How to Download YouTube Videos on PC and Mac (Windows, macOS, Linux)

A desktop or laptop is the easiest place to download YouTube videos. Browsers handle large files without complaint, there is no app store deciding which tools you can use, and you have plenty of storage. The method in this guide works identically on Windows, macOS, and Linux, in Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Safari, Brave, and Opera, and it requires nothing to be installed. Along the way we cover where the file ends up, which quality actually makes sense on a computer, how to play 4K downloads, and the errors people hit most often.

Quick answer

1. Open the video on YouTube and copy its address from the browser bar (click it, then Ctrl+C on Windows and Linux or Cmd+C on Mac).
2. Go to Y-Download, click the input box, and paste with Ctrl+V or Cmd+V.
3. After about two seconds, choose a format. MP4 1080p is the right default; 4K is available when the video has it.
4. Click Download. The file is prepared with live progress, then your browser saves it to your Downloads folder with the video title as the filename.

Step by step

1. Copy the link

Any YouTube URL works: youtube.com/watch?v=..., short youtu.be links, Shorts, YouTube Music, and public playlists. The quickest way is to click the address bar (or press Ctrl+L / Cmd+L to jump there), then copy. You can also right-click the video player and choose Copy video URL.

2. Paste it into Y-Download

Paste the link into the box on the home page. Y-Download analyzes the video and lists every resolution YouTube offers, from 360p to 4K or 8K when available, along with the audio-only formats. Each entry shows the codec and an estimated file size, so you know what you are committing to before the download starts.

3. Choose a quality

• 1080p MP4 is the best choice for almost everyone. Up to 1080p, Y-Download prefers H.264 video and AAC audio, which plays in every media player, imports into every video editor, and streams to any TV.
• 1440p and 4K MP4 are only provided by YouTube as VP9 or AV1. Y-Download keeps the original stream, so quality is untouched, but see the playback notes below.
• 720p is a sensible pick for talks, tutorials, or anything you will watch in a small window.
• 60 fps is preserved whenever the video has it.

For a deeper explanation of resolutions, codecs, HDR, and file sizes, read YouTube video quality and codecs explained.

4. Download and wait for the browser

Click Download. Y-Download merges the video and audio streams (YouTube stores them separately), shows a progress bar with speed and remaining time, and then passes the finished file to your browser. A ten-minute 1080p video typically takes well under a minute to prepare; the transfer speed after that depends on your connection.

Where the file is saved

By default every major browser saves to your user account's Downloads folder:

• Windows: C:\Users\<your name>\Downloads. Open it from the File Explorer sidebar, or press Ctrl+J in Chrome or Edge to see the downloads list with a "Show in folder" link.
• macOS: ~/Downloads, which also appears as the Downloads stack in the Dock next to the Trash. In Safari, click the arrow icon at the top right of the window to see recent downloads; in Chrome, press Cmd+Shift+J.
• Linux: ~/Downloads in most distributions.

To choose a different folder, or to be asked every time, change the setting in your browser: Chrome and Edge under Settings → Downloads, Firefox under Settings → General → Downloads, Safari under Safari → Settings → General → File download location.

Playing 4K and 8K downloads

Files above 1080p arrive as VP9 or AV1 in an MP4 container. Modern computers play them without trouble, but the built-in players are pickier than third-party ones:

• Windows: Media Player and Movies & TV usually play VP9 out of the box on Windows 10 and 11; if not, the free VP9 Video Extensions from the Microsoft Store add it. For AV1, install the free AV1 Video Extension from the same store, or use VLC, which plays everything.
• macOS: QuickTime Player does not play VP9, and AV1 support depends on your Mac and macOS version. VLC or IINA (both free) handle every YouTube download.
• Linux: VLC, mpv, and GNOME Videos all play VP9 and AV1.

Smooth 4K playback also depends on hardware decoding. Computers from roughly 2017 on decode VP9 in hardware; AV1 decoding arrived in GPUs and CPUs from about 2020. On an older machine, 4K AV1 may stutter while 4K VP9 or 1080p plays fine. If you want the highest quality YouTube offers for a video, the 4K YouTube downloader page lists what to expect.

Using downloads in a video editor

For Premiere Pro, DaVinci Resolve, Final Cut Pro, iMovie, and CapCut, 1080p H.264 MP4 is the format they all import without fuss. VP9 is not supported by most editors and AV1 support is uneven, so if you need a 4K clip for editing, download it and convert it with a free tool such as HandBrake to H.264 or ProRes first. Remember that YouTube's streams are already compressed; converting cannot add detail, only compatibility.

Downloading more than one video

Paste a playlist link and Y-Download lists up to 500 videos with per-video MP4 and MP3 buttons. There is no single ZIP download yet, so you click each video, but your browser handles the queue. Chrome will ask once whether to allow the site to download multiple files; click Allow. The playlist download guide covers the details.

Troubleshooting

• The video opens in a new tab and plays instead of saving. Right-click the Download button and choose Save link as, or in the new tab press Ctrl+S / Cmd+S.
• The download is slow. Preparation on our side is usually quick; the transfer itself depends on your connection, and very large 4K files simply take time.
• Antivirus delays. Windows Defender and other scanners inspect large files after download, which can make a file appear a few seconds late.
• Video not available. Private, members-only, and age-restricted videos cannot be downloaded. Live streams work only after they end. The limits are four hours per video and 4 GB per file.
• Where did it go? Open your browser's downloads list (Ctrl+J in Chrome and Edge on Windows and Linux, Cmd+Shift+J on Mac, or the Library menu in Firefox) and use its "Show in folder" link.

Files are deleted from Y-Download's servers 30 minutes after preparation; if you missed the download, paste the link again.