How to download 4K and 8K YouTube videos

To download YouTube videos, you’ll have to download the software itself; unlike some alternatives it’s not browser-based, but sits on your computer as its own app. There are versions of the app for Windows, macOS and Ubuntu computers, as well as Android phones.

To get 4K Video Downloader Plus, head over to the website. Find the green ‘Free Download’ button and the installation file will be downloaded automatically. 

Select it, either in the download pop-up that appears in many browsers, or via your computer’s downloads folder, and the installation process will begin.

You’ll need to agree to the terms and conditions, and depending on your settings, allow the software to make changes to your computer (simply for the download process).

One of the most useful features of the platform is its built-in browser, meaning you can find the videos without needing to open another application.

Note: YouTube’s terms of service don’t allow you to download video unless it’s specifically permitted or you have written permission from YouTube and the rights holders (if necessary) or is allowed by law. You must only download material that isn’t copyrighted and you have permission to download and use lawfully – such as that which you own or want to use in educational projects.

For the latter, the search menu in the browser has a filter you can use to narrow it down by Creative Commons rights. These are videos that the creator has granted the public permission to use for their own works, and it’s best practice to credit them.

Once you’ve chosen the video you need, just press the YouTube icon on the front page (don’t worry if you already have the YouTube links to hand, as there’s an option for that).

Once you’re on the app’s version of YouTube, use the search bar just right of the YouTube logo to search for the video you want.

If you have a YouTube account, it won’t be signed in, so you won’t see your subscriptions and suggested videos – you can sign in with the button to the top right.

Search for the video you want, and select it in the search menu, or if you already have the URL to hand, copy and paste it into the URL bar just above the search bar. You can use this method to download your own unlisted videos in the Creator Studio too.

Once you’ve found the video you want to download, you’ll notice one thing different from a standard YouTube page: there’s a big green ‘Download’ button hovering at the bottom of the page. As you can probably guess, you have to press this button, and the video will automatically begin to download.

You’ll be taken to the downloader page where you can see the download status: the amount of memory used, the download speed and the estimated time until the file is fully downloaded.

This page, which is also the ‘main menu’ of the app, lets you change settings; whether you download video or audio, what quality you download in, and where the fully-downloaded file is saved.

You’ll also see your number of daily downloads; in the free option this is capped at 10, but for those of you who need more, subscribing to a Premium plan will give you access to unlimited downloads.

And when you’re ready to search for more videos to download, click the globe icon in the bottom-right to return to the browser. 

As mentioned earlier, the software lets you download video not just from YouTube, but from other platforms, providing you abide by the terms and conditions and only download content where you’re lawfully allowed to do so. The full list includes Facebook, Vimeo, TikTok, SoundCloud, Discord and DailyMotion.

If you’d like to download video from any of these platforms using 4K Video Downloader Plus, you can follow similar instructions to the YouTube section. From the app’s browser simply select the service, find the video you want, and select download.

Some services, like Facebook and Vimeo, require you to sign in via the browser to see what’s available. You can use a browser link to jump straight to the video to save time.

Downloading YouTube videos is quick and easy when you software that can comprehensively do the job, and it’s free to get started with 4K Video Downloader Plus today.