Step-by-Step: Download YouTube Videos with VLC🔥2024

When you search for videos online, you may have a feeling of downloading these YouTube videos to watch them offline occasionally. As a PC user, downloading these DRM-protected videos with VLC Media Player on your computer might be your best choice. But how can you manage it? Is VLC really the best choice for you? Don't worry. This post will guide you on downloading YouTube videos with VLC step by step on Windows and Mac.

Before providing you with the full guide, you need to know that VLC Media Player is an open-source software for playing and downloading videos. If you have basic computer knowledge, you can download videos from sites like YouTube with VLC. However, if not, you may need an alternative video downloading tool to help you, which you can find the answer in the last part of this article. 

How to Download VLC on Your PC or Mac

VLC Media Player is an open-source software that allows users to play and download videos in multiple formats like MP4, MP3, MOV, etc. Before using it to download videos from streaming sites, you need to download it first. It supports Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, and iOS. You can go to the official site and choose to download the version that is suitable for your operating system. 

👉For Windows Users 

1. Step 1. Click "Download VLC" of the Windows version. 
2. Step 2. Find the downloaded ".exe" file and open it. 
3. Step 3. Follow the guide to fulfill the installation process. 

👉For Mac Users

1. Step 1. Click "Download VLC" of the Mac version. The installation package will be named with a subfix like ".dmg".
2. Step 2. Open the Download folder in your Finder. Find the VLC ".dmg" file and open it. 
3. Step 3. A window will pop out. Drag the ".dmg" file to the Application folder. 

You have successfully downloaded VLC Media Player on your Windows/Mac. 

How to Use VLC to Download YouTube Videos

VLC Media Player provides a lot of functions that you can free download streaming videos from sites like YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, etc. It supports Windows, Mac, and Linux. You have no need to worry about its compatibility. In this part, we will provide the full guide about how to download YouTube playlists with VLC on your Windows/Mac. Slight differences exist in the operation of the two systems.

Option 1. Via Streaming the YouTube Video

Step 1. Copy the video's URL that you'd like to download. Then, open VLC Media Player on your computer.

Step 2. Click "Media" on the top bar. Then, choose "Open Network Stream."

Step 3. Paste the video link, and click the down arrow next to the play button, then choose the "Stream" option.

Step 4. Click on the "Next" button. Then, you can see an option to set a destination. Click the "Browse" button to rename the file.

Step 5. Next, click on the drop-down icon and select the format you need. Here, we choose to download it in MP4. Remember to tick the "Activate Transcoding" button. Click "Next."

Step 6. Finally, click "Stream" and wait for it to download the videos. You may see this file in the folder you chose before.

↪️Don't forget to share this helpful content with your friends:

Option 2. By Getting Video Location

Step 1. Paste the YouTube video link.

Step 2. Click "Media" > "Convert/Save..."

Step 3. You will see a pop-up window; choose "Network" and paste the YouTube link. Then, we do not choose the "Convert/Save" button; click the inverted triangle next to this button and choose "Play."

Step 4. After it finished parsing this link, it playback this video automatically.

Step 5. For Windows users, go to "Tools" > "Codec Information." For Mac users, go to "Window" > "Codec Information."

Step 6. Copy the location link, and then open this link in a browser.

Step 7. After loading, right-click the mouse and choose "Save video as..." or click the three dots at the left corner of the video and click "Download. Then, you finish downloading the video on your computer.

Now, you have downloaded the video you want and can watch the video offline. If you want to learn more about downloading videos from Mac, you can read the passage below:

How to Download a Video from a Website on a Mac

With the URL video downloaders of various finds, you will be able to download videos from websites on Mac effortlessly, either with or without software installation.

Common Problems When Using VLC to Download YouTube Videos

VLC Media Player allows you to watch and download videos with subtitles from streaming sites. However, as it is an open-source software, a minor misoperation may lead to VLC malfunctioning. This part will discuss why problems occur when using VLC and how to fix these problems. Read through and find the answers. 

👉Situation 1. Videos cannot be downloaded with VLC 

This situation occurs might because of copyright protection or because the videos have age limits. You have no way to solve this situation as YouTube has its own rules to protect copyright and the young.

👉Situation 2. Videos cannot open in VLC

This is the most common situation that users may encounter. After you enter the URL in VLC Media Player, nothing occurs. This is because the video might be restricted to play or download in your current region. 

👉Situation 3. Get a file named "file" without anything else

This is because you forget to add the suffix of the file name when downloading with VLC Media Player. To fix it, remember to add a suffix like ".MP4" or ".MOV" when exporting the files from VLC. 

Bonus Tip: Best VLC YouTube Video Downloading Alternative

You have learned how to download videos with VLC. As mentioned above, you may encounter unwanted problems when downloading videos with it. However, after texts, it is found that the download process with VLC will be extended due to its open-source feature. Furthermore, you cannot download videos in high quality, even if the original one reaches 4K, which means that the downloaded videos may be unclear to watch. 

This is always the time you should find the VLC video download alternative. Let me introduce EaseUS Video Downloader to you, a great downloading tool that can help you download videos from more than 1,000 streaming sites. Its user-friendly interface lets you easily download Shorts videos from YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, etc., with a few clicks. You can download videos, audio, and other file formats as long as you have the URL. You can download the software with the button below and discover more functions by yourself.

🤩More reasons to help you choose EaseUS Video Downloader: 

• Easy clicks to help you download videos with subtitles and thumbnails together
• The clear and clean main interface makes it convenient to download videos from multiple streaming sites
• Convert YouTube videos in MP3 format directly 
• You can get access to more than 1,000 streaming sites with its built-in browser

In Closing

Now, you know how to download videos from YouTube with VLC Media Player on your Windows/Mac. You can see that there's some hassle of using it. You may also encounter situations in which VLC Media Player fails to work. 

If your VLC Media Player doesn't work well, you can always try EaseUS Video Downloader to download videos from YouTube, TikTok, and other streaming sites. It also allows you to download videos from YouTube to an SD card/HD card. So, it's always the best VLC Media Player alternative for you to use. If you need any help, Team EaseUS will be here to help you.

FAQs About Download YouTube Videos with VLC

1. How do I download videos from YouTube to MP3 using VLC?

You can choose the exporting file formats when downloading videos from YouTube with VLC. The last step of downloading videos with YouTube on Windows mentioned above says that you can choose the file formats you want. VLC provides the option of MP3 format. Just choose the specific format and then download. 

2. Can I use VLC to convert YouTube to MP3?

Yes, you can. VLC Media Player allows you to try exporting file formats when downloading. To convert YouTube to MP3, just choose MP3 format when exporting the video. 

3. Can I download and save a live-stream video?

Yes, you can download and save a live-stream video. The steps of downloading live-stream videos are almost the same as downloading ordinary videos if you use EaseUS Video Downloader. You can check the steps above in this article.