YouTube is the Place to watch video content from independent creators and big media companies alike, but it’s all about streaming. Watching YouTube videos is easy when you have the internet, but you need to plan ahead if you want to leave the internet-connected web and continue watching. Luckily, you can download YouTube videos on Mac for offline watching.
You may already know that you can download YouTube videos to your iPhone and iPad, perfect for those times when you want to entertain a child in the air or on a long journey. But you can also download videos to your Mac when you don’t have a mobile device handy, perfect for those times when you want to make sure you have access even without Wi-Fi. And it’s an especially good idea if you’re also dealing with data caps or want a viewing experience on a larger screen.
Downloading YouTube videos for offline viewing on Mac is easy and we’ll show you exactly how to do it.
YouTube Premium
If you want to download YouTube videos on your Mac, you need YouTube Premium for that. There are other ways and means to download YouTube videos, but they all have their problems – not the least of which is the fact that it’s against YouTube rules.
We’ll show you the official way to download videos for offline viewing, so you’ll need YouTube Premium, which starts at $11.99 per month. This not only gives you access to downloads, but also the ability to view your content ad-free on all devices.
To add another wrinkle to the procedure, you’ll also need to use Google Chrome. The download feature is only available through Chrome, so Safari users are out of luck. Thankfully, Chrome is one of the best Mac web browsers out there — you might want to try it for all your other stuff, too.
Download YouTube videos to your Mac
1. Open YouTube website in Chrome and find the video you want to download to watch offline. Make sure you are also logged in and your premium account is active.
2. Click on the Download button below the video you want to download.
How to Watch Downloaded YouTube Videos
1. Open YouTube website in Chrome on your Mac.
2. Click the menu button on the left side of the screen and click Downloads. There you will find your offline videos ready to watch.
Now that you know how to download and watch YouTube videos, you’ll never be left without entertainment the next time your plane’s WiFi is down.
Do you want to delete a downloaded video? Just click the Download button again and it will be gone forever. Or until you download it again.
