrgSoft Free Video Downloader
Video Downloader Software For Different Platforms
If you want to install any particular type of Video Downloader then there are some Video Downloader Software available on the internet. These applications will work in such a way that you can install it only on one operating system like Windows, Mac, Linux or Android and not on any other OS.
Free YouTube Download for Windows
This free software from DVDVIDEOSOFT LTD is compatible on the Windows platform and is a very famous YouTube video downloading software. You can convert the videos that you download.
Free YouTube Downloader for Mac
This free software from Wondershare is used on the Mac devices and you can use it for downloading free YouTube videos on any device and watch it online or offline later.
Free Music For Mac
FVD – Free Video Downloader for Android
This Android app from SharkLab Mobile can be used for free and it has a simple and user-friendly interface that can be integrated with the web browser for faster access.
Internet Download Manager – Most Popular Software
This premium software from Tonec Inc. is a popular internet download manager that is very fast and will be able to resume and schedule the download processes if an error occurs.
How to install Free Video Downloader?
Download Music On Mac
Most of the video downloaders that are available online can be used as a free version or as a premium version. So you should find the application that you will be able to suit all your requirements and download it. If it is a premium version then you will have to contact the manufacturer for obtaining the login credentials. You can then download this software by using the links that are mentioned in the review and then the file can be unzipped so that it can be installed onto the desired location by following the instructions that are prompted on the installation window. You can also see Twitter Video Downloader
Most of the video downloaders will be able to convert all the videos that are downloaded into other formats so that it can be played on other devices. You will have options like comprehensive error recovery and schedule downloads along with resume capabilities for restarting downloads in case of a shutdown.