The Best Ways to Download YouTube Videos on Mac for Free
How to Download YouTube Videos on a Mac
YouTube is one of the most popular and diverse platforms for watching online videos. Whether you want to learn something new, watch your favorite shows, listen to music, or just have some fun, you can find almost anything on YouTube. But what if you want to watch YouTube videos offline on your Mac? Maybe you don't have a reliable internet connection, or you want to save some data, or you just want to keep some videos for future reference.
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Whatever your reason, downloading YouTube videos on your Mac is not as easy as it sounds. YouTube does not provide an official way to download videos from its website, except for some limited cases where you can save videos for offline viewing within the YouTube app. Moreover, downloading YouTube videos without permission may be illegal or unethical in some situations, depending on the video and your purpose.
So, how can you download YouTube videos on your Mac safely and legally In this article, we will show you some of the best options for downloading YouTube videos on your Mac for free. We will also explain the pros and cons of each option, and give you some tips and warnings to avoid any trouble. Let's get started!
How to Download YouTube Videos on a Mac for Free
If you don't want to spend any money on downloading YouTube videos on your Mac, you can try some of the free methods that are available. However, these methods may have some limitations and drawbacks, such as lower quality, longer time, or more hassle. Here are two of the most common free methods for downloading YouTube videos on your Mac.
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Option 1: Screen capture with audio on a Mac
One of the simplest ways to download YouTube videos on your Mac is to use the built-in screen recording tool in macOS. This tool allows you to capture any part of your screen and save it as a video file. You can also record the audio from your speakers or microphone. Here's how to use it:
Open the YouTube video you want to download in your browser.
Press Command + Shift + 5 on your keyboard to open the screen capture menu.
Select the Record Entire Screen or Record Selected Portion option, depending on what you want to capture.
Click the Options button and make sure the Built-in Output is selected as the sound source.
Click the Record button and start playing the YouTube video.
When the video is finished, click the Stop button in the menu bar.
The recorded video will be saved to your desktop or another location you choose.
The pros of this method are that it is easy, fast, and free. You don't need to install any software or visit any website. You can also record any part of your screen and any sound from your Mac.
The cons of this method are that it may affect the quality and performance of your Mac. You may not be able to record in high resolution or frame rate. You may also experience some lag or stuttering while recording. Moreover, you may not be able to edit or convert the recorded video easily.
Option 2: Record the screen using QuickTime
Another way to download YouTube videos on your Mac is to use QuickTime Player, which is a default app in macOS. QuickTime Player can also record your screen and audio, but with more options and features. Here's how to use it:
Open the YouTube video you want to download in your browser.
Open QuickTime Player from your Applications folder or Launchpad.
Select File > New Screen Recording from the menu bar.
A small window will appear with a red record button. Click the arrow next to it and choose the sound source and quality settings you want.
Click the red record button and then click anywhere on your screen to start recording the entire screen, or drag a selection to record a specific area.
Start playing the YouTube video and wait until it finishes.
Click the stop button in the menu bar or press Command + Control + Esc on your keyboard to stop recording.
The recorded video will appear in a new window. You can preview, edit, or save it as you wish.
The pros of this method are that it is also easy, fast, and free. You have more control over the sound and quality settings of your recording. You can also edit or trim your recorded video within QuickTime Player.
The cons of this method are similar to the previous one. It may affect the quality and performance of your Mac. You may not be able to record in high resolution or frame rate. You may also experience some lag or stuttering while recording. Moreover, you may not be able to convert the recorded video to other formats easily.
Best Apps to Download YouTube Videos on a Mac
If you want more features and flexibility when downloading YouTube videos on your Mac, you may want to use a dedicated app that can do the job for you. There are many apps that claim to download YouTube videos on a Mac, but not all of them are reliable or safe. Some of them may contain malware or viruses that can harm your Mac. Some of them may not work properly or have limited functionality. Some of them may charge you money or show you annoying ads.
To help you avoid these problems, we have selected some of the best apps to download YouTube videos on your Mac. These apps are reliable, safe, and easy to use. They also offer more features and flexibility than the free methods. Here are three of the best apps to download YouTube videos on your Mac. Option 3: Use VLC Media Player
VLC Media Player is a popular and versatile app that can play almost any video or audio file. But did you know that it can also download YouTube videos on your Mac? Yes, VLC Media Player has a hidden feature that allows you to find and download YouTube videos within the app. Here's how to use it:
Download and install VLC Media Player from its official website.
Open the YouTube video you want to download in your browser and copy its URL.
Open VLC Media Player and select File > Open Network from the menu bar.
Paste the YouTube URL in the box and click Open.
The YouTube video will start playing in VL