What is a YouTube video downloader?
A YouTube video downloader saves a YouTube video to your device as a file, so that you can watch it without a connection, keep a copy of your own work, or use the footage in a project you have the rights to. Clip Converter does this from the browser: copy the link, paste it, choose a resolution, download.
It is also more than a video saver. From the same link you can take the audio as MP3, the subtitles in any available language, a readable transcript, the thumbnail in full size, the chapter list, the tags and the complete metadata. One paste, everything the video has to offer.
How to use the YouTube Downloader
- Copy the YouTube link. Use the address bar, or Share → Copy link in the YouTube app. youtu.be short links work too.
- Paste it on the homepage. Paste the link into the box on the Clip Converter homepage and press Get Clip and the available qualities load in a few seconds.
- Download. Choose a resolution and press Download. The MP4 is saved to your device.
Key features
- Up to 4K. 360p, 480p, 720p, 1080p, 1440p and 2160p are offered whenever the upload has them.
- Playlists and channels. Paste a playlist or channel link to list up to 100 videos and download them together.
- Subtitles and transcripts. Every caption language is available as a VTT file or as clean, readable text.
- Download only a clip. Set a start and end time to save one part of a long video.
Why high resolutions take longer
Up to 720p, YouTube can serve picture and sound together as one file. Above that — 1080p, 1440p and 4K — it stores the video and the audio as two separate streams. A downloader must fetch both and join them, a step called muxing, before there is a playable file.
Clip Converter does that work on the server and gives you a single finished MP4. It is the reason a 4K download shows a “merging” stage and takes noticeably longer than 720p. The progress indicator on the button tells you which stage the file is in.
Which YouTube links work
Standard watch links, youtu.be short links, Shorts, playlists and channel pages are all accepted. Live streams can be saved after they end and YouTube has finished processing the recording; a broadcast that is still live cannot be downloaded.
Videos that require a signed-in account — private, members-only, age-restricted or blocked in the server’s region — cannot be reached. Clip Converter never asks for your Google login, and you should be wary of any site that does.
Using downloads responsibly
Downloading your own videos, Creative Commons material, public-domain content, and videos you have permission to use is straightforward. For everything else, YouTube’s terms of service and copyright law apply. Keeping a lecture to study offline is a very different thing from re-uploading someone else’s work — the responsibility for how a file is used rests with you.
Everything you can save from one YouTube link
- Video
- MP4, 360p to 4K, with audio merged in
- Audio
- MP3, M4A, WAV or FLAC
- Text
- Subtitles (VTT), transcript (TXT), chapters, tags, description
- Images and data
- Thumbnail in every size, metadata as JSON or CSV
Frequently asked questions
Does it work with Shorts, live streams and music?
Shorts and regular videos work. Finished live streams work once YouTube has processed them. Streams that are still live cannot be saved.
Why does 1080p take longer than 720p?
YouTube serves higher resolutions as separate video and audio streams. We merge them into a single MP4 for you, which takes extra time.
Why do some videos fail?
Private, members-only, age-restricted and region-blocked videos need a signed-in account, so they cannot be fetched.
Is it free? Do I need an account?
Yes, it is free, and there is no account, email or app to install. Paste a link and the tool works in your browser on any device.
Is it legal to use?
Saving content you created, own, or have permission to use is generally fine. Downloading copyrighted material without permission may breach the platform’s terms or local copyright law. You are responsible for how you use the files.