- What you need before you start
- How to download a YouTube video on your computer
- Where YouTube downloads go on a PC
- How long downloaded videos last
- The 10-device limit
- Removing downloads to free up space
- Downloading your own videos as an MP4 file
- What about download sites and converters?
- When the Download button won't work
- My verdict
- Frequently asked questions
To download YouTube videos on a PC, sign in to youtube.com with a YouTube Premium account, open the video and click Download below the player. It works in Chrome, Edge, Firefox and Opera, and your saved videos sit under Downloads in the left menu, not in a folder on your hard drive.
Worth knowing before you start: YouTube's own help page describes downloading to watch offline inside YouTube, so you won't get an MP4 file you can drag into an editor or send to a friend. The only official way to get an actual video file is for videos you uploaded yourself, which I cover further down.
What you need before you start
| You need | Why |
|---|---|
| A YouTube Premium membership | YouTube says you must be signed in to your Premium account to download videos |
| Chrome, Edge, Firefox or Opera | These are the browsers YouTube's computer help page names; it says it hopes to add others in future |
| Premium available where you live | The download feature only applies if YouTube Premium is available in your location |
| A steady connection | YouTube's troubleshooting page asks for Wi-Fi at 3mbps or faster for downloads |
How to download a YouTube video on your computer
- Go to youtube.com and sign in with the Google account that has your Premium membership.
- Open the Watch page of the video you'd like to save.
- Below the video, click Download.
- Wait for the download icon below the video to turn black. That means it's finished.
If your internet drops halfway through, you don't need to start again. YouTube says the download picks up automatically once you're back online.
Where YouTube downloads go on a PC
Go to youtube.com while signed in to the same Premium account and click Downloads in the left menu. That's the only place they live. You'll play them in the YouTube page in your browser, and YouTube says videos you've added to your downloads play while you're signed in with the same account.
Change the download quality
Open Settings, then Downloads, then Download quality to set a default. YouTube warns that higher quality takes up more space and takes longer to appear in your Downloads section, so on a laptop with a small drive it's worth picking a lower setting.
How long downloaded videos last
- Downloaded videos play offline for up to 29 days. After that, your computer needs to go back online so YouTube can check the video is still available.
- In some countries and regions, YouTube says content can only be played for up to 48 hours without a connection.
- If a video stops being available for offline playback, it's removed from your device at the next sync.
- If your Premium membership ends, you lose access to your downloaded videos.
Some features, such as commenting and liking, only work when you're connected again.
The 10-device limit
If you use more than one computer, read this first. YouTube's device limits page says Premium offline features work on up to 10 devices at a time. Download on an eleventh and the oldest device is de-authorised, and you can only make that swap 4 times in a year. After the fourth swap you'll see "Sorry, this video can't be taken offline" on any new device until the limit resets.
YouTube adds that deleting and reinstalling the YouTube app counts as a new device. The 10 devices cover every device you download on, so a phone and two laptops already use three of them.
Removing downloads to free up space
- To remove one video, click Downloaded under the player and choose Delete, or open your Downloads page, select More next to the video and pick Remove from downloads.
- To clear everything, go to Downloads in the left menu, open Download settings, choose Delete all downloads and confirm.
Downloading your own videos as an MP4 file
If you're a creator and want a copy of something you uploaded, YouTube Studio gives you a real file:
- Sign in to YouTube Studio.
- Select Content from the left panel.
- Pick the video, open its menu and select Download.
YouTube says you'll get an MP4 in 720p or 360p depending on the video size, and you can use Google Takeout to download everything you've uploaded at once. It won't let you download a video that's been removed, has a copyright or Community Guidelines strike, or uses a preapproved audio track, and you can only download an individual video up to five times a day.
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What about download sites and converters?
YouTube's help page on this is blunt: you can't download other users' YouTube videos, and the Premium offline feature is the route it offers instead. Its Terms of Service also say you're not allowed to download any content except where the service expressly authorises it or you have written permission. So any site that turns a YouTube link into a file sits outside those terms, whatever it says on its homepage.
When the Download button won't work
- Check you see the YouTube Premium logo, not the plain YouTube logo. If not, sign out and back in to the right account.
- Make sure your membership hasn't expired. If you've just resubscribed, YouTube says saved videos can take a few hours to reappear.
- Check your connection is strong enough for downloads.
- Check you haven't hit the device limit above.
If you're on your phone rather than a computer, the steps are different, and I've set them out in how to download YouTube videos on iPhone. If videos are turning up in your downloads that you never picked, that's Smart Downloads at work.
My verdict
If you just want to watch something on a train or a flight, the Premium download button on your PC does the job well, and the 29-day window is plenty for most people. If you need an actual file, the only clean route is your own uploads through YouTube Studio. Not sure Premium is worth paying for just for downloads? Start with the YouTube Premium free trial and see how often you use it.
Frequently asked questions
Can you download YouTube videos on a PC for free?
Not officially. YouTube's computer download button is a YouTube Premium feature, and its help centre says you can't download other users' videos. You can download videos you uploaded yourself from YouTube Studio.
Which browsers support YouTube downloads on a computer?
YouTube's help page names Chrome, Edge, Firefox and Opera, and says it hopes to bring the feature to other browsers in future.
Where do YouTube downloads go on my PC?
They stay inside YouTube. Sign in at youtube.com with your Premium account and click Downloads in the left menu. You don't get a separate video file.
How long do YouTube downloads last on a computer?
YouTube says downloaded videos can be played offline for up to 29 days before you need to reconnect, and in some regions only up to 48 hours.
How many devices can I download YouTube videos on?
YouTube's device limits page says Premium offline features work on up to 10 devices at a time, with up to 4 device swaps a year.
