- What you need first
- How to download a YouTube video on iPhone
- Where your downloads go on iPhone
- Why the video isn't in Photos
- How long downloads last
- Downloading a whole playlist
- Deleting downloads to free up space
- Downloading on a computer instead
- What about third-party download apps and sites?
- My verdict
- Frequently asked questions
To download a YouTube video on iPhone, sign in to the YouTube app with a YouTube Premium account, open the video and tap Download below the player. The video saves inside the YouTube app, not your Photos, and you'll find it under your profile picture in the Downloads playlist. Downloads play offline for up to 29 days before the app needs to reconnect.
The part that confuses most iPhone users is the last bit. YouTube stores downloads encrypted inside its own app, so they never appear in your camera roll, and you can't move them to Files or share them like a normal video.
Here's the full process, where to find your downloads, and the limits YouTube is clear about in its own help pages, read in October 2026.
What you need first
- A YouTube Premium membership, in a country where Premium is available.
- The YouTube app on your iPhone or iPad, signed in to the same Google Account as your Premium membership.
- A connection while the download runs. If it drops, YouTube says the download picks up again when you reconnect.
YouTube also offers downloads of certain videos without Premium in a short list of countries and regions, with a 48-hour offline window. Its help page names those countries, so check it before relying on free downloads.
How to download a YouTube video on iPhone
- Open the YouTube app and make sure you're signed in to your Premium account.
- Go to the video you want.
- Tap Download below the video.
- Wait for the download icon to turn black. That means it's finished.
To change the quality before you download, tap your profile picture, then Settings, then Background and downloads, then Download quality. Higher quality takes up more space and uses more data.
Where your downloads go on iPhone
- Open the YouTube app.
- Tap your profile picture.
- At the top of your Library, tap the Downloaded filter, then the Downloads playlist.
- You can also find the Downloads playlist in your Library under Recents.
Why the video isn't in Photos
YouTube's offline FAQ answers this directly: downloaded videos are stored encrypted on the device and can only be watched in the YouTube app. So there's no setting that sends them to Photos or Files. If you need a copy of your own video in your camera roll, download the original from your own YouTube Studio or from wherever you first saved it.
The same FAQ says it isn't possible to download audio, music or MP3 files from the YouTube app. For music you'd use the YouTube Music app, which handles its own offline downloads. My guide to YouTube Music offline covers that.
How long downloads last
| Situation | How long it plays offline |
|---|---|
| Most countries, with Premium | Up to 29 days, then reconnect |
| Some countries and regions | Up to 48 hours without a connection |
| A video that's removed or changed | Deleted from your phone at the next sync |
Reconnecting lets the app check whether the video's still available. One small inconsistency: YouTube's Premium page says up to 30 days, while the help article says 29. Plan around 29 to be safe.
Downloading a whole playlist
You can download a playlist as well as single videos. YouTube's FAQ adds a detail worth knowing: if you've downloaded a playlist or watched a video from it in the last 30 days, new videos added to that playlist may download automatically. That's useful for a course or a series you're working through, and a surprise if you're short on storage.
If you'd rather YouTube picked videos for you, look at YouTube smart downloads, which adds recommended videos to your downloads on its own.
Deleting downloads to free up space
- To remove one video, tap Downloaded under the player and choose Delete.
- Or go to your profile picture, Library, the Downloaded filter and the Downloads playlist, tap More next to a video and choose Delete from downloads.
- To clear everything, tap your profile picture, then Settings, then Background and downloads, then Delete downloads, and confirm.
Downloading on a computer instead
If you'd rather watch on a laptop, Premium downloads work there too. YouTube's offline help article lists Chrome, Edge, Firefox and Opera, while its Premium page mentions Chrome, Edge and Opera. Sign in on youtube.com with your Premium account, open the video and use the download option on the Watch page. Your computer downloads appear under Downloads in the left menu.
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Wherever you watch, YouTube says you must stay signed in to the same Premium account to play your downloads, and some features, like commenting and liking, only work once you're back online.
What about third-party download apps and sites?
I don't recommend them. YouTube's own help points to Premium downloads as the way to watch offline, and the official route is the only one that keeps you inside YouTube's rules and away from dodgy apps asking for your login. If you only want audio to keep playing with your screen off, you may not need downloads at all. See how to play YouTube in the background on iPhone.
My verdict
On iPhone, the only clean way to download YouTube videos is Premium and the Download button. Expect the videos to live inside the YouTube app, not Photos, and reconnect at least once every 29 days. If that fits how you watch, it works well for flights, commutes and training videos you want to keep to hand.
Frequently asked questions
Can you download YouTube videos on iPhone for free?
In most countries you need YouTube Premium. YouTube offers free downloads of certain videos only in select countries and regions, with a 48-hour offline window.
Where do YouTube downloads go on iPhone?
They stay inside the YouTube app. Tap your profile picture, then the Downloaded filter in your Library and open the Downloads playlist.
Why are my YouTube downloads not in my Photos?
YouTube says downloaded videos are stored encrypted on the device and can only be watched in the YouTube app, so they never appear in Photos or Files.
How long do YouTube downloads last offline?
Up to 29 days with Premium in most places, after which you need to reconnect. In some countries the limit is 48 hours.
Can I download music from YouTube on iPhone?
Not as MP3 files. YouTube says you can't download audio or MP3 files from the YouTube app. Music downloads work inside the YouTube Music app with a Premium or Music Premium membership.
