The Best Way to Download YouTube Videos on Android.
There are many ways to download YouTube videos to computer like Keepvid, IDM, or even 4k video downloader for the entire playlist. But when it comes to smartphones, the picture isn’t entirely clear.
If you’re wondering why YouTube doesn’t officially allow downloads, think differently. YouTube is a video sharing service that makes money by serving ads on videos. Right.
Now, if they officially allow downloads, then most people will download videos and only a few of them will return. This means less replay and less revenue.
But sometimes we really need to download a video, such as when we are traveling in a place where there is no internet connection. So if this is your case, this guide will help you.
Download YouTube videos to Android
# 1 Save videos for offline
If you live in India, you can officially download YouTube videos. Ok, this is not really a download, you can cache it for a while.
Open the YouTube app and play the video you want to save. At the bottom of the video, you will see a small download icon. Click on that and choose a format. This is it.
Later, when you don’t have internet, just open the YouTube app and go to the offline section. You will find the downloaded video here.
However, there are few problems with this. For example, this update is only for users in India. Saved videos are only available for the next 48 hours after download.
# 2 TubeMate
TubeMate is a popular Android app for downloading Youtube videos. This app has several advantages:
1. Ability to download videos in different resolutions. It is also possible to download audio only.
2. You can launch Tubemate directly from the YouTube app using the sharing option. Save time.
3. Tubemate looks like a traditional YouTube app, you can log into your google account, create a playlist, etc., etc. Also, you can upload videos.
Side note: sometimes videos stream faster in TubeMate compared to the official YouTube app. Therefore, if you have a slow internet connection, TubeMate can improve your streaming quality. But this is my personal experience.
Where can I download TubeMate?
Since Google owns YouTube and the Play Store, you won’t see TubeMate in the app store. But you can download its apk from the official site and download it unpublished.
The following video explains how to effectively install and use TubeMate. (video starts at 3.14)
# 3 Online Service
There is no point in having TubeMate if you don’t download videos often. So in this case, use online services like KeepVid, SaveTube, etc.
I suggest you use StreamPocket to download YouTube videos. Both on a PC and on a mobile phone. Unlike other services, it has a clean and simple interface. No annoying ads or pop-ups. I tested it in both Chrome and Firefox (Android) browsers and it works fine.
All you need to do is copy and paste the video URL in the space provided and follow the onscreen instructions. The screenshot below shows how to use StreamPocket to download YouTube videos.
Bonus advice
Let’s say you want to download part of a video, such as a small clip from the middle. In this case, you do not need to download the entire video and waste precious bandwidth. Use a clip converter instead. This online tool can download a specific portion of a YouTube video, even as an audio file.
We have seen several ways to download YouTube videos. Each has its own advantages and disadvantages. For example, if you upload videos frequently, use TubeMate. But for rare use of an online service, it is quite enough.
Conclusion
Related: How to Play YouTube Videos in Background on Android
edit
There is a better alternative to TubeMate, which is OG YouTube. Besides downloading videos, you can listen to YouTube when the screen is OFF and open the YouTube video window to the current screen.
OG YouTube video demo (YouTube link)