This article provides 2 quick methods to watch YouTube offline, including using YouTube Premium or YouTube downloaders. The general download steps include inputting YouTube URL, selecting the output format, and starting the download process.

I watch YouTube videos every day. One day, I didn’t have access to the Internet. To continue enjoying YouTube videos, I plan to learn how to watch YouTube videos offline. After reading a lot of articles, I have grasped the method. Next, I will share it with you.

Warning:
To protect yourself from legal issues, don't use the downloaded content for commercial purposes.
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How to Watch YouTube Offline (with YouTube Premium)

  • Open the YouTube app.
  • Find the YouTube video.
  • Download the YouTube video.

Step 1. Open the YouTube app on your Android or iOS smartphone or tablet.

The logo of YouTube app.

Step 2. Visit the video file you want to download.

Step 3. Select the Download button, a gray circle containing a down-arrow hovering over a white line, or click More >Download button below the video.

Step 4. Select video quality (high, medium, or low), and click the OK button.

It is recommended to check the box next to “Remember my settings” then your app will remember your selection for future downloads.

Step 5. YouTube Premium begins to download YouTube videos. The Downloaded icon will appear below the video player when the video has completed downloading. After downloading, click the Library to access the downloaded videos. Select the video you want to play and watch YouTube offline.

If you want to delete a video, click on the context menu next to the video, and select Remove from saved videos.

How to Watch YouTube Offline (with YouTube Downloaders)

  • Copy the YouTube URL.
  • Select the output format.
  • Start the download process.

Here, I highly recommend MiniTool Video Converter and viddown.net.

Option 1. MiniTool Video Converter (Offline)

MiniTool Video Converter, an easy-to-use and ad-free YouTube ripper, can download YouTube videos without any watermarks. What’s more, this tool allows for downloading up to 10 YouTube videos simultaneously and supports many platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and X.

1. Get MiniTool Video Converter

To download YouTube videos to watch offline, start by downloading and installing the MiniTool Video Converter. After that, launch this program.

MiniTool Video ConverterClick to Download100%Clean & Safe

2. Analyze the YouTube URL

Go to YouTube and find the video you need to download. Copy its URL. Go back to the Download Video section of MiniTool Video Converter and click the upper-left Paste URL option to open the URL box. Paste the YouTube link and click the Download option to start the link analysis process.

The Download Video interface of MiniTool Video Converter that shows how to analyze the YouTube URL.

3. Select the Output Format and Start Download

In the pop-up output format window, select the desired output format and click on the Download option to begin the download process.

The Download Video interface of MiniTool Video Converter with the output format and the Download option selected.

4. Check the Output Video

When the download process finishes, this program will automatically switch to the Completed section. There, click on the Play icon to view the output video. To locate it, click on the Folder icon.

The Download Video interface of MiniTool Video Converter with the Play and Folder icons selected to check the output video.

MiniTool Video Converter is a powerful tool that allows you to save YouTube videos for offline watching.

Option 2. Viddown.net (Online)

Online Video Downloader on viddown.net is an online YouTube converter. This online tool lets you download YouTube videos, Shorts, and even an entire playlist. It can download content not only from YouTube but also from Facebook, Twitter, and TikTok. The best part is that it is compatible with all devices, whether it is a computer, mobile phone, tablet, or laptop.

Step 1. Enter the URL of the video you want to watch offline and click Download.

the interface of Online Video Downloader on viddown.net

Step 2. Select an output quality and click on the Download option next to it.

Step 3. Then, it will play the video, and you need to click the three-dot icon and select Download within the player.

Step 4. Wait for the download process to finish and watch offline.

The below chart makes you know the difference between the 3 YouTube video downloader tools.

MiniTool Video Converter(YouTube downloader app)YouTube PremiumOnline Video Downloader on viddown.net
PriceFree1-month free trial
Then $11.99/month
Free
ProsSimple to use.

No ads, no bundled extra software.

Do not collect your personal data.

Support 4K downloads.

Download videos, audio, playlists, and subtitles.
Ad-free.

Background play.

Download videos offline.

YouTube Music Premium.
Completely free, clean, no ads.

No installation and registration.

Save multiple videos at the same time.

Download YouTube videos, Shorts, and playlists.

Unlimited downloads.
Compatible with all browsers and devices.
ConsOnly download videos on PC.Subscribed to YouTube Premium.

Free trial subscription for 1 month.

Only download videos on mobile devices.
Only support MP4 format.

In a word, to watch YouTube offline, you need to save YouTube videos first.

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Bottom Line

How to watch YouTube offline for free? This post lists 3 YouTube converters to watch download YouTube videos to watch offline. If you have any problems when using MiniTool Video Converter, just send an email to support@minitool.com to ask for help.

People Also Ask

Is it possible to save a private YouTube video for offline watching?
No, with third-party downloaders, you are only able to save public YouTube videos for offline watching. Limited by the privacy wall, third-party YouTube downloaders can't access the YouTube server to fetch the media files from a private account.
Is there any advice on how to choose a great YouTube downloader for offline watching?
Just pay attention to the tips below:
1. Do not contain malware.
2. Have an easy-to-use interface.
3. Support 4K downloads even in the free version.
4. Download YouTube playlists at least with a paid version.
5. Download music from YouTube.
6. Do not collect your personal data beyond your email address.
Why can’t I save videos from YouTube?
Here are 3 possible reasons:
1. The URL cannot be recognized.
2. Software like McAfee may interfere with the YouTube downloader.
3. Some paid videos cannot be downloaded because of a copyright issue.
When downloading YouTube content, which output format should I select?
If you want to listen only to audio, you can convert YouTube to MP3 or WAV easily. If you want to watch YouTube offline on different devices that run on different platforms (Windows, Unix, etc.), you had better choose the MP4 format.
I have subscribed to YouTube Premium. How to get a YouTube playlist to play offline on my phone?
YouTube Premium lets you download an entire playlist to watch offline. Just follow the detailed steps below:
1. Select a YouTube playlist you want to download for offline viewing.
2. Tap Download.
3. Select quality and click OK.
4. Select OK when you see a pop-up window that says downloading a playlist can take a lot of time and data.
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