How to Download YouTube Videos on Mac Without Software

Quick Answer

How Can You Download YouTube Videos on Mac Without Software

A desktop video downloader is a common solution for downloading YouTube videos on a Mac. But using it requires you to download and install a program on your computer, which will take up your time and space. For these reasons, many of you want to download YouTube videos on a Mac without software.

But how can you download YouTube videos on a Mac without the software? We will offer you four ways. Read on to check more details.

How to Download YouTube Videos on Mac Without Software

There are four proven methods to download YouTube videos without software. Whether you are using a Mac or a PC, you can choose one of them to get the video you like from YouTube.

Option 1. Use an Online YouTube Video Downloader

Online video downloaders are websites that allow you to download YouTube videos without any software using the video URL. Such a tool spares you from software installation and may provide different options so that you can choose the video quality and format you prefer.

However, the qualities of online YouTube video downloaders vary. You need to carefully pick up the one that is free of ads and redirections and really works. After some trials, I failed to find a website that did not redirect you to another website. But if you can stand up with this drawback, here I'd like to recommend you try those two:

• Savefrom.net and ssyoutube.com - for Users outside the U.S
• https://yt1d.com/ - for worldwide users & download up in 720P

To download YouTube videos in Chrome without any software:

Step 1. Copy the URL of the video you want to save to your Mac.

Step 2. Open a browser and visit the online video downloader. 

Step 3. Copy the video URL into the address bar and click "Download."

Step 4. Select the format and quality you'd like to download beneath the bar and click "Download" to continue.

Step 5. The video downloading will start immediately, and you will be redirected to another page. Just close the new page and wait for the video downloading to complete.

Option 2. Use a Video Downloader Extension in Google Chrome

Using a browser extension doesn't require software installation. But you need to add the extension to your browser, which will be quite fast. A bit different from a YouTube video downloader website, this type of YouTube downloader for Mac free enables you to download YouTube videos on a Mac without leaving the site. That's because it will add a "Download" button under the YouTube video you are playing, and you will be able to download the video from YouTube to your Mac by clicking the button directly.

Addoncrop is the only Chrome extension that works for saving YouTube videos, and you can not find this extension on the Web Store, either. Once you can get it, you can download videos and audio files from YouTube without size or length limits. 

To download YouTube videos without any software via a web browser:

Step 1. Add the video downloader extension to your browser.

Step 2. Go to YouTube and play the video you want to download from the site.

Step 3. Now you should see there is a Download button under the video. Click the Download button to save the YouTube video to your Mac.

Option 3. Change the Video URL

Downloading a YouTube video by changing its URL is similar to using a video downloader website. By changing the current URL of the YouTube URL, you will go to a website that supports YouTube video downloading, and you don't need to copy the video address again. For example, you can add "ss" ahead of "youtube.com," and then you will go to savefrom.net, where you can save the YouTube video for offline watching.

Option 4. with QuickTime Player

The final method to capture YouTube videos on a Mac is to use QuickTime Player to record the screen. This approach allows you to save videos from virtually any website. However, it does come with several limitations. First, you must manually monitor the entire recording process. Second, QuickTime Player and macOS's built-in screen recording tools only support three video resolutions: 480p, 720p, and 1080p. Lastly, the only available export format is .mov, which may not be compatible with all devices or editing software. Despite these limitations, this method offers several advantages — it's free, requires no app installation, and is completely free from ads or pop-ups.

Follow this guide to record YouTube videos with QuickTime Player:

Step 1. Visit the YouTube video page, and remember not to play it.

Step 2. Open QuickTime Player, click "File > "New Screen Recording" on the top menu bar. This will open a screen recording window.

Step 3. Click the drop-down icon next to the record button and choose "Built-in Microphone: Internal Microphone".

Step 4. Click the Record button, then drag to select the area of the screen where the video is playing. Click "Start Recording."

Step 5. Press the Play button to begin video playback.

Step 6. Once the video finishes, click the app icon at the top of the screen to stop recording.

Step 7. A recording file will be generated. You can rename the file and choose where to save it. Finally, click "Save."

How to Download YouTube Videos on Mac with Software

Although the tools introduced above can be convenient, they are not the optimal choice for downloading videos from YouTube or other sites.

As you may have experienced, you will encounter issues like being bothered by ads and redirections. What's more, downloading videos in bulk will be time-consuming. Due to such reasons, it's a better choice to use a desktop video downloader for both Mac and PC—EaseUS Video Downloader. A program like this will be more stable when it works and faster when it downloads videos for you.

Most importantly, the best YouTube downloader for Mac performs well to download audio on Mac from over 1000+ sites, including YouTube. When downloading videos from YouTube, you can choose a video quality up to 8K and select the format you like. Whether you want to convert YouTube videos to MP3 or download videos from YouTube to your computer, it will meet your needs perfectly.

To download YouTube videos on a Mac with software:

Step 1. Open EaseUS Video Downloader and choose your preferred format and quality.

Step 2. Head to YouTube and find your favorite video that you wish to download, then click "Paste Link."The download of the YouTube video to your Mac will commence.

Step 3.  Once done, click "Open File Location" to locate and check the downloaded video.

Disclaimer: Please note that it's illegal to download copyrighted content and use them for commercial intensions without authorization. Before you download videos, you'd better check whether the sources are copyrighted.

The Bottom Line

For you to make a better decision:

If you rarely need to download videos, using an online tool or a browser extension is the quickest way. If you need to download videos from different sites frequently, getting a desktop-based video downloader is recommended.

FAQ on Downloading YouTube Videos on Mac Without Software

1. How to download YouTube videos without any software on a mobile?

If you have YouTube Premium, just open the YouTube app and hover over the download button below the video you want to download, then press the download button.

But if you haven't, you can visit online YouTube downloaders like SaveFrom.net (banned in the US), YT1S, etc., and paste your link here to save it to your phone gallery.

2. Is there a free YouTube downloader for Mac?

Yes, there are several free YouTube downloaders for Mac, with popular options being EaseUS Video Downloader and 4K Video Downloader. They allow you to download high-quality videos, playlists, channels, and subtitles from YouTube. Additionally, SaveFrom and Y2Mate are other reliable online free options.

3. How to download YouTube videos on Mac fast?

EaseUS Video Downloader is 30x faster than other downloaders:

• Open EaseUS Video Downloader and set up the output. Click "Batch Download."
• Copy the YouTube URLs into the box and press the "Confirm" button.
• You can see all the YouTube videos that are in progress.