Download YouTube Videos to Your Laptop without Any Software or Extension

How to Download YouTube Videos in Laptop

YouTube is one of the most popular platforms for watching online videos, but sometimes you may want to download them in your laptop for offline viewing, editing, transcription, or other purposes. However, downloading YouTube videos is not officially supported by Google, and may violate its terms of service or even some copyright laws.

So, how can you download YouTube videos in laptop without breaking any rules or risking your account? In this article, we will show you two easy and free methods that you can use to download any YouTube video as an MP4 file, which you can transfer to any device or modify as necessary. These methods are using Open Video Downloader and VLC Media Player, both of which are open-source tools that you can install on your Windows or macOS laptop.

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Method 1: Using Open Video Downloader

Step 1: Install Open Video Downloader

Open Video Downloader is a free open source downloading tool that makes it easy to download any YouTube video on Windows and macOS. You can get it from . To install on Windows, click the GET icon to install the Microsoft Store version, as the other version doesn t work on some systems. To install on macOS, click the DOWNLOAD icon and follow the instructions to unzip and run the app. You may need to allow it from your security settings.

Step 2: Copy the video's URL

Next, go to YouTube on your web browser and find the video that you want to download. Copy the URL of the video from the address bar. You can also right-click on the video and select Copy video URL.

Step 3: Paste the URL into Open Video Downloader

Now, open Open Video Downloader and paste the URL into the address bar at the top. Click the + button to scan the video and get its information. You will see a preview of the video and some details such as title, duration, and size.

Step 4: Select your download preferences

Before you start downloading, you can choose your preferred video and audio format, resolution, and frame rate from the drop-down menus below the preview. You can select MP4 for both video and audio, or choose other formats such as WEBM, MKV, MP3, or OGG. You can also select the quality of the video from 144p to 4K, depending on the availability of the source. The higher the resolution, the larger the file size. You can also choose the frame rate from 24 to 60 fps, which affects the smoothness of the video.

Step 5: Click the green Download button

Once you are satisfied with your choices, click the green Download button at the bottom right corner to start downloading the video. You will see a progress bar and a percentage indicator showing how much of the video has been downloaded. You can pause or cancel the download at any time by clicking on the buttons next to it. When the download is complete, you will see a notification and a folder icon that you can click to open the location of the downloaded video on your computer. You can also find it in your Downloads folder or wherever you set as your default download location.

Method 2: Using VLC Player

Step 1: Go to YouTube on your computer

Another method that you can use to download YouTube videos in laptop is using VLC Media Player, a popular open-source media player that can play almost any type of media file. You can get it from . To use this method, you need to go to YouTube on your web browser and find the video that you want to download.

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Step 2: Select Open Network Stream from VLC Media Player

Next, open VLC Media Player and select Open Network Stream from the Media menu or press CTRL + N on your keyboard. This will open a new window where you can enter a network URL.

Step 3: Paste the video's URL into VLC Media Player

Paste the URL of the YouTube video that you want to download into the network URL box and click Play. VLC Media Player will start playing the video in a new window. Sometimes, you may encounter an error message saying that VLC Media Player cannot recognize the input's format or that it cannot open MRL. If this happens, try updating VLC Media Player to the latest version or changing your proxy settings.

Step 4: Select Codec information from VLC Media Player

While the video is playing, select Codec information from the Tools menu or press CTRL + J on your keyboard. This will open a new window where you can see the codec information of the video. Copy the URL from the Location box at the bottom of the window. This is the direct link to the video file on YouTube's server.

Step 5: Paste the URL into your browser and save the video as

Paste the URL into your web browser's address bar and load it. You will see the video playing in your browser. Right-click on the video and select Save video as from the menu. Choose the location and file name for saving the video on your computer. The video will be saved as an MP4 file by default.

Conclusion

In this article, we have shown you how to download YouTube videos in laptop using two easy and free methods: Open Video Downloader and VLC Media Player. Both methods are open-source and work on Windows and macOS. However, they have some differences and advantages.

Open Video Downloader is a dedicated downloading tool that allows you to choose the video and audio format, resolution, and frame rate of the downloaded video. It also has a simple and user-friendly interface that makes it easy to use. However, it may not work on some systems or with some videos, and it requires installation.

VLC Media Player is a versatile media player that can also download videos from YouTube by extracting the direct link to the video file. It does not require installation and works with most videos. However, it does not let you choose the format, resolution, or frame rate of the downloaded video, and it involves more steps than Open Video Downloader.

Both methods are effective and reliable, but you should always respect the rights of the video creators and follow YouTube's terms of service when downloading videos. You should only download videos for personal use and not distribute them without permission.

FAQs

Is it legal to download YouTube videos?

It depends on the video and how you use it. Downloading YouTube videos for personal use is generally legal, but downloading videos that contain copyrighted content or are protected by digital rights management (DRM) may be illegal. You should also not download videos that violate YouTube's terms of service or community guidelines, such as those that contain nudity, violence, hate speech, or spam.

How can I download YouTube videos without any software?

One way to download YouTube videos without any software is to use online downloading services or websites that allow you to paste the URL of the video and generate a download link. Some examples of these websites are y2mate.com, savefrom.net, ytmp3.cc, and keepvid.works. However, these websites may not be safe or reliable, as they may contain malware, ads, pop-ups, or viruses. They may also have limited options for choosing the format, resolution, or frame rate of the downloaded video.

How can I download YouTube videos on my iPhone or Android phone?

To download YouTube videos on your iPhone or Android phone, you can use mobile apps that are designed for this purpose. Some examples of these apps are Documents by Readdle for iPhone and TubeMate for Android. These apps work similarly to Open Video Downloader or VLC Media Player, as they allow you to copy and paste the URL of the video and choose your download preferences. However, these apps may not be available on the official app stores, as they may violate YouTube's terms of service or policies. You may need to download them from third-party sources or enable unknown sources on your phone.

How can I convert YouTube videos to MP3 or other formats?

If you want to convert YouTube videos to MP3 or other formats, you can use online converters or websites that allow you to paste the URL of the video and choose your output format. Some examples of these websites are onlinevideoconverter.com, convert2mp3.net, youtubetomp3music.com, and mp3-youtube.download. However, these websites may have similar drawbacks as online downloading services or websites, such as being unsafe or unreliable.

How can I edit or transcribe downloaded YouTube videos?

If you want to edit or transcribe downloaded YouTube videos, you can use editing software or tools that allow you to import the video file and edit or transcribe it as you wish. Some examples of these software or tools are Adobe Premiere Pro, Camtasia, Audacity, Otter.ai, and Descript. However, these software or tools may require installation, subscription, or registration, and they may have different features and capabilities.

I hope this article has helped you learn how to download YouTube videos in laptop using Open Video Downloader and VLC Media Player. If you have any questions or feedback, please leave a comment below. Thank you for reading! 44f88ac181