This article is specially written for those who want to download videos from YouTube without its own app. Read and learn to keep YouTube videos forever as local files.
The download feature is only available in the locations listed by YouTube (click here to view the list). If YouTube Premium is available in your location, you can download videos to your computer or mobile device by becoming a YouTube Premium member.
To allow videos or playlists to be downloaded over mobile networks, go to your profile picture, select Settings, then Background & downloads, and turn off Download over Wi-Fi only. By default, videos are downloaded over both Wi-Fi and mobile data.
To set the default quality of your downloads, go to Settings, then Background & downloads, and select Download quality. Keep in mind that higher-quality videos may consume more data, take longer to show in the Downloads section, and take up more space on your device.
To check how much space you have left for downloadable content, go to your profile picture, select Settings, then Background & downloads within the app. If you have less than 5% of storage space remaining, you won't be able to download more videos. Try removing existing downloads or other content stored on your device to free up extra space.
To download videos to your device with the app:
1. Sign in to your Premium account within the YouTube App.
2. Go to the Watch page of the video you’d like to download.
3. Below the video, click Download.
Downloaded videos are available for offline playback for up to 29 days. After that, you'll need to reconnect to the internet to check for changes to the video or its availability. If a video is no longer available, it will be removed during the next sync. In select regions, content can be played offline for up to 48 hours. You must have a Premium account to download videos and be signed in to access them. Some features, such as commenting and liking, require a Wi-Fi connection.
Given the issues users may encounter when they download videos or play the downloaded videos in the app, it would be better if users can download YouTube videos without the app. With a professional YouTube downloader, you can easily download YouTube videos as local files without the app and keep them forever for offline playback even without subscribing to a Premium membership.
NoteBurner YouTube Video Downloader is a reliable and user-friendly program for downloading ad-free YouTube videos in high-definition quality up to 8K, with original subtitles and audio tracks. Users can also use VPN to download videos from different countries or regions. It doesn't include any additional software, ensuring a smooth experience. The output quality depends on the original video quality, but NoteBurner still ensures the best possible quality for an enjoyable viewing experience.
To ensure a smooth experience with the following tutorial, we recommend installing the latest version of NoteBurner YouTube Video Downloader on your Windows or Mac computer. You can easily download the software from the official website for both systems.
Please launch NoteBruner YouTube Video Downloader on your computer and there will be a concise interface.
To customize the output settings, simply click the Gear button located in the upper right corner. From there, you can adjust video quality (High, Medium, or Low), subtitle language, output path, and more. The simultaneous download option lets you specify the number of videos you want to download at once, giving you greater control over your downloads.
Now, you can add the YouTube video to NoteBurner. You can add it by copying and pasting the link or entering the keywords of the video into the search box. All related results will be listed if you enter the keywords.
To access advanced settings, click the 
icon in the corner to open the Advanced Download window. Here, you can select the video/audio format and quality before downloading.
To download a video, choose "Download as Video" in the bottom left corner, and select your desired audio and subtitle options in their corresponding columns. If you prefer to download only the audio, select "Download as Audio". NoteBurner also allows you to download subtitles as separate files by choosing "Download as Subtitles".
Now you can click the download icon to initiate the process. You can find the downloaded videos in the Library and locate the folder by clicking the corresponding icon.
After downloading your favorite YouTube videos without the app as local files, you can then keep them forever and enjoy them offline without ads at any time anywhere. Install our powerful free NoteBurner YouTube Video Downloader and start to download videos without the app now!
It's not possible to download audio, music, or MP3 files from the YouTube app. However, you can easily do that by using a YouTube Music Converter. Read 5 Quick Steps to Convert YouTube Music to MP3 to enjoy YouTube Music offline.
Note: NoteBurner strictly complies with the US copyright regulations. We adopt a leading technology to record unencrypted video without any protection being circumvented.
