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YouTube is full of valuable resources, including documentaries, guides, news, movies, and music that serve millions of users who directly stream from the site daily. However, YouTube’s T&C doesn’t allow users to download videos without a premium account. Still, downloading them for personal use is easier than you think, as numerous methods are available.
Can You Download YouTube Videos Without Premium?
Yes, there are multiple web services and software to download any YouTube videos without a premium account. Here are some of the most sought-after options:
- Online Video Downloader Website: The simplest and the quickest method out of all. Copy and paste the YouTube video URL into sites like iDowner, SaveFrom, KeepVid, and Y2Mate; choose the desired video format and quality; and download the video.
- Video Downloading Software: Programs like iDowner can be installed on your PC or Mac to get unlimited high-speed downloads, batch-downloading functionality, and an ad-free experience. Simply copy and paste the YouTube video URL and download it with one click.
- Web Browser Extensions/Add-ons: Every web browser supports extensions, whether using Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Opera, or Edge. Search for “video downloader” within the extensions store and add it to your browser. The extension will give you direct download links whenever you open YouTube videos.
- Android Apps: As an Android user, you have countless options to download YouTube videos, offering you the ultimate freedom to store, consume, and share your favorite videos. You can install apps like NewPipe, TubeMate, SnapTube, and VidMate.
- iPhone Apps: There aren’t many options for iPhone and iPad users. However, you can still use modded YouTube iPA files to install third-party apps that allow you to download videos from YouTube and unlock 2K and 4K resolutions. You can download and install apps like uYouPlus, YTLitePlus, YT Tweaked, and Cercube.
How To Download YouTube Videos Without Premium?
Here are the five working techniques you can use right now to download YouTube videos without a Premium subscription, regardless of your device.
1. Download YouTube Videos For Free With Online Downloader Websites
Online video downloaders are one of the simplest and quickest methods for downloading YouTube videos for free on any device, including Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS. All you need is a web browser and a visit to any of the listed online downloaders. It doesn’t require any software or installation.
iDowner
With iDowner online video downloader, you can download almost any video from the internet. It has native support for thousands of streaming websites, including YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.
- Download Video and Audio: Quickly download up to 4K quality videos or crisp audio of the YouTube videos.
- No Watermark: This option allows you to download videos without any watermark, usually added by streaming and social media sites like Instagram and TikTok.
- Unlimited Downloads: There are no download restrictions. You can download as much as you want and create your library.
- Support for Thousands of Websites: Native support for almost every streaming website, including YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, and Vimeo.
Here’s how you can use this online video downloader:
- Open the YouTube video you want to download and copy the video’s URL from the address bar.
- Go to the iDowner online video downloader website. You will find a bar where you can paste the video URL.
- Paste the copied video URL into the bar and click the download button.
- Once the URL is analyzed, you’ll receive a selection of video format and quality. Choose the desired option.
- Click the download button to begin downloading the video.
Other Online YouTube Downloaders
Like iDowner, you can use the following online video downloaders to download your favorite videos for offline playback. The procedure for downloading from these sites is almost identical to the one mentioned above.
- SaveFrom: A free online video downloader that allows you to conveniently download any content in MP4 quality from video streaming sites without any limitations.
- KeepVid: This website lets you download YouTube videos in various qualities and convert them into MP3 format for an audio-only music experience.
2. Download YouTube Videos Without Premium Using Desktop Software
If you want to download videos in bulk in the highest quality possible without limitations, desktop software would be the best solution. This software offers many features, supports high-speed downloads, and provides an ad-free experience.
iDowner
iDowner windows app is a powerful software that enables you to download multiple YouTube videos at once in the highest quality possible, including 8K in MP4 format. You can use the same software to extract audio from the downloaded video and save it as an MP3 format for an audio-only experience.
- Best For YouTube Downloads: Whether you want to download shorts, audio, whole playlists, or premium music, iDowner supports all of it.
- Built-in Browser: The built-in browser lets you quickly explore and download multiple videos from your favorite websites while remaining within the app.
- Batch Download: The software can process and download multiple videos simultaneously, saving you precious time.
- Resume Capability: If the download progress is interrupted, you can resume from the same spot without restarting the download from the beginning.
- Price: Offers free trial with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Here are the steps to download YouTube videos for free with desktop software:
- Download and install the iDowner software from its official website.
- Launch the program, and there you will find the option to paste the video URL.
- Go to YouTube, open the video you want to download, and copy the URL from the address bar.
- Go back to the iDowner software and paste the video URL into the box.
- Choose the format and quality.
- The software will download the video to your computer.
3. Download Videos From YouTube With Browser Extension
The Browser extensions, also known as add-ons, are another quick way to download videos from YouTube and other streaming websites. Almost every web browser supports extensions, whether using Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge, or any other browser.
The biggest advantage of extensions is their capability to automatically grab the URL the moment you copy it to the clipboard (or sometimes even when you play the video). The extension then adds it to the download queue.
Here is how you can find and install the extension on your browser to download videos:
- Let’s suppose you are using Google Chrome browser. You can search the Chrome Web Store for the “video download” extension.
- Once you have found the suitable extension, click “Add to Chrome.”
- Enable the extension on your browser. It may ask for permission.
- Open the YouTube video you want to download. The extension will analyze the page, and a small window will pop out, asking you to choose the format and quality.
- Select the desired format and quality for the video and click “Download.”
Congratulations! You have successfully downloaded videos from YouTube without a Premium subscription.
Is It Legal to Download YouTube Videos?
Technically, downloading YouTube videos is against their policies. However, the legality of downloading videos can vary based on your country’s laws and how you plan to use the downloaded videos.
Under copyright laws, you can download videos for personal and offline viewing, but you cannot distribute or re-upload them without permission, as doing so can be illegal.
According to the YouTube’s Terms of Service:
“You are not allowed to access, reproduce, download, distribute, transmit, broadcast, display, sell, license, alter, modify, or otherwise use any part of the Service or any Content except: (a) as expressly authorized by the Service; or (b) with prior written permission from YouTube and, if applicable, the respective rights holders.”
Concluding Thoughts
There you have it—the three best workarounds for downloading YouTube videos without a Premium subscription.
Options include online video downloading websites, browser extensions, and the most notable method, the iDowner desktop software. This software works as an all-in-one solution to download YouTube videos in 4K/8K quality and can convert videos to MP3 audio format. It simplifies the whole offline video downloading experience.
Let us know which method you found the most helpful and easy to use.