Users can download videos from YouTube for offline viewing in two ways. These, however, are not available for all videos. The free version only allows you to download a few videos. To enjoy offline viewing across devices, one must purchase a YouTube Premium membership.
Those who use YouTube’s free version will only be able to watch downloaded videos for up to 48 hours. Following that, you will be required to use your smartphone’s mobile data or Wi-Fi network once more. If you download non-music content, it will be accessible without an internet connection for up to 29 days.
It should be noted that the download feature is currently only available in a few countries/regions, including India. The complete list of supported regions can be found here. Let’s take a look at how to download YouTube videos to your smartphone quickly.
How do I download YouTube videos to my phone?
To begin, open the video on YouTube and then click on the download button, which is located just below the video. The videos are encrypted on the device and can only be viewed through the YouTube app. In the app, there is another option for downloading videos.
- Simply launch the YouTube app on your smartphone and look for the video you want to download.
- A preview of the video will now appear on YouTube. Now, tap the three-dotted button visible at the bottom of the video.
A Download Video option will appear in the drop-down menu. Simply tap it, and the video will be downloaded. This can be found in the app’s Library section, under Downloads. - Please keep in mind that YouTube does not allow you to download high-quality videos for free; instead, you must purchase the company’s premium subscription. This provides two download options: 720p and 1080p. The free version supports 144p and 360p resolutions.
How do I save videos from YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram to my phone’s local storage?
Those wishing to download videos from their phone’s Gallery app will need to use third-party apps. While there are numerous options available online, we chose to use the Snaptube app. This is not available on Google Play but can be downloaded from the app’s official website, Snaptubeapp.com.
It allows you to download videos from sites such as YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram, among others. All you have to do is download the app to your smartphone and enter the URL of the YouTube video into the search bar. The video will then be displayed, along with a download button, which can be used to download the video in any resolution.
YouTube only allows you to keep a downloaded video (non-music) for 29 days. As a result, the method described above will allow you to store video for a longer period of time.
For a better and more immersive experience, consider purchasing YouTube Premium. There are some advantages to doing so. You will gain access to YouTube Music Premium, as well as the ability to watch videos without advertisements (on tablets, desktop and mobile). As previously stated, there is a download option as well as a background play option, which is essentially Picture-in-Picture mode. The subscription costs Rs 139 per month. There is also a 3-month plan available for Rs 399. The 12-month plan costs Rs 1,290.