How to Download YouTube Videos on PC or Laptop (Free, 2026)

How to download YouTube videos on PC without installing anything: copy the video link, paste it into a web downloader in Chrome or Edge, pick MP4 at 1080p, and click Download MP4. The file goes to your Downloads folder and plays in the Windows Media Player app. In our test on a Windows 11 PC, a 10-minute video saved in Full HD in 57 seconds.

Below are the exact steps with screenshots, which quality to pick, where the file goes, how to download your own videos from YouTube Studio, and the official alternatives: YouTube Premium and the Snipping Tool screen recorder.

Before you start: four ways to save YouTube videos on a PC or laptop

YouTube Premium is the official way to watch offline. On a computer it works in Chrome, Edge, Firefox and Opera, the video stays inside YouTube, and you need to go online at least every 29 days.

YouTube Studio lets you download videos you uploaded yourself, as MP4 in 720p or 360p. Google limits it to five downloads of the same video per 24 hours.

A web downloader is the quickest way to get a full-quality MP4 you can edit, put in a PowerPoint or copy to a USB stick. Use it for videos you made, Creative Commons videos, or videos you have permission to save.

How to download YouTube videos on PC, step by step

These steps work the same on any Windows 10 or Windows 11 PC or laptop, in Chrome, Edge or Firefox.

1

Copy the YouTube video link

Open the video on YouTube. Click the address bar and press Ctrl + C, or click Share under the video and then Copy.

Done

2

Paste the link into Tube Snip and click Fetch video

Open the Tube Snip YouTube video downloader in a new tab, click the box, press Ctrl + V and click Fetch video. "Video link detected" appears as soon as the link is valid.

Done

3

Check that it found the right video

The left side shows the title, channel, length and licence. Our test video showed 10:35 and Creative Commons (CC BY): reuse is allowed with credit.

Done

4

Pick MP4 and a quality

Keep MP4: it plays in Media Player, VLC, PowerPoint, Premiere, CapCut and every editor. Then pick a quality:

• 1080p (Full HD): the best choice for a PC or laptop screen. It's H.264, so every Windows PC plays it.
• 720p: under half the size; fine for a small laptop or a slow connection.
• 4K and 2K: on Tube Snip these are AV1 files. Windows plays AV1 once the free AV1 Video Extension from the Microsoft Store is installed; VLC plays it straight away.

Every row says "Sound included", so you never get a silent file.

Done

5

Click Download MP4

Click Download MP4. The Transfers box shows the progress; when it says Saved, the file is ready.

Done

6

Find the video and open it

Where do downloaded YouTube videos go on PC? To This PC → Downloads, unless you changed it. Press Ctrl + J in Chrome or Edge to open the download list, then click Show in folder. Double-click the MP4 to open it in the Media Player app, or right-click → Open with → VLC.

To download a YouTube video to your desktop, drag the file from Downloads onto the desktop. To save downloads somewhere else every time, change the folder in your browser: Chrome Settings → Downloads → Location, or Edge Settings → Downloads → Location.

Done

How much space does a YouTube video take on a PC?

From the sizes Tube Snip showed for our 10:35 test video, plus the real 1080p file:

Animated and 60 fps videos come out larger than talking-head videos at the same quality, so treat these as rough numbers.

How to download YouTube videos on a laptop

Exactly the same way: a laptop is a PC. On a laptop it's worth two extra checks:

• Battery and Wi-Fi: big downloads are faster on Wi-Fi with the charger plugged in; a sleeping laptop pauses the download.
• Space: check free space in Settings → System → Storage before saving several 1080p videos.

If your laptop is a MacBook, see our guide for Mac.

How to download your own videos from YouTube Studio

If you uploaded the video yourself:

1. Sign in to YouTube Studio.
2. In the left panel, click Content.
3. Point at the video, click the ⋮ menu (Options), then Download.

You get an MP4 in 720p or 360p, depending on the video. Google doesn't allow it for videos that were removed, have a copyright or Community Guidelines strike, or use a pre-approved audio track. For a 1080p or 4K copy of your own video, use the steps above.

How to record a YouTube video on Windows (Snipping Tool)

Windows 11's Snipping Tool can record the screen: press Windows + Shift + R, drag over the video, click Start, play the video, then click Stop. It records in real time, so a 20-minute video takes 20 minutes, and notifications and your mouse end up in the recording. Use it only when a download isn't possible.

Download only the audio or one part of the video

• Just the sound: switch to the Audio · MP3 tab, or use the YouTube to MP3 converter. Our guide on how to download music from YouTube covers the best settings.
• Just one scene: use the Snip a clip tab or the YouTube clip cutter, so you don't save an hour to keep 30 seconds.

Troubleshooting: when the download doesn't work

Is it legal to download YouTube videos on a PC?

YouTube's terms say you shouldn't download content unless YouTube shows a download button or link, or you have permission. In practice:

• Your own videos: fine. YouTube Studio also lets you download them.
• Creative Commons videos: fine, with credit to the creator.
• Other people's videos: ask first, and never re-upload them as your own.
• Offline watching of anything else: YouTube Premium is the official route.

What we'd do

For a video you're allowed to save, the web method is the simplest on any Windows PC or laptop: no software, no account, and a real 1080p MP4 in about a minute. Press Ctrl + J when it's done, and keep 1080p as your default unless you really need 4K.