How to Download a YouTube Video by URL
Last updated: August 12, 2026
Outside of YouTube Premium's in-app offline mode, YouTube has no built-in way to save a video as a file you can keep. A URL-based downloader gets you a real MP4 in your choice of resolution — provided the video is public and you have the rights to use it.
- 1
Copy the video URL
Copy the address bar URL on desktop, or tap "Share" then "Copy link" in the YouTube app.
- 2
Open a URL-to-MP4 downloader
Paste the link in — the tool looks up every resolution YouTube's own player offers for that specific video.
- 3
Confirm you own the video, or have permission to use it
A downloader that skips this step is a red flag — reputable ones require you to confirm rights before resolving or downloading anything.
- 4
Pick a resolution and download
Higher resolutions take longer to fetch and merge — a long video in 1080p can take a couple of minutes.
Good to know
- The available resolutions depend on what the video was originally uploaded in — you won't see options above its source quality.
- Age-restricted, private, and members-only videos can't be resolved this way — only fully public videos.
- Livestreams and Premieres that haven't finished airing generally aren't supported.
Frequently asked questions
What's the highest quality available?
Whatever YouTube's own player offers for that specific video, up to its original upload quality.
Can I download just the audio?
That depends on the specific tool — not all URL-based downloaders support audio-only extraction.
Is downloading YouTube videos legal?
It depends on the video and how you plan to use it. Downloading content you don't own or don't have permission to use can violate copyright law and YouTube's terms of service. Only download videos you own or have explicit permission to use.
Ready to try it? Use the free downloader
Paste a link, pick a quality, download — no account needed.