After reading this article, you will know five easy and fast ways to download YouTube videos on Mac. Apply one of them to save YouTube videos to your Mac and then you can watch offline without an Internet connection.

• Free Video Downloader For Mac Os X
• Youtube Download Mac Free

As the biggest video site in the world, YouTube has a wide range of users who search, view and upload videos every day. However, unlike you can freely view and upload videos on YouTube, you can't download YouTube videos directly on the site. That's why so many users are looking for a way to download YouTube videos to iPhone/iPad, save videos from YouTube to PC, download YouTube videos on Mac, and more.

Given that, here we provide five proven ways to download videos from YouTube to Mac, including using desktop software, online service, and other workable ways. Read on to learn how to download YouTube videos on Mac in different ways and carry out the one best suited to your needs.

How to Download YouTube Videos on Mac in 5 Ways

• Copy the URL of the YouTube video you want to grab (click in the URL bar, then click Command + A and Command + C). Open the Toolbox menu from the Menu bar. Click Download Video.
• Note: OnlineVideoConverter used to be third on this list. However, it stopped support for YouTube, as shown in the screenshot below. In this 2020 update, I replace it with another great YouTube to MP4 converter for Mac.

YTD Video Downloader for Mac is a speedy, easy-to-use tool for downloading streaming video. Its intuitive interface is easy to use without any instruction, completes downloads quickly, and throws.

Some of the ways below need you to download and install the desktop software, while others may not. Learn them in detail and you will know which one is the best YouTube downloader for you.

Method 1. How to Download YouTube Videos on Mac for Free

100% free, no ads, and no plugins, EaseUS MobiMover is a YouTube downloader that you can use at no cost and without any worries about bothering ads or add-ons. With it, you can download videos from YouTube, Vimeo, Dailymotion, Facebook, Twitter and other sites to your computer (PC/Mac) or mobiles devices (iPhone/iPad).

To download YouTube Videos on Mac for Free:

Step 1.Run EaseUS MobiMover > Go to choose the 'Video Downloader' option on the left side > Choose a location to house the videos you download.

Step 2. Copy the URL/link of the YouTube video you wish to download, paste it into the download bar of EaseUS MobiMover, then tap 'Download.'

Step 3. Wait for MobiMover to download YouTube videos to your Mac. When it has finished, you can go to your selected location to check the downloaded item.

In addition to video download, MobiMover also has other features that will help you transfer files between two iOS devices or between an iOS device and computer, which will do a great help if you are an iPhone or iPad user. It's a versatile tool that can work as an iOS content manager and free YouTube downloader at the same time. Don't miss it and make it your good helper.

Method 2. How to Save YouTube Videos on Mac Online

Don't want to install any software? If so, you may prefer online YouTube video downloaders compared with desktop software. Honestly speaking, although much convenient, an online YouTube downloader may cause more troubles than a desktop program. According to my own experience, there are some issues that may occur while using an online tool to save YouTube videos on a computer, including:

• Ads keep popping up
• The users are redirected to another shopping site
• The tool can't find the video according to the link

And more. Luckily, not all the online YouTube downloaders are that troubling. Here is Keepvid that works well to get videos from YouTube onto your Mac.

Keepvid is one of the most popular online video downloader that allows you to download YouTube videos on a computer by inserting the video link into the address bar. You will like it if downloading YouTube videos in different formats and quality is what you need. Besides, it also serves the function of an audio converter that will extract music or other audio files from a YouTube video for you.

To download a YouTube video on Mac with Keepvid:

Step 1. Go to YouTube and copy the URL of the video you want to download.

Step 2. Visit https://keepv.id/ on your Mac and click the 'Download' button.

Step 3. After an analyzing process, you will see the download options available, including videos in different quality and audio in varying formats. Choose the format and click 'Download' to start downloading YouTube videos to your Mac.

Method 3. Download YouTube Videos for Mac with Chrome/Firefox

Want to download a YouTube video with the browser? If that's exactly what you want, you can't miss the helpful browser extensions shown below, which allow you to save YouTube videos on Mac using Chrome or Firefox for free.

To download videos from YouTube with Chrome:

Step 1. Go to visit YouTube Video and MP3 Downloader.

Step 2. The webpage will detect your browser automatically. Confirm your browser and click 'INSTALL VIA CROSSPILOT'.

Step 3. Download and install the extension. Afterward, restart the browser.

Step 4. Go to YouTube and play the video you want to download.

Step 5. Now you should see there is a Download button under the video. Click the Download button to save the YouTube video to your laptop directly or click the three dots next to it to choose other qualities available. (If you don't see the download button, click the icon of the YouTube Video and MP3 Downloader from the menu bar of the browser to download the video.)

To save a YouTube video on Mac with Firefox:

Step 1. Go to add the extension - Easy Youtube Video Downloader Express to Firefox.

Step 2. Restart Firefox.

Step 3. Go to YouTube and play the video you intend to download.

Step 4. Under the video, click the 'Download' button and choose one of the versions (MP4 360p, MP4 720p, MP4 1080p, MP3...) to download.

Of course, there are video download tools for Safari. You can search on the Internet and choose the one you like.

Method 4. Save YouTube Videos to Mac with VLC Media Player

How can you download YouTube videos on your Mac for free? One of the answers is to use the VLC media player. VLC is known as a free and open-source portable cross-platform media player software and streaming media. It also enables you to download a YouTube video on your computer, be it Mac, PC, or laptop.

Step 1. Download and install VLC media player on your Mac and launch the program.

Step 2. Go to YouTube and copy the link of the video you attempt to download.

Step 3. In VLC, choose 'File' > 'Open Network'. In the 'Open Source' window, paste the video URL in the address bar and click 'Open'.

Step 4. Right-click the video and select 'Media Information'.

Step 5. Copy the content in the 'Location' bar and paste the copied URL into the address bar. Then press 'return' to begin to play on your browser.

Step 7. Right-click the video and select 'Save Video as..' to start downloading videos from YouTube to your Mac.

Method 5. Grab Videos from YouTube to Mac with Screen Recording Features

Other than downloading videos from YouTube, you can choose to record the video and save it on your Mac. This method works best when you can't download a YouTube video due to copyright issues or other problems.

To capture the screen, you can either use the built-in screen recording feature in macOS or QuickTime Player.

• To use the built-in screen recording feature: Press Command + Shift + 5.
• To use QuickTime: Choose 'File' in QuickTime and select 'New Screen Recording'.

Free Video Downloader For Mac Os X

Common Issues Related to YouTube Video Download

There are some frequently asked questions from users about YouTube video download:

'How do I download YouTube videos to my Mac for free?'

If you have read this article, you know now that all the five methods detailed in this guide enable you to save YouTube videos to Mac for free.

'Can I download a video from YouTube with YouTube Premium?'

The YouTube Premium subscription allows you to download videos from YouTube, but only to mobile devices like phones and tablets. Thus, if you attempt to save a YouTube video to Mac, it won't help.

'Why can't I download YouTube videos?'

If you are going to download a private video or a video containing music, you may fail since these videos may give rise to copyright issues.

The Bottom Line

Among all the video download apps, which is the best YouTube downloader for you? Choose the one that fits your needs best to apply.

YouTube is our frequently visited website where we can watch any type of video, such as action movies, pop music, practical courses, TV series, talk shows, variety shows, comedy, etc. The only downside is that the website does not provide a direct download button, which is very inconvenient if we want to save our favorite videos to watch while offline. Fortunately, there are tools specifically designed for this purpose on the market. To save your time, we have selected two of the best YouTube video downloaders for Mac to share with you.

Method 1. Use 4K Video Downloader for Mac

The first tool we are going to introduce is 4K Video Downloader for Mac developed by Jihosoft. It has advanced algorithms and exquisite interface, integrates multiple functions in one, provides a full range of services, and is regarded as the best software for downloading YouTube videos on Mac in this article. The following are its main features:

• Download 4K & 8K UHD, 360° VR, 60FPS YouTube videos
• Download full-length YouTube movie
• Download YouTube channel and playlist
• Download songs from YouTube
• Extract subtitles/CC from YouTube video
• Merge YouTube videos and subtitles
• Save videos from Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc.
• Download Twitch clips, videos, and highlights
• Download music from SoundCloud, VEVO, MixCloud, etc
• Convert videos to MP4, MOV, MKV, and AVI
• Download Ted Talks

As for how to use it, please check the simple steps that are given below:

Step 1. To download YouTube videos to Mac, you first need to get the 4K YouTube video downloader installed on your computer. To do this, please click the download button provided in the article, then open the .pkg file and follow the prompts to install it.

Step 2. Open your browser and go to the YouTube website, then find the video you’d like to download and copy its link address. Next, run the Mac YouTube video downloader, and then click the blue “+Paste URL(s) button on the interface to insert the URL into the program.

Step 3. The software will start automatically parse the video link. After a few seconds, there will pop up a window where you can select the output quality of the video like 720P, 1080P, 2K, 4K, etc., and whether to download subtitles, video cover or convert the video to mp3. After selection, tap the “Download” button.

Step 4. Next, the downloader will automatically start downloading YouTube videos, and you can clearly see the progress bar. After downloading, all the videos will be auto-saved to the “Finished” page, you can play them directly or convert them to the format you need.

Youtube Download Mac Free

Tips: If you need to download multiple videos simultaneously, please enable the one-click download mode in advance, which will save you a lot of time.

Method 2. Use QuickTime Player

The second way to save YouTube videos to Mac is through screen recording. QuickTime is a multimedia application developed by Apple that can handle digital video, pictures, sound, panoramic images, and interactivity in various formats. In addition to being a video player, it can also act as a screen recorder, supporting simultaneous recording of video and sound on the screen. Although this method is very simple, it will seriously affect the quality of the video, and the efficiency is relatively low. If you don’t mind, the following is the specific steps:

• Step 1. Go to YouTube and open the video you want to download, then click Pause playback.
• Step 2. Click the gray and blue “Q” icon on the launchpad directly or open the Applications folder and find the “QuickTime Player” app to run it.
• Step 3. Click the “File” option in the menu bar at the upper left corner of the computer screen and select “New Screen Recording”. Then QuickTime will automatically create a selection area on the screen.
• Step 4. Adjust the size of the selection area so that the edge is close to the video window, and then click “Options” at the bottom to select “Build-in Microphone“, this can ensure that the recorded video has sound.
• Step 5. When everything is ready, play the YouTube video and click the “Record” button to start recording. After the recording is complete, save the video to your favorite directory.
  

The above are two practical methods for downloading YouTube videos on Mac. The first is to use desktop software, it supports batch downloading, and can maintain the original quality of the video, which is very powerful. The second method is to use the screen recording tool, which is also a good choice if you only need to download a few videos.

In addition to what we mentioned, you can also use an online Mac YouTube video downloader to save your favorite videos. However, with the update of the YouTube algorithm, most websites have stopped working, even if there are survivors, they are very unstable thus not recommended to use. If you like this article, please share with your friends and family. By following Jihosoft’s blog, you can learn more useful video-related tips and tricks.