How to Download YouTube Videos on a Mac
YouTube is one of the most popular online platforms for watching and sharing videos. Whether you want to enjoy music, tutorials, documentaries, or entertainment, YouTube has something for everyone. But what if you want to watch YouTube videos offline on your Mac? Maybe you don't have a reliable internet connection, or you want to save some videos for later viewing. In this article, we will show you how to download YouTube videos on a Mac using different methods. We will also discuss some of the legal and ethical issues involved in downloading YouTube videos.
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Introduction
Why download YouTube videos on a Mac?
There are many reasons why you might want to download YouTube videos on a Mac. Here are some of them:
You can watch YouTube videos offline without worrying about buffering, ads, or interruptions.
You can save bandwidth and data usage by downloading videos when you have access to Wi-Fi or unlimited internet.
You can create your own video library and organize it according to your preferences.
You can transfer downloaded videos to other devices, such as your iPhone, iPad, or external hard drive.
You can edit downloaded videos using video editing software, such as iMovie or Final Cut Pro.
What are the legal and ethical issues?
Before you start downloading YouTube videos on a Mac, you should be aware of some of the legal and ethical issues involved. According to YouTube's Terms of Service, you are not allowed to download any content from YouTube without permission from the content owner or YouTube itself. This means that downloading YouTube videos without authorization may violate YouTube's policies and infringe on the copyrights of the content creators. You may also face legal consequences if you download or distribute copyrighted videos without permission.
Therefore, you should only download YouTube videos on a Mac for personal use and not for commercial purposes. You You should also respect the wishes of the content creators and not download videos that they have explicitly marked as not available for download. You should also give credit to the original sources and not claim the videos as your own.
How to download YouTube videos on a Mac for free
If you don't want to spend any money on downloading YouTube videos on a Mac, you can try some of the free methods available. However, these methods may have some limitations, such as lower quality, longer time, or limited formats. Here are two of the most common ways to download YouTube videos on a Mac for free:
Option 1: Screen capture with audio on a Mac
One way to download YouTube videos on a Mac for free is to use screen capture software that can record both video and audio. This method is simple and does not require any additional downloads. However, it may affect the quality of the video and the sound, and it may take longer than other methods. Here are the steps to follow:
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Step 1: Install VLC Media Player on your Mac
VLC Media Player is a free and open-source media player that can play almost any video format. It can also be used to capture the audio of YouTube videos. You can download VLC Media Player from its official website. After downloading, follow the instructions to install it on your Mac.
Step 2: Copy the address of the YouTube video you want to download
Go to YouTube and find the video you want to download. Copy the address of the video from the address bar of your browser.
Step 3: Open VLC Player and click File > Open Network
Launch VLC Player on your Mac and click File > Open Network from the menu bar. This will open a dialog box where you can enter a network URL.
Step 4: Paste the YouTube URL into the URL box and click Open
Paste the YouTube URL that you copied in step 2 into the URL box and click Open. This will start playing the YouTube video in VLC Player.
Step 5: Click Window > Media Information and copy the Location URL
While the video is playing, click Window > Media Information from the menu bar. This will open a window that shows information about the media file. Look for the Location field and copy the URL that is displayed there.
Step 6: Paste the copied URL into your browser and right-click the video to save it
Paste the copied URL into your browser and press Enter. This will open the YouTube video in your browser. Right-click on the video and choose Save Video As from the menu. Choose a name and a location for your downloaded video and click Save.
Option 2: Record the screen using QuickTime
Another way to download YouTube videos on a Mac for free is to use QuickTime Player, which is a built-in application on Macs that can record audio and video. This method is also simple and does not require any additional downloads. However, it may also affect the quality of the video and the sound, and it may take longer than other methods. Here are the steps to follow:
Step 1: Open QuickTime Player and click File > New Screen Recording
Open QuickTime Player on your Mac and click File > New Screen Recording from the menu bar. This will open a small window with a red record button.
Step 2: Adjust the recording settings and click the red record button
Before you start recording, you can adjust some of the recording settings by clicking on the arrow next to the record button. You can choose the microphone you want to use for recording the audio, and the quality of the recording. You can also choose to show mouse clicks in the recording. After you have adjusted the settings, click the red record button to start recording.
Step 3: Select the area of the screen you want to record and click Start Recording
A message will appear on your screen, asking you to select the area of the screen you want to record. You can drag the cursor to select a specific area, or click anywhere on the screen to record the entire screen. After you have selected the area, click Start Recording.
Step 4: Play the YouTube video in your browser and wait for it to finish
Go to YouTube and play the video you want to download in your browser. Make sure that the video is within the area of the screen that you are recording. Wait for the video to finish playing.
Step 5: Click the stop button in the menu bar and save the recording as a MOV file
When the video is over, click the stop button in the menu bar. This will end the recording and open a preview window where you can play and edit your recorded video. To save your video, click File > Save from the menu bar. Choose a name and a location for your downloaded video and click Save.
Best apps to download YouTube videos on a Mac
If you want to download YouTube videos on a Mac with more features and options, you can use some of the best apps available for this purpose. These apps are not free, but they offer more benefits, such as faster speed, higher quality, multiple formats, batch downloading, and more. Here are two of the best apps to download YouTube videos on a Mac:
Option 1: 4K Video Downloader
4K Video Downloader is one of the most popular and reliable apps to download YouTube videos on a Mac. It can download videos in various resolutions, from 4K to 8K, and in various formats, such as MP4, MKV, FLV, and more. It can also download subtitles, playlists, channels, and 3D videos from YouTube. Here are the steps to follow:
Step 1: Download and install 4K Video Downloader from its official website
Go to and download 4K Video Downloader for Mac. After downloading, follow the instructions to install it on your Mac.
Step 2: Copy the address of the YouTube video you want to download
Go to YouTube and find the video you want to download. Copy the address of the video from the address bar of your browser.
Step 3: Launch 4K Video Downloader and click Paste Link
Launch 4K Video Downloader on your Mac and click Paste Link from the top left corner. This will automatically detect the YouTube URL that you copied and start analyzing it.
Step 4: Choose the format, quality, and destination of the downloaded video and click Download
A dialog box will appear where you can choose the format, quality, and destination of the downloaded video. You can also choose to download subtitles, annotations, and thumbnails. After you have made your choices, click Download. The video will start downloading to your Mac.
Option 2: YTD Video Downloader for Mac
YTD Video Downloader for Mac is another great app to download YouTube videos on a Mac. It can download videos in various resolutions, from 144p to 1080p, and in various formats, such as MP4, MOV, WMV, and more. It can also download playlists and channels from YouTube. Here are the steps to follow:
Step 1: Download and install YTD Video Downloader for Mac from its official website
Go to and download YTD Video Downloader for Mac. After downloading, follow the instructions to install it on your Mac.
Step 2: Copy the address of the YouTube video you want to download
Go to YouTube and find the video you want to download. Copy the address of the video from the address bar of your browser.
Step 3: Launch YTD Video Downloader for Mac and click Paste URL
Launch YTD Video Downloader for Mac on your Mac and click Paste URL from the top left corner. This will automatically detect the YouTube URL that you copied and start analyzing it.
Step 4: Choose the format, quality, and destination of the downloaded video and click Download
A dialog box will appear where you can choose the format, quality, and destination of the downloaded video. You can also choose to convert the video to another format after downloading. After you have made your choices, click Download. The video will start downloading to your Mac.
Conclusion
In this article, we have shown you how to download YouTube videos on a Mac using different methods. We have discussed some of the legal and ethical issues involved in downloading YouTube videos, and we have presented some of the free and paid options available for this purpose. We hope that this article has been helpful and informative for you. Here are some of the main points and recommendations that we have covered:
You should only download YouTube videos on a Mac for personal use and not for commercial purposes.
You should respect the wishes of the content creators and not download videos that they have explicitly marked as not available for download.
You should give credit to the original sources and not claim the videos as your own.
You can use screen capture software, such as VLC Player or QuickTime Player, to download YouTube videos on a Mac for free.
You can use apps, such as 4K Video Downloader or YTD Video Downloader for Mac, to download YouTube videos on a Mac with more features and options.
We hope that you have enjoyed this article and learned something new. If you have any questions or feedback, please feel free to leave a comment below. Thank you for reading!
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I download YouTube videos on a Mac without software?
If you don't want to use any software to download YouTube videos on a Mac, you can try some of the online services that allow you to do so. For example, you can use to convert YouTube videos to MP3 or MP4 files and download them to your Mac. However, these services may have some limitations, such as lower quality, longer time, or limited formats.
How do I download YouTube videos on a Mac with Safari?
If you want to use Safari to download YouTube videos on a Mac, you can try some of the extensions that enable you to do so. For example, you can use to add a download button to YouTube videos in Safari. However, these extensions may not work with all YouTube videos or Safari versions.
How do I download YouTube videos on a Mac with Chrome?
If you want to use Chrome to download YouTube videos on a Mac, you can try some of the extensions that enable you to do so. For example, you can use to download any video from any website in Chrome. However, these extensions may not work with all YouTube videos or Chrome versions.
How do I download YouTube playlists on a Mac?
If you want to download YouTube playlists on a Mac, you can use some of the apps that allow you to do so. For example, you can use 4K Video Downloader or YTD Video Downloader for Mac to download entire playlists or channels from YouTube. You just need to copy the URL of the playlist or channel and paste it into the app. Then, you can choose the format, quality, and destination of the downloaded videos and click Download.
How do I download YouTube videos on a Mac in 4K?
If you want to download YouTube videos on a Mac in 4K resolution, you can use some of the apps that support this feature. For example, you can use 4K Video Downloader to download videos in various resolutions, from 4K to 8K. You just need to copy the URL of the video and paste it into the app. Then, you can choose the format, quality, and destination of the downloaded video and click Download.
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