How to Download YouTube Videos Without Any Software

"How can I download videos from YouTube without any software?"

Many of you may have the same question to ask when you are looking for a time-saving way to download YouTube videos. Indeed, desktop video downloaders not only take your time to download and install the program but also take your device space. To make it easy to save videos from YouTube, there are two types of tools that will fulfill your needs perfectly: online YouTube video downloaders and browser extensions.

How to Download YouTube Videos Without Any Software

As mentioned, both online tools and browser extensions enable you to download YouTube videos to your computer without software. An online service works to get a video from YouTube via a website, while a browser extension allows you to download a YouTube video without leaving the site.

Option 1. Download YouTube Videos Without Software Online

It's no doubt that online YouTube videos downloaders outnumber desktop video downloaders. However, it's actually difficult to pick up a reliable online tool to apply among the ocean of choices. After some trials, the YouTube to MP4 converter from Y2Mate is a workable solution.

To download YouTube videos online:

Step 1. Copy the URL of the YouTube video you want to download.

Step 2. Go to the online YouTube video downloader and paste the URL to the address box.

Step 3. Wait for the downloader to parse the URL automatically.

Step 4. Check for the options available and click the "Convert" button next to the format and quality you prefer.

Step 5. Click "Download" to save the YouTube video to the "Downloads" folder on your computer.

Option 2. Download youtube videos in Chrome Without Any Software

By using a YouTube downloader extension, you can get a download button on the YouTube page, with which you can save the video to your computer directly without leaving the site. Although you need to add the extension to your browser, it is an easy process that can be done within seconds.

Since most such tools operate similarly, here I'd like to take YouTube Video Downloader as an example.

Step 1. Add the YouTube Video Downloader extension to Chrome and restart the browser.

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

Step 3. Click the "More" icon next to the "Download" option to check more options. If there is no "Download" button, click the extension icon in the toolbox bar instead.

Step 4. Select the format and quality you prefer and click "Download" to save it to your computer.

Step 5. After the downloading completes, check the video in the "Downloads" folder.

Which Is Better: Online Tools vs Desktop Programs

It's undeniable that online tools outperform desktop programs concerning convenience. But when it comes to quality, stability, and reliability, desktop video downloaders are much better. When you use an online tool to download YouTube videos without any software, you may encounter the following issues:

• The website is loaded with bothering ads.
• Once you click the "Download" button, you will be redirected to another unrelated page.
• The website can't parse the video address and fail to download the video for you.

Even if you can use the website currently, you may find that it stops providing services someday. Thus, downloading YouTube videos without any software using online tools is not the optimal choice for you to get the video you like from a website like YouTube.

How to Download YouTube Videos with Software

With the trustworthy video downloader - EaseUS Video Downloader installed on your computer, you can save videos from YouTube to your computer without being bothered by ads and redirections. Moreover, you can convert YouTube videos to MP3 directly to extract audio from online YouTube videos with ease. Other than YouTube, other 1,000+ websites are also supported. That means you can also download videos from Facebook or save music from SoundCloud if you need to.

To download YouTube videos:

Step 1. Copy the URL of the YouTube video you want to download. Paste it into EaseUS Video Downloader. Click "Search" to move to next step. You can search the video title inside the application directly and click "Search."

Step 2. In the new embeded page, click "Download" to proceed.

Step 3. In the configuration window, choose the format, quality, save path, and other parameters for the downloaded YouTube video. Then click "Download" to start the downloading process.

Step 4. After the downloading finishes, you can view the downloaded items in the "Downloader" > "Finished." 

Disclaimer: Bear in mind 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

You can use one of the ways to download any video from YouTube except for private videos. Using an online tool to get YouTube videos is easy, but finding a reliable website is difficult. You are recommended to try the desktop video downloader, especially when you are going to download long YouTube videos. As for browser extensions, they generally support one site. If you just want to download videos from one site, it is the best way for you.