There are millions of videos on YouTube, but you can not always watch them online, in streaming. Sometimes the connection is not good enough, and you do not have time to wait for it to load. Or you would like to see them in certain situations where you will not have a connection: a long trip by plane, a stay of a few days in a lost mountain town … Or simply you want to keep them as a memory, lest the author decide one day eliminate them.

For all that, you have many resources: programs, browser extensions and web pages that allow you to download YouTube videos easily, and some of them also the audio track, in case what you’re interested in is what you hear, not what what it looks like So do not worry, if you want to download that video and watch it offline, you only have to use some of these tools and you can do it without problems.

Software to download YouTube videos or audio

There are numerous programs with which you can download YouTube videos. They are similar to each other , but also stand out for their own qualities : some, for example, are optimized for high quality video (4K) while others prioritize the ability to download videos from almost any page. Here are some of them.

  • atube catcher. (Windows) One of the oldest programs of its kind, aTube Catcher lets you download videos from themost popular streaming sites( not just YouTube ) to your computer. You can also convert them to other formats, including MP3 (if you only want audio). It includes options to customize the conversion and you can download complete playlists.
  • YouTube Downloader HD. (Windows, Mac) This program only downloads videos from YouTube. In return, it specializes in high-quality formats (full HD), so you can easily obtain the highest quality version of the video in question.
  • Free YouTube to MP3 Converter. (Windows) If really the only thing that interests you about the video is its audio track , this program is the right one. With it you can record that sound in MP3 format to your hard drive directly, maintaining the original quality, and then convert it to other formats if you want.
  • VDownloader. (Windows) Another classic in these programs, VDownloader offers many interesting features: support for a variety of video websites, conversion to other formats, 4K video download, possibility to save only audio, integration with social networks and own search engine to locate your favorite videos.
  • Freemake Video Downloader. (Windows) One more alternative to download YouTube videos, with the possibility of converting them to several formats(even for mobile, or save only the audio), support for a multitude of video websites, and that allows downloading 4K videos and playlists .
  • Clipgrab (Windows, Mac) A last interesting option is this program with which you can download videos from several streaming platforms, and also frommany other sites where ClipGrab can automatically recognize the presence of videos. It also has support for HD content.

Download YouTube videos with extensions

Another way to download YouTube videos without having to install anything extra on your computer is through browser extensions . You also have a few to choose from. Of course, all of Firefox, because Google does not allow the Chrome extensions offered in the Chrome Web Store download YouTube videos.

  • Video DownloadHelper. An extension that can extract videos (and also images) from the web you are visiting at that moment, and download them to your hard drive. It supports the vast majority of video websites, and also several types of streaming. The whole process is very simple and can be done in a couple of clicks.
  • Download YouTube Videos as MP4. This extension is integrated directly into the YouTube interface and adds a button under the player to download the video directly. It is saved on the hard disk in MP4 format.
  • Easy Youtube Video Downloader Express. The creator of this extension ensures that it is the only one with support for Full HD 1080p (video) and 192 kbps (audio). It is very easy to use and allows you to quickly obtain the material that interests you from YouTube, in several formats and with maximum quality.
  • 1-Click YouTube Video Download. “The easiest way to download YouTube videos, period,” says its description. And the truth is that it is very simple. When you are on the page of a YouTube video that you want to download, click on the extension button and it will show you all the available options. Choose the one you want to download, and that’s it.

Websites, the fastest to download from YouTube

The extensions make it easy, yes, but the fastest is still going to a web page . You may not have many configuration options, but for those who seek immediacy above all, they are the best option.

  • Youtube mp3. Probably the simplest web to download from YouTube. It only works for audio, yes. Copy and paste the link of the video in question in the text field, and that’s it. Nothing else.
  • Peggo Another very simple website to download YouTube audio. It works just like the previous one: copy link, paste link, MP3 obtemer. Zero problems . Oh, and it also works with SoundCloud.
  • ClipConverter If you want to download the video, not just the audio, this website is a good alternative. You just have to copy the link to the video, and you also have several formats (both video and audio) to convert the video. Then you download it to the computer, and finished matter.
  • SaveFrom Finally, this other website also allows you to download YouTube videos with different quality options, and with a particularity: you can use it by visiting its URL directly, or you can use a very interesting trick . The next time you are watching a video on YouTube and want to download it to your hard drive, insert “ss” in front of “youtube” in the URL (so that it looks something like https: //www.ssyoutube.com / … ) and you will upload the SaveFrom website directly with the URL of your already copied video in the text field.