You may hate funny cat videos or game reviews, but the chances are you still use YouTube. A mammoth of video content, YouTube is a go-to spot for many. In fact, the platform has over 1 billion users which is one-third of all internet users. Huge.

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Or, maybe your daily companions are Vimeo and Twitch. One way or another, video content is a part of your digital life. The question is how to utilize it.

How To Download YouTube Videos On Mac It is now easy to convert YouTube videos into downloadable MP4s on a Mac. Video Grabber is a free online video downloader & converter that enables you to grab videos from a handful of video hosting sites, like YouTube, Dailymotion, Vimeo, Blip TV, Liveleak, Lynda, Break, Vube, Ustream, Ted and many others. It can directly convert video from websites to MP3 on Mac OS X or PC, and offer integration with Safari, Firefox. Free YouTube Downloader. This is a highly recommended tool to download YouTube videos on. While many want to download YouTube videos, the only way to do so responsibly is on iOS and Android, by paying the $11.99 for YouTube Premium. Otherwise, you're violating YouTube's terms of.

In this article, we compare top YouTube downloaders for Mac and explain how you can legally save video to Mac to watch it anytime and anywhere.

Best YouTube downloaders

Get a huge set of top tools to download videos from Youtube. Most helpful utilities in one pack, give it a go!

Let us warn you in advance, all YouTube download tools reviewed in this article are worth a try. To help you narrow down the choice, check the nice-to-have assets every safe YouTube downloader should have:

• Works with all major video streaming platforms like YouTube, Vimeo, and Dailymotion.
• Allows to save mp4 content and, optionally, convert to different formats.
• Has support for audio output — allowing you to save music from videos.
• Downloads entire playlists or channels in batch.
• Caters for both professional and everyday use.
• Guarantees data security, not collecting any of your personal information.

For sure, these are not one-size-fits-all qualities. You may need to batch download playlists, or this might be a totally useless feature for you. We made sure the reviewed tools satisfy the key needs — like security and integration with video streaming platforms. The rest is up to you and your priorities.

Quick navigation:

It’s not easy to step into the jungle of video downloaders and instantly pick the right fit – impossible if you’re new to Mac. There’s help, though.

How to download from YouTube

Whether to capture a few movies for an upcoming flight or save favorite clips to rewatch, Mac owners love to save content. The most basic tool should teach you how to download YouTube videos directly from URL. The problem is that it’s complicated to find an efficient free YouTube downloader. Not to mention they could be used for copyright infringement.

To legally save content from YouTube and video streaming services to Mac, as well as download music from videos, you can use third-party apps. As long as you’re not earning money from downloads or breach copyright, they are safe to use.

Download streaming video

Streaming content is a huge chunk of your internet traffic. Think Vimeo, Twitch, YouTube, Dailymotion, and other platforms where you can watch video displayed in real time. Relying on online streaming stymies your watching experience in many ways – from limited data usage to network issues. Plus Wi-Fi often fails you at the most crucial moments. Therefore, you need a reliable tool that helps you capture YouTube video.

If you’re wondering how to watch favorite YouTube videos offline without breaking any laws, let us help you.

1. Choose the video and copy the URL (the app has in-build video search on YouTube/Vimeo/Dailymotion).
2. Paste the link into the app and wait for the app to finish the download.
3. Choose/customize the output format and storage location.

When using third-party tools, be careful about YouTube blocking downloads. If you comply with YouTube’s Terms of Service, you should be fine.

Download and save video from YouTube in mp4

Whether it’s native YouTube Premium or a third-party application, the tools you use to download mp4 from YouTube will by default save video files in mp4. There are different options on tweaking formats, though:

• Retrieve only audio from your video file — tools like Downie and Folx will work for it.
• Download video in mp4 with Elmedia Player.
• Use Downie + Permute to download and convert to different formats — from FLV to MKV to AVI. The two work well together and are both available with Setapp subscription.
• Customize the output before downloading and convert a poor-quality YouTube video to mp4 HD.

Grab YouTube video with YouTube Premium

Since recently, you can’t download YouTube video anymore. That’s because the service created a native tool for the job.

So if you ask YouTube for the best YouTube downloader, it will probably suggest you use YouTube Premium, a native paid subscription service to save content. For the monthly cost of $11.99, it allows you to keep YouTube videos on iPhone and Android devices. Here’s how it works:

1. Open the video in your YouTube mobile app.
2. Click on the download button below the video player.
3. Customize the quality of the output.
4. Once the video is downloaded, you’ll see the “download complete” icon below the player.

The app will automatically save YouTube videos you download to the Library or Account tab.

Top YouTube downloaders compared

Below you’ll find a small collection of best Youtube downloaders that we recommend you look into. Use the apps to play, manage, and automatically save videos.

Best of all, you can use the full toolkit of apps reviewed in this article for a flat fee. Have a look at the full collection. You’ll find extensive descriptions of every YouTube downloader below.

Downie: Save YouTube videos within seconds

The easiest version of a YouTube downloader you can imagine. Grab a link, drag it onto the app icon, wait a few seconds for the content to travel to your Mac.

While you don’t really do much, you can do even less with the browser extension. Downie already has it, so you don’t have to install the extension separately – check the box in your browser preferences and you’re good to go. Magically, Downie can also scan text files for links and download video content from there.

In other words, Downie is a media downloader that commits to cherishing your time. Here are the key ways to align the app with your workflow:

1. Enable Simple mode to get rid of distractions in Preferences > General. Perfect for those who are annoyed by a progress bar showing up each time a download takes place.
2. Downie is also a search machine. You can find YouTube videos on for download by searching right in the app, without opening a browser.
3. If you love YouTube concerts and music videos, you can download audio only. To set Downie to the MP3 mode, open Preferences > Postprocessing > Enforce MP3.

This downloader automatically converts all videos to MP4, but if you need more options there’s Permute to help. It covers virtually all media formats and works both for video and audio. The app is basically Downie’s cousin, created by the same team of developers, Charlie Monroe Software. So you get a discount if you buy the two. Also, Downie and Permute are both available on Setapp.

Pros:

• Simple and clean interface
• Customizable functionality
• 4K support
• Integrates with YouTube video converter

Cons:

• Limited file conversion options

Price:

$19.99 if purchased separately

$26.99 Downie + Permute

Starting at $9.99 per month Downie, Permute and 150+ apps on Setapp

Play and download video content with Elmedia Player

Elmedia Player is one of the best tools to entrust your movie watching experience to. Not only does it tell you how to save videos from YouTube, it also enables viewing content ad-free, right from the app. Download audio, convert to different media formats, or stream via AirPlay – it solves tons of problems.

Not limitless, but the functionality is pretty impressive. It’s a good idea to work with Elmedia Player if you want to:

1. Organize downloads and bring them into curated playlists.
2. Play Vimeo, Dailymotion, and YouTube videos in the app, without downloading.
3. Open and convert files to different formats – from MP3 TO MKV.
4. Extract audio tracks from YouTube videos.
5. Stream media content to all Apple devices that support AirPlay.

Compared to Apple’s native QuickTime, Elmedia Player supports a bigger number of formats and is generally a decent alternative to the default program.

Pros:

• Intuitive interface
• Covers virtually all video and audio formats
• Streaming capabilities

Cons:

• Lots of features confusing for a beginner

Price:

$19.95 Elmedia Player Pro license

Starting at $9.99 per month Elmedia Player Pro and 150+ apps on Setapp

Swiftly download large videos with Folx app

There’s no better option than Folx if you’re big on big downloads. Combining the functionality of a download manager and torrent client, the app brings large videos to your Mac in a matter of minutes.

With your browser and Folx open, you can download any video from YouTube by URL. Once you have the URL, paste it directly into the search bar or click on the plus button > YouTube > paste the link. Give the app a few seconds to prepare a download, and click OK. Before you know it, the video is on your Mac.

The in-built torrent client that is available to Pro plan users works in a similar way – simple and lightning fast. Navigate to the Torrent tab via the plus button. In the top search field, click on the three dots to select a torrent file, customize default preferences if needed, and click OK.

To accelerate the process, Folx splits downloads in up to 20 streams. The app also cleverly adjusts download speed to your online activities, so that not to hamper important programs and processes running on your Mac. To tweak the default speed settings in Folx, access Preferences > Smart Speed.

Pros:

• Torrent search right in the app
• Speed optimization
• Download scheduling and auto-resume

Cons:

• No free trial for Pro features

Price:

$19.95 Folx Pro license

Starting at $9.99 per month Folx and 150+ apps on Setapp

AnyTrans to download and transfer content

Many think of AnyTrans as an alternative to iTunes, but it’s much more than that. The app is an all-mighty file manager that works with all your devices. So whether you want to copy images from iPhone to Mac, or transfer from Android to iOS, AnyTrans has you covered.

Apart from cleverly managing your content, the app also helps you grab some new. Using an in-built Media Downloader, you can save video from 900+ websites, including Vimeo, Dailymotion, and YouTube.

Capturing and instantly sharing media is why you should pick AnyTrans over the other options. It has limited functionality in terms of download preferences, but is pretty good for capturing short videos.

Pros:

• Clean and understandable interface
• Excellent file control
• Media transferring options

Cons:

• Limitations in terms of integration with iTunes library.

Price:

$39.99 AnyTrans Single license

Starting at $9.99 per month AnyTrans and 150+ apps on Setapp

It’s ok if you have a hard time choosing your favorite. Some of the apps complement each other – like you could use Folx to capture large videos and transfer with AnyTrans. With Setapp subscription, you can try every mentioned YouTube downloader for free and choose what suits your flow. Or, don’t choose. Your Mac deserves all of them.

Meantime, prepare for all the awesome things you can do with Setapp.

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by Christine Smith • 2020-10-28 17:38:16 • Proven solutions

When it comes to online video content, YouTube is the largest site having videos from almost all genres. No matter whether you are searching for the latest sensational music video, a tutorial, a regional movie, a funny clip, or a high definition wildlife video, YouTube has all. Watching YouTube videos online is easy if you have a strong internet connection, but what if you want to enjoy them offline on your Mac? There are a number of ways through which you can download videos on your system, and watch them whenever and wherever you want without bothering about a data connection. The following part of the article discusses different ways to download YouTube videos Mac.

Part 1. Best YouTube Downloader Mac to Download YouTube Videos

There is a decent number of downloader tools available for the Mac system with various functions and features. One such professional YouTube video downloader Mac is Wondershare UniConverter (originally Wondershare Video Converter Ultimate). Working as a complete video toolbox, the program supports an array of functions like video conversion, download, recording, DVD burning, transfer, etc.

Wondershare UniConverter - Your Complete Video Toolbox

• Supports downloading videos from over 10,000 sites including YouTube, Dailymotion, Vimeo, and others
• Allows downloading 4K/HD videos in excellent quality
• Allows downloading YouTube playlist in One Go
• YouTube to MP3 conversion in a single click
• Lossless quality video download at a super-fast speed
• Works on all popular Mac and Windows OS versions
• YouTube downloaded videos can be converted to over 1000 formats

How to Download YouTube Video on Mac Using Wondershare UniConverter

Best Free Youtube Downloader For Mac

Step 1 Launch Wondershare YouTube downloader Mac

Download, install, and launch Wondershare UniConverter for Mac on your system.

Step 2 Copy YouTube link

Open the desired YouTube video that you want to download on your Mac browser and copy its link.

Step 3 Paste YouTube link on the Wondershare interface to download video

Select the Downloader tab on the software interface, and click + Paste URL. The copied link will automatically paste and the video download process will start.

Step 4 Check the downloaded video

Once the download process completes, the video will appear under the Finished tab.

Part 2. Free Download YouTube Video on Mac Using Safari

Another method for downloading YouTube videos to Mac is by using the Safari browser. Though there are no specific commands for capturing the YouTube videos, the built-in tools of the browser can be used for the same. The method downloads the YouTube video as a Flash file which can be played using a third party program.

Steps to Download YouTube Video with Safari Browser

Video Download For Mac Youtube Downloader

Step 1. Open the YouTube video that you want to download and play it

Step 2. Press the Command-Option-A to open the Safari Activity window (Enable the develop menu first and for this check Preferences > Advanced > Show Develop in the menu bar.)

Step 3. Next, check for the video resource in the window that will show the name of the video followed by YouTube word. If it does not appear, reload the page.

Step 4. Once you found the resource link, double-click to open it.

Youtube Video Download Software For Mac

Step 5. Focus on the location bar and then hit the option-enter to start downloading the video. The YouTube video will download on your Mac system, as Flv file.

Free Video Downloader For Mac Os X

Part 3. Free YouTube Downloader Online for YouTube Video Download Mac

If you are looking for a free YouTube downloader online then ClipConverter will prove to be a good option. This online media recorder allows recording videos from YouTube, Vimeo, Facebook, and other popular sites. You can select the format and the quality of the recorded video. ClipConverter has a simple to understand interface which makes it easy for all to download their desired videos for offline watching.

How to Download YouTube Video Using ClipConverter

Step 1. On the Mac browser, open the YouTube video that you want to download and copy its URL.

Youtube Downloader Mac Os X

Step 2. Open https://clipconverter.io/ on your Mac browser. Paste the copied video link to Video URL to Download tab and click Continue.

Step 3. The program will show the different video quality and resolution from which you can select the desired option. If needed, you can also select the format- MP3, MP4, M4A, and others in which you want the downloaded video.

Step 4. Hit the Start button to proceed with the video download. Once the process is complete, you can download the converted YouTube file from the program interface.

Part 4. Save YouTube Video with VLC Player

VLC is a popular and free to use open-source media platform that can not only play your videos but also perform a host of other functions including YouTube video download. So if you are in no mood to install any third-party software, or use an online media recorder, VLC is there for you. Though the process is not as simple and straightforward as other methods, it will surely download your desired videos. Since VLC download the videos directly from the server of Google, the process is very fast.

Steps to Download YouTube Videos Using VLC Player

Video Download Youtube Mac Safari

Step 1. Open the YouTube video that you want to download on your Mac browser and copy its link.

Step 2. Open the VLC Media player on your Mac. Select File and then Open Network option.

Step 3. Select the Network tab and paste the copied YouTube URL at the box. The video will start playing.

Step 4. Select Window and from the drop-down menu click Media Information. A new pop-up window showing video information will appear. At the given page, copy the link at the Location bar at the bottom, This URL shows the exact YouTube video link from the Google Server. Copy the link.

Step 5. Paste this new link at the address bar of your Mac browser.

Step 6. The video will start playing in our browser from where you need to right-click and select Save As or Save Video As… option. Then you can quickly download and save the video on your Mac’s hard drive.

The above listed are different types of YouTube downloader Mac. You can select from the methods that best suit your requirements. Overall, considering the quality, speed, ease of use, and added functions, Wondershare UniConverter proves to be the best solution for downloading YouTube videos to Mac.