Tech tip of the day: How to download YouTube videos on your phone, laptop and other devices: A step-by-step guide

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Downloading YouTube videos for offline viewing is helpful when dealing with slow networks, limited mobile data, or frequent travel. While YouTube provides an official option through its Premium subscription, users often look for free methods for Windows laptops, Android phones, and iPhones. This guide explains both official and commonly used third-party approaches, along with the precautions users should consider before proceeding. Downloading content without permission may violate YouTube’s Terms of Service and local copyright laws, so the safest method always remains YouTube Premium.

Download YouTube videos using YouTube Premium (official method)

On Android and iPhone
1. Open the YouTube app on your phone.
2. Sign in with your YouTube Premium account.
3. Search for and open the video you want to save.
4. Tap the Download button (downward arrow) below the video.
5. Choose the video quality (such as 360p, 720p or 1080p).
6. Wait for the download to complete.
7. Go to Library or You → Downloads to watch it offline.

On Windows laptop (in browser)
1. Open Google Chrome (or another browser) and go to youtube.com.
2. Sign in to your Premium account.
3. Play the video you want to save.
4. Click the Download button under the video player.
5. Open the Downloads section in the left menu to access the video offline in the browser.

Download YouTube videos on Windows laptop using VLC Media Player
1. Copy the URL of the YouTube video from your browser’s address bar.
2. Open VLC Media Player on your laptop.
3. Click Media in the top menu and select Open Network Stream.
4. Paste the YouTube URL into the field and click Play.
5. When the video starts playing, click Tools > Codec Information.
6. At the bottom, copy the entire Location link.
7. Paste this link into your browser’s address bar and press Enter.
8. Once the video loads, right-click on it and select Save video as to download it as an MP4 file.

Download YouTube videos on iPhone using Documents by Readdle
1. Install Documents by Readdle from the App Store.
2. Open the app and tap the Compass icon to open its browser.
3. Go to a reputable video converter site.
4. Paste the YouTube video link into the site and tap Download.
5. Save the file in the app’s Downloads folder.
6. Use the app’s file manager to move the video to the Photos app for easy offline viewing.

Important: Downloading videos without the creator’s permission can violate YouTube’s Terms of Service and copyright laws. Use these methods responsibly and prefer the official YouTube Premium option whenever possible.