How to Download YouTube Videos Legally: Premium, Your Uploads and the Rules

The legal ways to download YouTube videos are limited to two main routes: use the offline download feature in the YouTube app (which requires a YouTube Premium membership in most cases), or download videos you uploaded yourself from YouTube Studio. Third-party “downloader” sites and apps generally break YouTube’s terms of service, and saving someone else’s video can also raise copyright problems. This guide explains each option, how to use it and where the limits are.

Option 1: Offline downloads in the YouTube app

YouTube Premium is the official way to watch videos without a connection, for example on a flight or a commute. The video is saved inside the YouTube app. It is not a normal video file, so you cannot move it to a laptop, edit it or open it in another player.

1. Sign in to the YouTube app on your phone or tablet with the account that has the membership.
2. Open the video you want.
3. Tap the Download button under the player.
4. Choose a quality level if the app asks. Higher quality looks better but uses more storage.
5. Find saved videos later in Library and then Downloads.

Availability depends on your country, device and the video itself. Some videos cannot be downloaded because the creator or rights holder has not allowed it.

Rules that come with offline downloads

• You need to reconnect now and then. Downloaded videos are tied to your account and the app checks in periodically. If your device stays offline for too long, downloads stop playing until it connects again.
• Membership matters. If your membership ends, the saved videos become unavailable.
• Storage fills up. Check the download quality in the app settings and remove videos you have finished watching.
• Some content is excluded. Certain videos, such as some live streams or protected content, may not show a download option.

Tip: use Wi-Fi to download, then switch your phone to airplane mode to confirm that the saved videos play without any signal before you travel.

Option 2: Download your own uploads

If you created and uploaded the video, you can usually get a copy from YouTube Studio. This is allowed because you own the content.

1. Open YouTube Studio on a computer and sign in to your channel.
2. Select Content from the left menu.
3. Find the video, open the three-dot menu on its row, and choose Download.

The copy you receive is processed by YouTube, so it may not match your original editing file. Always keep your original recordings and project files as the master copy. For a full backup, Google Takeout can export data from your Google account, including YouTube content. The idea is similar to the one in our guide on downloading a copy of your Facebook and Instagram data: request an export, wait for it to be prepared, then save the archive somewhere safe.

What the rules do not allow

YouTube’s terms of service say you may not download content except through a feature YouTube provides, or with written permission from YouTube and the rights holder. In practice that means these methods are on the wrong side of the rules:

• Websites that offer to “convert” or “rip” a YouTube link into an MP4 or MP3 file.
• Browser extensions and desktop programs built to save streams.
• Screen-recording a video in order to share or reuse it.

Beyond the platform rules, most videos are protected by copyright. Having a copy on your device does not give you the right to reupload it, use it in your own project or share it. Many of these tools also come with intrusive ads, bundled software or fake download buttons, so there is a security risk as well. If you do use a legitimate converter for files you own, read our guide to safe online file converters first, and keep in mind that converting a video you do not own does not make it yours to use.

Reusing a video with permission

If you want to use part of someone else’s video, the correct route is permission. Ask the creator to send you the file or to confirm in writing what you may do with it. Some creators publish videos under a Creative Commons license, which allows reuse under stated conditions, such as giving credit. Read the license terms carefully, because they differ from one license to another. Short quotations for commentary or criticism can fall under fair use in the US, but that is a legal judgment that depends on the case, so it is not a safe shortcut. For commercial projects, consider getting legal advice.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Assuming a download is a file. Premium downloads stay inside the app and cannot be copied out.
• Letting the membership lapse before a trip, then finding the saved videos locked.
• Trusting a site because it looks professional. Downloader sites are a common place for misleading ads and unwanted software.
• Deleting the original footage after uploading it, and relying on YouTube as the only copy.

Quick answers

Can I download YouTube videos for free?

Only in limited cases, such as your own uploads through YouTube Studio. For other people’s videos, YouTube’s official download feature is part of the paid membership in most cases.

Is it illegal to use a YouTube downloader?

It breaks YouTube’s terms of service, and depending on the video and what you do with the copy, it can also infringe copyright. Laws differ by country, so the safe approach is to stick with official features or get permission.

Can I keep downloaded videos after I cancel Premium?

No. Offline videos depend on an active membership, so they stop being available when it ends.

Can I watch downloaded videos on my computer?

Offline downloads are mainly a mobile feature of the app. If you need a video on a computer, the usual route is to stream it in a browser, or for your own uploads, download the copy from YouTube Studio.