How to Download YouTube Videos for Free
Open Mozilla Firefox., Find a video., Click the small triangle next to the Download button., Save your file., Wait for you download to finish., Open your Downloads folder., Play your video.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Open Mozilla Firefox.
Firefox has the most extensions that can quickly and easily download YouTube videos to your computer.
One of the most popular is "Download YouTube Videos as MP4".
This extension will add download links for any video you view on YouTube.
You can find the extension by clicking the Firefox menu and selecting "Add-ons".
This will open the Add-on Manager in a new tab.
Type "download youtube" into the Search field and install the first search result. -
Step 2: Find a video.
Go to YouTube and look for any video.
You should see a Download button underneath the video, next to the Like/Dislike buttons. , Select the file format you want the video be in after downloading to your computer.
Different formats will result in different quality videos, and some are more suited for portable devices than others.
MP4 360P
- This is the baseline format, and is the one you should use if you are going to be watching the video on an older smartphone.
MP4 720P
- This is the HD format, and works best with computers and newer devices such as newer iPhones and the Samsung Galaxy S3.
FLV 240P
- This is a Flash video, and will not work on most Apple devices.
You can play it on your computer or most Android phones. , When you choose your format, a new window will pop up.
Select Save File and Click OK.
For most people, the file will now begin downloading automatically.
Some users may need to designate where they want the download saved. , You may surf the internet while waiting.
On the same, at the upper right hand corner a small indicator will show that the download is in progress. , The Downloads folder can typically be found in your Documents/My Documents folder, unless you specified a different location when you installed and configured Firefox. , Videos may not play with the default player that came installed with Windows or OS X.
To play the videos, download and install a free player such as VLC or Media Player Classic.
If you want to transfer the video to your phone, check out this guide for iPhones and this guide for Android. -
Step 3: Click the small triangle next to the Download button.
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Step 4: Save your file.
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Step 5: Wait for you download to finish.
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Step 6: Open your Downloads folder.
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Step 7: Play your video.
Detailed Guide
Firefox has the most extensions that can quickly and easily download YouTube videos to your computer.
One of the most popular is "Download YouTube Videos as MP4".
This extension will add download links for any video you view on YouTube.
You can find the extension by clicking the Firefox menu and selecting "Add-ons".
This will open the Add-on Manager in a new tab.
Type "download youtube" into the Search field and install the first search result.
Go to YouTube and look for any video.
You should see a Download button underneath the video, next to the Like/Dislike buttons. , Select the file format you want the video be in after downloading to your computer.
Different formats will result in different quality videos, and some are more suited for portable devices than others.
MP4 360P
- This is the baseline format, and is the one you should use if you are going to be watching the video on an older smartphone.
MP4 720P
- This is the HD format, and works best with computers and newer devices such as newer iPhones and the Samsung Galaxy S3.
FLV 240P
- This is a Flash video, and will not work on most Apple devices.
You can play it on your computer or most Android phones. , When you choose your format, a new window will pop up.
Select Save File and Click OK.
For most people, the file will now begin downloading automatically.
Some users may need to designate where they want the download saved. , You may surf the internet while waiting.
On the same, at the upper right hand corner a small indicator will show that the download is in progress. , The Downloads folder can typically be found in your Documents/My Documents folder, unless you specified a different location when you installed and configured Firefox. , Videos may not play with the default player that came installed with Windows or OS X.
To play the videos, download and install a free player such as VLC or Media Player Classic.
If you want to transfer the video to your phone, check out this guide for iPhones and this guide for Android.
About the Author
Janet King
Committed to making cooking accessible and understandable for everyone.
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