How to download YouTube videos offline on a laptop: Step-by-step guide (2024)

Want to download YouTube videos on your laptop or desktop? Here is the easy and official way to do it.

Updated on: Dec 6, 2024, 13:28:21 IST

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Everyone watches YouTube. It is a great source of entertainment, information, and education. However, there are times when you want to watch a video later, particularly during flights or journeys where you won’t have an internet connection. So, what do you do in such cases? Well, you can, of course, download YouTube videos to watch offline.

YouTube Premium is the only legal way to save YouTube videos for offline viewing. (Unsplash )

Shaurya Sharma

The only legal method to do so, and the one we recommend, is by downloading YouTube videos offline using YouTube Premium. This method requires a YouTube Premium subscription, which costs ₹149 per month. Now that this is out of the way, here's how you can download a video to your laptop.

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How To Download A YouTube Video

Firstly, as mentioned, you need to have a YouTube Premium subscription. If you haven’t subscribed yet, go ahead and purchase one before proceeding with the steps below.

Step 1: Open YouTube and log in to your YouTube Premium account.

Step 2: Find the video you wish to save for offline viewing and open it.

Step 3: Download the Video - Below the video player interface, next to the share button, you’ll see a Download button. Click on this button, and the video will be saved to your computer for offline viewing.

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Where To Find Your Downloaded Videos

To locate your downloaded videos, follow these steps:

Step 1: Open youtube.com.

Step 2: From the hamburger menu on the left-hand side, select Downloads. Here, you will see all your offline videos, which you can play at any time.

YouTube states that downloaded videos can only be played offline for up to 29 days. After this period, you’ll need to reconnect your device to the internet to retain access.

While there are alternative methods to download videos, these are considered illegal according to YouTube’s terms of service. We strongly advise against using such methods, as they could expose your device to malware or other security risks.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Shaurya Sharma
Shaurya Sharma is the Technology Editor at Hindustan Times Digital Streams, where he oversees technology coverage across digital and social platforms. With over eight years of experience across editorial, video production, and digital media, his work focuses on smartphones, AI, consumer gadgets, and shaping audience-first content strategies for modern tech consumers. He began his career in 2018 as a fashion cinematographer before turning his lifelong passion for technology into a profession. From spending his childhood immersed in tech magazines, video games, and the latest gadgets to covering the global consumer tech industry today, technology has remained a constant throughout his journey. Over the years, Shaurya has worked with some of India’s leading media organisations, including CNN-News18, Sportskeeda, and Guiding Tech, where he led video initiatives that combined strong editorial storytelling with engaging visual and social-first execution. A graduate in Journalism and Mass Communication from Manipal University, Shaurya has reviewed hundreds of products across categories including smartphones, laptops, gaming consoles, cameras, and wearables. Beyond work, he is passionate about animal welfare, environmental causes, and automobiles, particularly turbo-petrol carsRead More

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