YouTube has become the hub of informative and fun videos. From cooking tutorials to make up lessons, piano classes to understanding finance; everything is available on the platform. The videos are so intriguing and educative that one loses the sense of time while watching them and therefore, wishes to keep a track of them offline too so that they can be viewed at whichever time suits the viewer.
This need has given rise to the software industry which is constantly churning out new products to help people download YouTube videos. A few years ago, YouTube introduced an option called ‘Download’ which allowed viewers to save videos on the platform only for viewing them in the offline mode. However, this isn’t the ideal solution for those who are looking for a more permanent fix such as downloading videos offline and keeping them in their drives. The question here remains How to save YouTube videos without installing software? This has been answered ahead. Keep reading!
Downloading YouTube Videos without a Software
The easiest way to download YouTube videos without having to purchase or download any software is by going to websites that offer these services. There are many websites on the internet that have dedicated their platform for Free Video Downloader for YouTube services. These websites are completely safe and do not cause privacy infringement, since they do not ask for any personal data nor send malware or viruses. In fact, all users need to do is log on to their website, copy and paste the desired video link, and press the download button. The download starts shortly after.
Users can select the size of files and format too. Almost all of these websites allow users the right to choose the file format, file size, and also allow them to convert these videos into their audio forms. The most popular file formats offered include MP3 and MP4. Once the video has been downloaded, users can simply close the tab and move on with their life. They can also bookmark online service for future use.
Downloading YouTube Videos| Software vs. Online Service
After explaining the process of downloading YouTube videos using an online service, in this section let’s explore other methods and weigh them against each other. The most popularly known method of downloading YouTube videos includes downloading YouTube video download software on to your device. For using this method, viewers need to follow these steps:
- Download the software which is compatible with your device.
- Run it.
- Open YouTube in your browser and copy the link of the video you wish to download.
- Then open the Downloader and post the link in the address bar.
- Select your desired settings and specifications such as downloading the video in MP4 format etc.
- Then hit the ‘Download’ button.
- The download initiates and file is saved on to your Downloads folder
There are many top quality and free of cost software available in the market for both Windows and Mac users. However, the downside of downloading software is that it takes up space on the device. Moreover, this software, if not downloaded from a safe source can infect the device with viruses and malware. Therefore, it is not the safest or most recommended option.
When compared with downloading YouTube videos from online services, the software download option doesn’t really weigh in on much. This is because online services offer all the utilities of software free of cost without causing safety threats or device memory issues. Yet, there is one minor problem. The online services might not work in places where your internet connection is compromised.
To download videos from these services, you need a good quality internet connection since the size of these videos can be too large and would need good internet speed to process them easily. This is not to say that downloading YouTube videos via other sources does not require internet connection, it does but since the software has already been downloaded and stored on your device, it can be accessed easily in contrast to online services that require the internet connection to access them.
A brief comparison of both these methods is summarized in the table below.
| Utilities or Features | Online Services | Downloaded Software |
| Accessibility | 3.5 | 5 |
| Reliability | 5 | 5 |
| Safety | 5 | 3 |
| Price | 5 | 5 |
| Storage Issues | 5 | 3.5 |
Table 1: Comparing the Two Methods
The utilities/features offered by both the methods have been rated according to the ease provided to the customer. They have been assigned ratings out of 5 where the best service is rated at 5, second-best is at 4, the average service is rated on a scale of 2.5-3.5, low-quality service is rated at 2 and below the mark/ absolutely poor service is rated at 0-2:
Other Methods
One of the lesser-known methods for downloading YouTube videos that can come in handy especially for VLC media player users is by using the ‘Network’ feature provided in this player. If you have this media player downloaded on your device, simply open it, navigate to the ‘Network’ tab, then copy-paste the link of YouTube video you wish to convert/save and select the ‘Convert/Save’ option. Viola! You have successfully downloaded a YouTube video using your device’s media player.
Conclusion
Ideally, the best method is the one which best suits your needs. If you find downloading software the better option, you can visit the link mentioned above and download it for your device. If you find downloading YouTube videos via online services the better option, you can still visit the link mentioned above and download it from there. That’s the power of technology; two opposite ways in which users can download YouTube videos and keep them in their drives paired on one website. Use the services offered and download as many videos as you want to watch them on the go.