Tuesday, September 10, 2013

How to Download YouTube Videos

Now a mature eight years old, it’s an understatement to say that YouTube is kind of a big deal. Since the launching of its first video in 2005 (the riveting “Me at the Zoo”), the site has grown to be a phenomenon, bolstered by its passionate community and accessed by hundreds of millions of people each day. However, how do you watch YouTube videos or how to download youtube videos when you leave your network behind? Maybe you just absolutely need to watch the music video for “Gangnam Style” or Bieber’s “Baby” while on the go, without eating up all your cell phone data. Or maybe you just want to compile those cute, cuddly, can’t-get-enough-of-them cat videos for your personal enjoyment when your Wi-Fi is on the fritz. Should you decide to trudge the grey area that is downloading YouTube videos for your untethered enjoyment, let us be your guide. Tempting? Yes. Legal? Not necessarily. Either way, here’s everything you need to know to about downloading YouTube videos. Also, check out our guide on how to convert MP4s to MP3s if you’re looking to ditch the audio in favor of portability.

   

While YouTube is undertaking a pilot project to allow content owners the ability to make their content legally downloadable for free or for a small fee, the bulk of videos on the website are not as fortunate. Luckily there are a handful of software programs – from popular browser add-ons to stand-alone programs – that will allow you to download videos regardless of whether the content owner has made the video available. NOTE: See disclaimer on the following page for the legality of downloading YouTube videos. Some websites, browser add-ons, and programs simply take the URL associated with a particular video and download the videos in their original Flash format (FLV). However, most will convert the files into a more accessible format such as AVI or MP4 so you’re able to play them in the media player or device of your choice. The following are some of our top contenders and suggestions for the ultimate YouTube video downloader. Remain on the lookout to avoid installing any bundled toolbars or additional malware during installation.