⚠️ Important note: Downloading videos from YouTube for personal use is generally tolerated, but it is always advisable to respect the platform’s terms of service and copyright. Do not use downloaded content for commercial purposes without the owner’s authorization. Videos with a Creative Commons license can be reused according to the terms specified by the author.
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📋 Index of Methods
- AllMyTube – Professional Italian software ⭐ Recommended
- Online Services – No installation
- 4K Video Downloader – Popular free software
- Browser Extensions – One-click download
- yt-dlp – Advanced tool (command line)
- VLC Media Player – Alternative method
- YouTube Premium – Official method
🏆 The Best Methods to Download YouTube Videos for Free
Windows + Mac
1. AllMyTube
The professional Italian software to download videos from YouTube and beyond
AllMyTube is one of the best “Video & Music Downloader” programs available on the market. Developed by Wondershare and distributed in Italy by SoftStore, it lets you download video and audio not only from YouTube but also from over 10,000 websites, including Facebook, Instagram, Vimeo, Dailymotion, RaiPlay, Mediaset Play, Sky Video and many others.
Unlike online services, AllMyTube offers advanced features such as downloading entire playlists, converting to any format, transferring directly to mobile devices and the exclusive “Turbo Download” feature that triples downloading speed.
✨ Key Features
Download from 10,000+ sites – YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, Vimeo, RaiPlay, Mediaset and many more
Turbo Download 3x – Downloading speed up to 3 times faster
Quality up to 4K/8K – Download videos in HD, Full HD, 4K and even 8K
MP3 Extraction – Download the audio track directly from music videos
Playlist and Channel Download – Download entire playlists or all the videos of a YouTube channel
Built-in Conversion – Convert to MP4, AVI, MKV, MOV, MP3 and other formats
Transfer to devices – Transfer directly to iPhone, iPad and Android
Video Recorder – Record any streaming video that can’t be downloaded
English/Italian interface – Fully translated and easy to use
Multiple downloads – Download up to 8 videos at the same time
📖 How to Use AllMyTube – Step-by-Step Guide
Step 1: Download and install AllMyTube
Download the free demo version from the official SoftStore website and proceed with the installation. During the process you can also install the browser plugin that adds a “Download” button directly on videos.
Step 2: Copy the YouTube video URL
Go to YouTube and find the video you want to download. Copy the URL from your browser’s address bar. Or use the “ONLINE” tab built into the program to browse YouTube directly.
Step 3: Paste the URL into the program
Click the “PASTE URL” button on the main screen of AllMyTube. The program will automatically analyze the link.
Step 4: Choose quality and format
A window will open where you can choose whether to download the video (MP4) or audio only (MP3), and select the desired quality (720p, 1080p, 4K, etc.).
Step 5: Start the download
Click “DOWNLOAD” and wait for it to complete. To speed things up, activate the “Turbo Download” feature by clicking the lightning bolt icon! When finished, you can convert or transfer the video to other devices.
Full version for only
€29 lifetime license
✓ Free demo available
✓ Updates included
Available for Windows and Mac • English/Italian interface
No installation
2. Online Services (No Software)
Download videos directly from your browser, without installing anything on your computer
If you don’t want to install software on your computer, you can use one of the many free online services. The way it works is simple: copy the YouTube video URL, paste it into the site and start the download. Here are the best services currently working:
📥 noTube
Fast service with no registration. Supports MP4, FLV, 3GP and audio extraction to MP3/M4A.
📥 SaveFrom.net
One of the most popular services. Supports YouTube, Facebook, Vimeo. Free version in low quality.
📥 Loader.to
Great service that supports up to 1080p. Also available as an APK app for Android.
📥 Y2Mate
Fast and efficient, little advertising. Downloads video and audio in various formats up to Full HD.
📥 9xBuddy
Supports many sites besides YouTube. Various formats and resolutions, audio-only track download.
📥 VIDO
Simple service, lets you choose the video quality. MP4, MP3 and other formats.
⚠️ Warning: Online services may show intrusive ads or deceptive pop-ups. Use an ad-blocker and be careful not to click on fake “Download” buttons. Also, these services only let you download one video at a time and do not support playlists.
Free (limited)
3. 4K Video Downloader
Very popular free software for Windows, Mac and Linux
4K Video Downloader is one of the most widely used free programs for downloading videos from YouTube. It supports downloading in various qualities (up to 8K) and lets you save playlists, channels and subtitles. The free version has some limitations (30 downloads per day), but is more than enough for occasional use.
✅ Pros:
- Completely free
- Quality up to 8K
- Playlist and channel download
- Built-in subtitles
- Available for Win/Mac/Linux
❌ Limitations:
- Max 30 downloads/day (free)
- No format conversion
- Interface in English only
- No “Turbo” feature
🔗 Official site: 4kdownload.com
Chrome / Firefox / Edge
4. Browser Extensions
Add a download button directly beneath YouTube videos
Browser extensions let you add a “Download” button directly beneath YouTube videos. Note: Google Chrome does not allow YouTube downloader extensions on its official store due to ToS violations, but you can use them on Firefox or install them manually.
🦊 Firefox
- Video DownloadHelper – Very popular extension, supports many sites besides YouTube
- Easy YouTube Video Downloader Express – Adds a download button directly on videos
- YouTube Video and Audio Downloader – Simple and functional
🌐 Other Browsers
- Opera/Brave – Support extensions via alternative stores
- Edge – Some extensions available from the Microsoft Store
- Tampermonkey + scripts – Advanced method with custom userscripts
💡 Tip: Many software programs like AllMyTube automatically include a browser extension that adds the download button to videos, without having to install anything separately.
Open Source
5. yt-dlp (Command Line)
The most powerful open source tool for advanced users
yt-dlp is an updated fork of the famous youtube-dl. It’s an open source command-line tool that supports thousands of websites and offers maximum control over downloads. Perfect for experienced users, automation and scripts.
# Install yt-dlp (Windows with pip)
pip install yt-dlp
# Download a video
yt-dlp https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VIDEO_ID
# Download audio only (MP3)
yt-dlp -x --audio-format mp3 URL
# Download in a specific quality (1080p)
yt-dlp -f "bestvideo[height<=1080]+bestaudio" URL
# Download an entire playlist
yt-dlp PLAYLIST_URL
# Download all the videos of a channel
yt-dlp CHANNEL_URL
🔗 GitHub: github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp • Free and open source
Probably already installed
6. VLC Media Player
Use the media player you probably already have on your PC
Few people know that VLC Media Player, the famous free media player, can also be used to download videos from YouTube. Here’s how:
📖 Procedure:
- Open VLC and go to Media → Open Network Stream (or press Ctrl+N)
- Paste the YouTube video URL and click “Play”
- While the video is playing, go to Tools → Codec Information (Ctrl+J)
- Copy the URL in the “Location” field at the bottom
- Paste the URL into your browser and save the video with right-click → “Save video as…”
Note: This method is more cumbersome than others and doesn’t always work with all videos, but it can be useful if you already have VLC installed and don’t want to download other software.
📊 Comparison Table of Methods
| Method | Price | Max Quality | Playlist | Conversion | Ease of Use |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ⭐ AllMyTube | Free demo / €29 | 4K/8K | ✅ | ✅ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Online Services | Free | 720p-1080p | ❌ | Limited | ⭐⭐⭐ |
| 4K Video Downloader | Free (30/day) | 8K | ✅ | ❌ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Browser Extensions | Free | Varies | ❌ | ❌ | ⭐⭐⭐ |
| yt-dlp | Free | Maximum | ✅ | ✅ | ⭐⭐ |
| VLC | Free | Varies | ❌ | ✅ | ⭐⭐ |
| YouTube Premium | €13.99/month | 1080p | ✅ | ❌ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
🎯 Which Method Should You Choose?
- For most users: AllMyTube offers the best balance of ease of use, full features and professional quality
- For occasional, quick downloads: Online services like noTube or Y2Mate are perfect (one video at a time)
- For advanced users and automation: yt-dlp offers maximum control and flexibility via the command line
- For those who want to support creators: YouTube Premium is the only 100% official and legal option
- For those who already have VLC or 4K Downloader: They can be used without installing any other software
❓ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Is it legal to download videos from YouTube?
Technically, downloading videos without authorization violates YouTube’s Terms of Service. However, for personal, private use it is generally tolerated. Reusing content for commercial purposes without the owner’s permission is not allowed. Videos with a Creative Commons license can be reused according to the terms specified by the author.
Can I download videos in 4K or 8K?
Yes, software like AllMyTube, 4K Video Downloader and yt-dlp support downloading in 4K and even 8K, provided the original video is available in that resolution. Free online services are generally limited to 720p or 1080p.
How do I download only the MP3 audio from a video?
Most software (AllMyTube, 4K Downloader, yt-dlp) and online services let you select “audio only” or “MP3” as the output format before downloading. In AllMyTube, just select “Audio” instead of “Video” in the download window.
Why do some online services stop working?
YouTube frequently updates its system to block third-party downloaders. Online services may temporarily stop working. Desktop software like AllMyTube is updated regularly to work around these blocks, ensuring more stable operation over time.
How do I download an entire YouTube playlist or channel?
To download entire playlists or channels, you need desktop software like AllMyTube, 4K Video Downloader or yt-dlp. Free online services generally only let you download one video at a time. With AllMyTube, just copy the playlist URL and the program will automatically detect all available videos.
📌 Disclaimer: This guide is provided for informational purposes. The author does not encourage the violation of copyright or of YouTube’s terms of service. Make sure you have the right to download the content and use these tools responsibly, in compliance with applicable laws and copyright.
🔄 Last updated: July 2026
