Downloading YouTube Videos on Mac: A Comprehensive Guide

Introduction

YouTube is a great platform for accessing millions of videos, but the challenge that most people face is how to download these videos for offline use. Mac users, in particular, often find it difficult to identify the best methods for downloading YouTube videos. In this comprehensive guide, we will explore various methods that you can use to download YouTube videos on Mac.

Using Online Video Downloader Websites

If you want to download YouTube videos on Mac without installing any software, online video downloader websites come in handy. These websites allow you to download videos from various sources, including YouTube. A few popular and reliable online video downloader websites for Mac users include Keepvid, SaveFrom.net and Video Grabber. Here’s a guide on how to use them:

1. Visit the website of your choice
2. Copy the link of the YouTube video that you want to download
3. Paste the link on the website’s download box
4. Select your preferred video format and quality
5. Click on the download button

Best Video Downloader App for Mac

Video downloader apps are an excellent choice for regular YouTube downloaders. One of the best video downloader apps for Mac is the iTube HD Video Downloader. The app comes with a wide range of features that make downloading YouTube videos easy and fast. Here’s how to use the iTube HD Video Downloader:

1. Download and install the iTube HD Video Downloader
2. Launch the app and activate the “Download then Convert” option
3. Copy the URL of the YouTube video
4. Click on the “Paste URL” button on the app’s interface
5. Select your preferred video format and quality
6. Click on the download button

Downloading YouTube Videos through Browser Extensions on Mac

Browser extensions are add-ons that you can install to enhance the functionality of your browser. Some browser extensions also offer the option of downloading YouTube videos directly from YouTube. Popular browser extensions that work on Mac include Video DownloadHelper, FastestTube, and Flash Video Downloader. Here’s how to use a browser extension to download YouTube videos on Mac:

1. Install your preferred browser extension
2. Visit the YouTube website and find the video that you want to download
3. Click on the extension icon on your browser, and select download
4. Choose your preferred video quality and format
5. Click on the download button

Transferring Downloaded YouTube Videos from Mac to Other Devices

Transferring downloaded YouTube videos from your Mac to other devices is another challenge that many users face. There are different methods that you can use to transfer files from Mac to other devices, including using AirDrop, Google Drive, or transferring files using a USB cable. Here’s how to transfer downloaded YouTube videos from Mac to other devices:

1. Connect your device to your Mac using a USB cable
2. Open the folder where your downloaded YouTube videos are saved
3. Select the videos that you want to transfer
4. Drag and drop the files to your device
5. Alternatively, you can upload the files to Google Drive or transfer them using AirDrop

Downloading YouTube Videos on Mac using VLC Media Player

VLC Media Player is a powerful multimedia player that can also be used to download YouTube videos on Mac. Here’s how to use VLC Media Player to download YouTube videos:

1. Download and install VLC Media Player
2. Launch the app and open the YouTube video that you want to download
3. Click on the “Window” option on the menu bar, then select “Media Information”.
4. Copy the video URL from the “Location” field in the window
5. Open your web browser, paste the URL, then remove the “watch?v=” from the URL and replace it with “v/”
6. Press enter, then right-click on the video and select “Save Video As”
7. Select your preferred video format and quality
8. Click on the download button

Downloading YouTube Videos by Changing URL on Mac

Another method you can use to download YouTube videos on Mac is by changing the video URL. YouTube URLs usually end with “youtube.com/watch?v=xxxxx”. By changing the “watch?v=” to “v/”, you can access a version of the video that can be downloaded. Here’s how to download YouTube videos by changing URL on Mac:

1. Visit the YouTube website and locate the video that you want to download
2. Copy the video URL
3. Replace “watch?v=” with “v/” in the URL
4. Press enter to reload the page
5. Right-click on the video and select “Save Video As”
6. Select your preferred video format and quality
7. Click on the download button

Downloading YouTube Videos in Different Formats on Mac without Losing Quality

The quality of the YouTube video you want to download may not always be the same as the original video. However, you can download videos in different formats like MP3, MP4, and MKV without losing the quality. Here are instructions on how to download YouTube videos in different formats on Mac without losing quality:

1. Launch YouTube on your web browser and open the video that you want to download
2. Select your preferred video quality from the quality options
3. Right-click on the video and select “Copy video URL”
4. Open your preferred video downloader on your Mac
5. Choose your preferred video format and quality
6. Paste the copied URL
7. Click on the download button

Conclusion

Downloading YouTube videos on Mac can be a daunting task, but with the methods discussed in this article, it becomes quite easy. Whether you choose to use online video downloader websites, video downloader apps, browser extensions, VLC media player, or changing video URLs, these methods will enable you to successfully download YouTube videos on your Mac. We hope that this guide has been helpful, and encourage you to try different methods and find the one that works best for you.

Additional resources: If you want to learn more about other methods for downloading YouTube videos, refer to the YouTube Help Center.