Best Free YouTube Downloaders: YouTube Download Online MP3/MP4 Converters

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YouTube downloader tools have made it easier than ever to download YouTube videos for personal and educational purposes.

Over 500 hours of new videos are uploaded to YouTube every minute, as of 2022. With so much video content uploaded to YouTube, you might wonder how you can download your favorite YouTube videos and watch them later offline?

In this post, we will discus the best ways to download YouTube videos using popular YouTube downloaders for personal and or educational purposes. It's possible to get your favorite Youtube download online in mp3 or mp4 format for later use.

Online YouTube downloaders as well as desktop downloader programs for downloading YouTube videos can convert any YouTube video into your desired video format so you can watch them later on your own video player without having to worry about internet connection.

However, both desktop downloader tools and online downloaders for YouTube videos have their own pros and cons, which you should consider carefully before deciding on which option to use for downloading YouTube videos for viewing offline later.

Desktop YouTube Downloaders: Pros & Cons

Here is a quick rundown of the pros and cons of desktop downloader tools for a quick YouTube download online in mp3 / mp4:

Advantages

Desktop YouTube downloader tools/programs are often free to use. Tools like MiniTool uTube Downloader even come with no ads and promise no viruses.
The downloader supports downloading videos with no restrictions.
The video download speed is fast.
It allows you to easily download YouTube playlists and video subtitles.

Disadvantages

You need to install the program on your computer.

Online YouTube Downloaders: Pros and Cons

When it comes to easy and convenient YouTube download online mp3 / mp4, using an online-based YouTube downloader has it pros and cons as well:

Advantages

Many online video downloader programs/tools can support downloading videos from most of the big video-sharing platforms, including YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, etc.
With online YouTube downloaders, you do not need to install any additional software on your computer to use the downloaders. You simply convert your YouTube video online into mp3 / mp4 and download it to your computer for viewing offline.

Disadvantages

You will usually have to bear with many, annoying advertisements when using free online YouTube video downloaders.
The online video downloader tools often support only some video/audio formats.
There is also usually a limit for the size of the YouTube video that you can download using free online YouTube downloaders.

Once you have considered the pros and cons of both options for easy YouTube download online mp3 / mp4, and you have decided on which option is best for you, it's time to use the tool you have chosen to download your videos.

The steps for downloading YouTube videos using free online video downloader and converter tools are pretty straightforward. You simply add the YouTube link to the downloader tool, click the "Convert" and then the "Download" buttons and you are done.

However, using desktop YouTube video downloaders, it may require a bit more steps to convert and download YouTube videos for viewing offline.

Steps to Download YouTube Videos Using Desktop Downloaders

Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to download and convert YouTube videos to mp3 / mp4 with one of the many free desktop YouTube downloader tools like MiniTool YouTube Downloader:

Step 1. Install the YouTube Downloader tool on your computer.

Go to the downloader website (like: www.minitool.com) to download the desktop YouTube downloader program. When you're done downloading the tool, install the YouTube downloader converter on your Windows PC and launch the program.

Step 2. Copy the YouTube Video URL to the top of the interface.

Open the YouTube website, and search for a video that you want to convert to mp3 / mp4.

Copy that URL link, then paste it to the MiniTool YouTube converter, and click the Download button.

Sep 3. Download the Video and Convert YouTube to mp3 / mp4.

Select one output format (such as mp4), after that, click the Download button, at last, wait for a while, and the software to save the video to your computer.

Downloading YouTube Videos on Mobile Phones

The above methods are useful for users to save YouTube videos on their computer. However, if you want to download YouTube videos to your mobile phone, follow the instructions below:

I. YouTube Video Downloader for Android Users

Below are two ways to download YouTube videos on Android:

i. Use the YouTube app

Open the YouTube app on your phone, then find the video you want to download.

Play that video and tap the share button. -> Select YouTube downloader from the share menu. -> Choose file format (MP3 or MP4) -> Select Download.

ii. Use a YouTube video downloader for Android

Download a YouTube downloader app or other alternative video downloading app and open it.

Find the video you want to download. -> Choose MP3 or MP4 as the output format. -> At last, tap Download.

II. YouTube Video Downloader for iPhone Users

Since Apple has cracked down on the act of ripping videos using third-party apps, you will find it a little difficult to download YouTube on iPhone.

However, a file manager app called Documents, which has an integrated web browser, can help you download and transfer YouTube videos.

Install the YouTube downloader app - Documents by Readdle, and launch it.

Open the built-in browser in Documents by tapping the blue compass icon at the bottom right corner-> Navigate to the webpage that allows you to download free videos or songs ->Tap the download link or button, and select where to save it