How to Download YouTube Videos on PC (Windows & Mac)

By Huzaifa Alam, EasyYTDown · Updated September 27, 2026

Short answer: copy the video's link from your browser's address bar, paste it into the box above, choose MP4 and a quality, and click Download Now. The file is usually saved to your computer's Downloads folder. If you need whole playlists or more than 1080p, use yt-dlp or a desktop app instead.

Those are the three practical ways to save a YouTube video to a Windows PC or a Mac. They trade convenience for control in different ways:

Method	Install needed?	Max quality	Playlists	Cost
Browser tool (EasyYTDown)	No	720p free, 1080p on Pro	No, one video at a time	Free (5/day) or $4.99/month
yt-dlp (command line)	Yes, plus ffmpeg	Whatever the video offers	Yes	Free, open source
Desktop app (e.g. 4K Video Downloader)	Yes	Depends on the app and plan	Usually	Usually a free tier plus paid plans

Before downloading, check that you are allowed to. Downloading with any third-party tool goes against YouTube's Terms of Service unless YouTube or the rights holder permits it, and copyright rules vary by country. See Is it legal to download YouTube videos? for the details.

Method 1: A Browser Tool (No Install)

This is the quickest option if you only need a few videos and don't want to install anything. With EasyYTDown:

1. Open the video on YouTube and copy the URL from the address bar.
2. Go to easyytdown.com and paste the URL into the box.
3. Choose MP4 (Video) or MP3 (Audio), then pick a quality: 360p, 480p or 720p on the free plan, or 1080p on Pro.
4. Click Download Now. The server fetches and prepares the file, which can take anywhere from under a minute to a few minutes depending on the video's length and how busy the server is.
5. When the download button appears, click it and your browser saves the file.

What it can't do: it downloads one YouTube video at a time (no playlists or batches), it only works with YouTube, and it only outputs MP4 or MP3. MP3 and 1080p need the Pro plan. Private videos and videos that require sign-in (for example age-restricted ones) usually won't work.

The MP4 files normally use H.264 video and AAC audio, which play in the default players on Windows and macOS without extra codecs.

Method 2: yt-dlp (Free, Command Line)

yt-dlp is a free, open-source command-line program. It is the most capable option: it can download playlists and choose exact formats. You type commands in Terminal or Command Prompt, though, so it's best if you're comfortable with that.

Install it

• Windows: download yt-dlp.exe from the project's GitHub releases page, or install it with winget install yt-dlp. You also need ffmpeg for most qualities, because YouTube serves video and audio as separate streams that have to be merged.
• Mac: with Homebrew, run brew install yt-dlp ffmpeg.

Basic commands

Download a video as MP4, up to 1080p:

yt-dlp -f "bestvideo[height<=1080][ext=mp4]+bestaudio[ext=m4a]/best[ext=mp4]" "VIDEO_URL"

Download only the audio as MP3:

yt-dlp -x --audio-format mp3 "VIDEO_URL"

YouTube changes things often, and older versions of yt-dlp stop working. If downloads fail, update first. For the standalone program that's yt-dlp -U; if you installed it with winget or Homebrew, update it through that tool instead.

Method 3: A Desktop App

Apps such as 4K Video Downloader give you a point-and-click interface with playlist support. Features and free-tier limits change, so check the app's own website for what the current version and plan include. Only download installers from the developer's official site, and be wary of any "downloader" that bundles extra software during setup.

What About YouTube Premium?

YouTube's official offline downloads (part of YouTube Premium in most regions) are designed for the YouTube app. They play inside YouTube rather than being saved as regular MP4 files you can open in other players or copy to other devices.

Where the File Goes

• Windows: browser downloads go to your Downloads folder (C:\Users\YourName\Downloads) unless you changed the browser's setting. yt-dlp saves to the folder you ran the command from.
• Mac: the Downloads folder in Finder, unless your browser is set to ask for a location.

Want the video on your desktop? Drag it from Downloads to the desktop, or turn on your browser's "ask where to save each file" setting and pick Desktop when you download.

MP4 files open in the Media Player app on Windows and in QuickTime Player on macOS. VLC is a free alternative on both.

Choosing a Quality

For most PC screens, 720p looks fine on a 13–15 inch laptop, and 1080p is worth it on larger monitors. The video can't be downloaded above the quality it was uploaded in. See the YouTube video quality guide for file sizes and a per-screen comparison, or how to download in 1080p.

Troubleshooting

"Sign in to confirm you're not a bot"

YouTube shows this to some download tools. With yt-dlp, updating to the latest version usually helps, and the --cookies-from-browser option lets it use your browser's YouTube session. With a browser tool, wait a few minutes and try again.

The file has no sound or won't play

If yt-dlp saved separate video and audio files, ffmpeg is missing or not on your PATH, so the two streams couldn't be merged. Install ffmpeg and download again. For files that won't open, try VLC.

Windows warns about the installer

Windows SmartScreen or your antivirus may flag downloader programs. Only proceed with files from the official project or developer site.

FAQ

Can I download a whole playlist on PC?

Not with EasyYTDown, which does one video at a time. yt-dlp can: see how to download a YouTube playlist.

Can I download in 4K?

EasyYTDown goes up to 1080p. yt-dlp and some desktop apps can save 4K when the video was uploaded in 4K. This needs ffmpeg and produces much larger files.

Do I need an account?

Not for EasyYTDown's free plan (5 downloads per day, up to 720p). yt-dlp doesn't need an account either, though some videos only work with your browser cookies.