Unable to Download YouTube Videos? [Three Safe Ways to Solve]

In the spirit of protecting video creators’ originality and innovation, YouTube officially doesn’t provide any means for users to download its videos. In another word, viewers are unable to download YouTube videos for the time being. However, there are three alternative methods that succeed in downloading YouTube videos –
1. Use a YouTube downloader.
2. Use the feature of the media player like VLC.
3. Use third-party screen recorders.

These three methods to download YouTube videos are all easy and fast. Let’s get straight to the respective procedures of them.

1. YouTube Downloader [Free Software – X2convert]

X2convert is a safe website. In accordance with Google Safe Browsing and Symantec x2convert.com is pretty a safe domain. Besides, x2convert has a valid and up-to-date SSL certificate issued by Sectigo Limited. How to use YouTube video downloader to download your preferred videos when you are unable to download YouTube videos? Here are the steps:

a) Enter the website of X2convert.
b) Paste your YouTube videos’ URL (address) to the bar.

c) Hit ‘Get link video’ and another interface will appear letting you choose video format and video quality.

d) Hit the green button for downloading then another window will jump up and it is another download button, hit it.
e) Then your chosen video will be exhibited in the form of web tab, right-click the screen and select ‘save video as… ’. Choose the storage path and then the downloading process begins.

YouTube Downloader is usually bundled with malware and users are suggested to keep a wary eye on the software they use in case they get fooled. And more annoyingly is that YouTube downloader usually receives copyrights attacks, making it unstable for users to leverage.

Merits of this method:
• Free, Free, and Free.
• High-speed and unlimited downloads.
• Audio, HD, Full HD, or 4K supported.
• No registration required.
• Safe website without spam or malware.

See also: Is YouTube Downloader/Converter Safe? You Take Your Chance

2. Use VLC Media to Download YouTube Videos [A Tricky Way]

VLC is an extensively used media player receiving wide compliments due to its versatility. It is embedded with many useful features like streaming videos from YouTube or even downloading videos from it. For users who are unable to download YouTube videos, they can download streaming videos with VLC.

a) Open VLC > on the top-left corner, click Media > Open Network Stream.

b) Paste the prepared URL of a YouTube video to the blank field.
c) Now things will be different according to users’ operating systems. If you are Mac users, click “Window” > “Media Information” on your VLC interface. If you are Windows users, select “Tools” > “Codec Information”.
d) Find the “Location” bar at the bottom, and copy the URL.
e) Paste the URL to a blank browser tab. This operation is for opening an MP4 version of your YouTube video and later downloading could be achieved right on the tab interface.
f) Right-click the video, and click “Save Video As”.
g) Name the file and save it to the desired location.

Merits of this method:
• Free software.
• Safe process without the bother of spam or malware.
• No needs to download any other supplemental software, all the operations are carried out within VLC.

See Also: VLC Screen Recording Guide & Tips

3. Use Third-Party Screen Recorder to Download YouTube Videos [Safe and Professional]

If users who are unable to download YouTube videos could change their mentality, an unlimited third-party screen recorder could also be considered as a means to record YouTube videos on PC, be it the live streaming videos or streaming audios. This kind of software not only duplicates the original YouTube videos but also brings users a batch of useful features that neither the YouTube downloader nor media player bears.

a) Download RecMaster.

b) Open RecMaster and select Full-Screen mode.

c) Configure the settings: Video Format (mp4, avi, flv) > Video Quality (high, standard, original) > Frame Rate (30 FPS) > and settings for audio options (webcam, system sound, and microphone sound).

d) Arrange your process by operations on the floating bar. You can add annotations by dint of clicking the brush circled in the picture below. (FYI, RecMaster’s Mac version is not able to add any annotations)

e) Stop recording and click ‘Recording List’ to check your footage or edit your videos.

Merits of this method：
● Task Scheduler
This feature allows users to record an incoming event on their PCs without the presence and operation of them.

● Annotation Tools
Whiteboard, brush, lines, graphics, eraser, etc are available to embellish the recorded YouTube videos.

● High FPS
RecMaster is about to embrace an upgrade and the FPS it attains to provide will be capped at 120 utmost (now 60 FPS at most), which makes RecMaster rise to best game recorders among the industry.

Comparison of the Three Tools for YouTube Downloading

Verdict

This article introduces three practical methods for users who are unable to download YouTube videos. All the methods are safe and effective. What worth motioning is that the methods to leverage VLC media player and YouTube video downloaders are free but lack flexibility. The third-part YouTube recorder method costs money but it provides many extra options for users. If you want to make your YouTube videos look variable and unique, you should try the third approach.

See also:
How to Download/Convert URL to Video as MP4
Screen Recorder VS Video Downloader, What’s the Difference?
How to Download YouTube Videos without Software | Full Guide