How to Download YouTube Music to PC in 5 Ways

When talking about downloading YouTube Music to a PC, you might mean one of two things: saving songs from the official YouTube Music platform for offline listening, or converting a regular YouTube video to MP3 to extract the audio. Whichever method you're looking for, the tool introduced below can help meet your needs.

YouTube offers a dedicated music service called YouTube Music, which costs $13.99 per month. With a Premium subscription, you can legally download most songs for offline playback within the app. This is the safest and most privacy-respecting option, as it protects your device from potential viruses or data leaks. However, keep in mind that downloaded content is encrypted, can only be accessed in the app, cannot be exported to formats like MP3, and will expire as soon as your membership ends—so it cannot be kept long-term.

For those who want more flexibility for personal use, we also recommend five free tools that let you download music from YouTube in alternative ways.

Download Music from YouTube on PC in High Quality

The video downloader for PC - EaseUS Video Downloader, not only allows you to download video/audio files from YouTube to MP3 but also enables you to download videos to MP3 directly. Therefore, whether you want to convert a video to audio or download songs from YouTube Music, you can get it done using this tool.

When you download a YouTube music playlist to your PC, you can choose which audio format (MP3 or WAV) and which quality (128kbps, 256kbps, or 320kbps) you need, and choose the destination folder according to your preference. When you are looking to download videos from YouTube next time, you will see that you can choose the target format, be it MP4 or WebM, and the target quality, up to 8K.

Moreover, EaseUS Video Downloader also supports many other sites, including Facebook, Twitter, SoundCloud, TikTok, and more. In a word, you can almost download any online video/audio file to your computer with this powerful media downloader.

Given that, when you are going to download YouTube music to your PC, using EaseUS Video Downloader is a suitable choice for you.

After you download and install the YouTube audio downloader on your computer, it becomes quite easy for you to save YouTube music to your PC.

📚Whether you need to download a single song or a playlist, you can follow the steps below:

Step 1. Download and install EaseUS Video Downloader on your PC. Find the music video, music video playlist, or YouTube music you want to download.

Step 2. You should change the download setting first. Change the "Video" to "Audio" from the drop down menu. As for quality, "Best" is suggested for a better listening experience. 

Step 3. Then, copy and click "Paste Link" to proceed. 

Step 4. With the copied link, the software will save the music according to your settings automatically.

Disclaimer: Please make sure that your download behavior is legal in your country! EaseUS does not advocate downloading any video/audio for sale, distribution, or other commercial purposes.

With the audio file you get, you can use it to make a ringtone for your iPhone, edit the audio in a way you like, or add it to your mobile device.

Download YouTube Music to a Computer with a Browser Extension

Video DownloadHelper is a powerful video and audio downloader extension available for Chrome, Firefox, and Edge. It allows users to download YouTube videos, save music from YouTube Music, and extract audio from videos. Once you open a webpage, it automatically detects multiple video resolutions and works across thousands of other platforms as well.

However, to download audio files or convert formats, a conversion license is required.

📚How to download MP3 files from YouTube to your computer online: 

Step 1. Open Firefox/Edge on your computer and search for "Video DownloadHelper". Install it on your browser.

Step 2. Open the YouTube Music page on the browser. Open the extension, and you can choose "Download Audio" to save the MP3 file only.

Download YouTube Music to Computer Free Online

Another method you can try is to use an online music download site. This method is written to broaden your choices. If you don't want another installation, using an online website will meet your needs.

SaveFrom is a free, ad-free web-based music and video downloader that supports platforms like YouTube, SoundCloud, Vimeo, Threads, TikTok, and more. It lets you download videos in formats such as MP4, WebM, OPUS, and M4A, with or without audio.

SaveFrom also offers a browser extension for easier downloading, but note that the extension is not available in the U.S. due to regional restrictions.

📚Follow these steps to see how to download YouTube Songs with an online website:

Step 1. Open the YouTube music you'd like to download and copy its URL.

Step 2. Then, open the official site of the Savefrom YouTube Music downloader. Paste the song's link into the bar with "Ctrl + V" for Windows and "Command + V" for Mac. 

Step 3. Click the "Download" button. After choosing the music quality, click "Download" again. The audio file will be saved in the downloaded file folder on your computer. 

AMP3.cc is a free YouTube music downloader that allows users to convert songs and playlists to MP3 at up to 320kbps. It supports trimming tracks before download and works with various platforms, including Reddit, Twitch, Twitter, Facebook, SoundCloud, and TikTok.

The AMP3 YouTube to MP3 converter is completely ad-free and does not require users to sign up or log in. It also supports full playlist and Shorts downloads for up to 240 minutes (4 hours), making it a convenient tool for downloading both individual tracks and long playlists.

Step 1. Copy the YouTube Music link using the share button.

Step 2. Paste it into the field of amp3.cc and choose quality. Hit "CONVERT."

Download Music from YouTube on PC with Command Lines

yt-dlp is a widely recommended command-line tool for downloading music from YouTube and thousands of other platforms. Built as an enhanced fork of youtube-dl, it offers extensive customization options, including support for various audio formats (like MP3, M4A, FLAC) and bitrate control.

yt-dlp also handles playlists, metadata, subtitles, and even premium content (with cookies), making it a powerful and flexible solution for advanced users.

Step 1. Install yt-dlp using the binaries, pip, or exe listed.

• Windows: https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/releases/latest/download/yt-dlp.exe
• Mac: https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/releases/latest/download/yt-dlp_macos
• Linux/BSD: https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/releases/latest/download/yt-dlp

Install FFmpeg from https://ffmpeg.org/ because yt-dlp relies on FFmpeg for audio extraction and format conversion.

Step 2. Open the terminal on your PC and enter the commands.

1. yt-dlp -x --audio-format mp3 --audio-quality 0 "https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=VIDEO_ID"

• -x extracts audio only.
• --audio-format mp3 converts the audio to MP3 format.
• --audio-quality 0 sets the audio quality to the best variable bitrate (VBR).
• Replace "https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=VIDEO_ID" with the actual URL of the YouTube Music track

To download your whole playlist:

1. yt-dlp -f "bestaudio" youtube link

• Replace youtube link with the actual URL of the YouTube Music.

If you have YouTube Music Premium:

1. yt-dlp --cookies-from-browser chrome --embed-metadata -f "best audio" youtube link

• The browser without hyphens is the browser you're logged into YouTube Music with.

Ethical and Legal Considerations

Downloading music from YouTube raises important ethical and legal concerns. While YouTube provides access to a vast library of music, most content is protected by copyright. Downloading music without proper authorization—especially for commercial use or permanent storage—may violate YouTube's Terms of Service and copyright laws in many regions.

YouTube Music Premium offers a legal way to download songs for offline listening within the app, but this content is encrypted and cannot be exported.

The third-party tools and methods discussed in this article are intended strictly for personal, non-commercial use, such as saving royalty-free music or content you own the rights to. Always respect the rights of content creators and obtain permission when necessary.

The Bottom Line

Downloading songs from YouTube Music or extracting audio from YouTube videos is possible through various tools, whether you prefer online downloaders, browser extensions, desktop software, or even command-line utilities. If you'd rather avoid installing anything, platforms like SaveFrom and amp3.cc are quick and convenient.

For tech-savvy users, yt-dlp is a powerful and flexible choice. And if you're new but still curious to explore advanced tools, consider a graphical interface like Stacher or youtube-dlg to make yt-dlp more user-friendly.

Also, don't miss out on EaseUS Video Downloader. It features a built-in converter that lets you download YouTube music videos directly as MP3—perfect for hassle-free, high-quality audio. 🎶 Whether you're a beginner or a pro, there's a solution for everyone to enjoy their music offline.

FAQs

Q1. Can you download music from YouTube on a PC?

Yes, you can download YouTube music on your PC using third-party software, an online website, or a music download browser extension. However, the YouTube Music desktop app doesn't currently support downloading. If you want to download with a Premium subscription, you should use its Android or iOS app. 

Q2. Is it legal to save music from YouTube Music in MP3 format?

It is legal to save music from YouTube Music in MP3 for personal use only. You cannot use the downloaded files for commercial or other reasons that are against copyright protection.