How to Download YouTube Videos to Computer for Free

After reading this article, you will learn four ways on how to download a YouTube video to computer. Apply one of them to save any video from YouTube or other video sites to your computer with ease.

Can you save a YouTube video to your Computer?

It's no doubt that YouTube is one of the most popular video sites in the world that allows users to watch and upload videos of various types. However, users are not allowed to download YouTube videos to a computer on the site. That has troubled many users who want to download YouTube videos to their computer for offline-watching, video editing, or other purposes. Then, "How can I download videos from YouTube to my computer for free?", many users asked. Actually, although YouTube disallows its users to save videos from the site, there are many other ways available for you to download a YouTube video to computer. Thus, you can save a YouTube video to your computer as long as you use one of the workable ways below.

How to download YouTube videos to a computer for free

The ways to download a YouTube video to a computer include using a YouTube downloader, browser extensions, VLC media player, and online video downloader for YouTube. Read on to learn how to download YouTube videos for free using these ways and learn about their pros and cons. Afterward, choose the one you like best to save videos from YouTube to your computer with simple clicks.

Method 1. Download YouTube videos to a computer with a free video downloader

• Pros: 100% Free, No Plug-Ins, No Ads
• Cons: You need to download the YouTube video downloader

EaseUS Video Downloader is a video downloader, audio downloader, and video-to-MP3 converter for Windows PCs. Given that many users want to download videos from sites like YouTube, Vimeo, Facebook, Twitter, and more to their computer, the team decided to make an individual application to help people capture online videos. With it, you are not only able to download YouTube videos on your Windows PC but also convert them to MP3 when necessary.

Key features of EaseUS Video Downloader Videos Downloader：

• Downloads videos from any popular website, including YouTube, DailyMotion, Vimeo, Facebook, Instagram, etc.
• Allows users to save online videos to audio in MP3 or WAV.
• Enables users to download 4K videos to PC, with multiple options for video quality.
• Supports download videos in MP4 and its original format.

In a word, you can download any video from any site using a URL.

How can you save a YouTube video to your computer for offline watching:

Step 1. Copy the URL of the YouTube video you want to download. Paste it into EaseUS Video Downloader. Click "Search" to move to next step. You can search the video title inside the application directly and click "Search."

Step 2. In the new embeded page, click "Download" to proceed.

Step 3. In the configuration window, choose the format, quality, save path, and other parameters for the downloaded YouTube video. Then click "Download" to start the downloading process.

Step 4. After the downloading finishes, you can view the downloaded items in the "Downloader" > "Finished." 

Disclaimer: Bear in mind that it's illegal to download copyrighted content and use them for commercial intensions without authorization. Before you download videos, you'd better check whether the sources are copyrighted.

As you can see, EaseUS Video Downloader can do more than download videos from YouTube. In addition to being a video downloader, it can also serve as an iOS content manager that enables you to transfer files between an iOS device and a computer or between two iOS devices. Get it now and make it your good helper.

Method 2. Download YouTube videos on PC with VLC media player

• Pros: 100% Free, No Plug-Ins, No Ads
• Cons: You need to download the YouTube video download tool

VLC is known as a cross-platform media player software and streaming media server. You can not only play streaming videos but also download YouTube videos on PC with it.

Step 1. Download and install VLC media player on your PC.

Step 2. Open VLC and go to "Media" > "Open Network Stream..."

Step 3. Copy and paste the URL of the YouTube video you want to download in the box and click "Play".

Step 4. Click "Tools" > "Codec Information".

Step 5. Copy the content in the Location section and paste it into the address bar of a browser.

Step 6. Click "More" > "Download" to save the video to your PC.

As you can see, this is not a direct way to download videos from YouTube. But it's workable. If you happen to have VLC installed on your PC, you can have a try.

Method 3. Download a YouTube video to computer via a browser extension

• Pros: Convenient to use; Provides multiple download options
• Cons: Some features are paid services; Can't download videos to mobile devices

By adding a YouTube video downloading extension to your browser, there will be a "Download" button under the video you are watching on the YouTube site, which enables you to download the video to your computer. There are many video downloading extensions available. Let's take the  addoncrop for example:

Step 1. Go to visit https://addoncrop.com/youtube-video-downloader/.

Step 2. The page will detect your browser automatically. Confirm your browser and click "INSTALL VIA CROSSPILOT".

Step 3. Download and install the extension. Afterward, restart the browser.

Step 4. Open the browser and go to YouTube.

Step 5. Play the video you want to download and now you can see there is a download button under the video.

Step 6. Click the download button to save the YouTube video to your computer directly or click the three dots next to it to choose other qualities available. (If you don't see the download button, click the icon of the YouTube Video and MP3 Downloader from the menu bar of the browser to download the video.)

Method 4. Save YouTube videos to computer via online video downloader

• Pros: Convenient to use; Provides multiple download options
• Cons: Has bothering ads

If you don't want to install any software or extension, you may prefer using an online video downloader to download YouTube videos to your computer. Online YouTube video download sites are indeed quite convenient, but it's also undeniable that most of them are not "pure". For example, you may see many ads on the page, be redirected to another site while clicking "Download", or the online tool may report failure while analyzing the URL of the video. If you don't mind these drawbacks, follow to see how to download a video from YouTube to your computer.

Step 1. Go to visit the online YouTube video downloader.

Step 2. Copy and paste the URL of the YouTube video in the address box and click "Download". 

Step 3. You may be redirected to another webpage and there is an ad keeps popping up. Dismiss them and choose to download the video with or without sound and select the quality you prefer to download.

The Bottom Line

All of the four methods above will help you to download YouTube videos to your computer. The first three of them need you to download and install software or extensions, while the last one is an online tool with ads. You should have a clear mind about which one is best for you. Carry out it right now to save a YouTube video to your computer for offline watching.