If you’re like most people, you probably watch a lot of YouTube videos on your phone, iPad, or Android device. But if you want to download those videos for offline viewing or sharing, you may not know how to do it. Here’s how to download YouTube videos on your iPhone, iPad, or Android device:
- Open the YouTube app on your phone, tablet, or computer and sign in if you aren’t already signed in.
- If the video you want to download is in a playlist or category that’s marked with a blue star (like “Funny Videos”), tap on it to start watching it. If the video isn’t in a playlist or category, tap on the three lines at the top of the screen and then select “Download Video/Audio.”
- On the next screen, select “Save Video/Audio As…” and choose where you want to save the file: either on your phone as an MP4 file or on your tablet as an MP3 file. Tap Save when you’re done.
- If the video is longer than 10 minutes long, YouTube will ask if you want to split it into smaller parts so it can be downloaded more quickly. Select “Yes” if you want to do that and then tap Save when prompted again.
- When the video has finished downloading, open it up and enjoy! ..
Although you do have to have YouTube Premium to officially download any content, it’s worth it to enjoy the videos anywhere. You also can’t download videos on the desktop website or any Smart TV, so this will only be on the official YouTube mobile app itself. For $12 a month, you can have ad-free videos that you can download and take with you on any mobile device.
How to Download YouTube Videos on Your Smartphone or Tablet
When you have a video showing on the YouTube home screen or a video that you have searched for, it’s simple to download. You will see the menu option, shown by three small dots in a column. This will be right next to the video title of the content you want to download.
When you select the icon, several options will appear in a pop-up menu. You will want to select “Download” to add it to your library.
If you are already watching a video on YouTube and you want to download it to watch later, it’s just as easy. While the video is playing, you’ll see an option right under the title that says “Download”. Select that option, and it will be added to your device’s library.
How to Find Downloaded Videos on Your Smartphone or Tablet
Now that you have a video or two downloaded, you will want to select the “Library” tab in the bottom-right corner.
There will then be a “Downloads” option right below “History” where all your downloads are housed. Tap on “Downloads”.
This will take you to the Downloads menu that shows all of the videos you have saved and can be watched offline. Tap on the video’s thumbnail to start playback.
How to Remove Downloaded Videos From Your Smartphone or Tablet
Once you’ve watched a downloaded video, you may want to remove it so your iPhone, iPad, or Android device’s storage doesn’t get too full. From the home page of the YouTube app, select the “Library” tab in the bottom right-hand corner.
Once that menu is pulled up, select the “Downloads” option.
Select the three-dot menu icon that correlates with the video you want to delete from your handset.
Select the “Delete from Downloads” option.
You should get a message at the bottom of the screen that says “Video deleted from downloads.” You can always hit the “Undo” option just in case you delete the wrong video.
You have now successfully added or removed videos from your downloads and know exactly how to access them. This is incredibly useful if you have long plane rides, car rides, or you may be going to any area without Wi-Fi. You will be able to download tons of content to keep you entertained for hours.