YouTube video downloader
Paste a YouTube link and choose what to keep: the video in MP4, the audio track, the transcript or the thumbnail, all from the same link. It works with regular videos, Shorts and replays of past live streams, as long as they are public or unlisted. Your first download of the day is free, up to 720p.
What you can download
- Regular videos, including long videos with chapters
- Shorts (youtube.com/shorts links)
- Replays of past live streams and Premieres once they have aired
- Unlisted videos shared with you by link
- Whole playlists and channels, in the desktop app
Formats and quality
- Video: MP4, from 360p up to 4K when the uploader published it. Free downloads go up to 720p.
- Audio: M4A keeps YouTube's original audio stream without converting it; MP3 is converted for maximum compatibility.
- Transcript: from the uploader's captions or YouTube's automatic captions, as plain text, text with timestamps, SRT, VTT, DOCX or PDF.
- Cover: the video thumbnail in JPG, PNG or WEBP.
How to download in three steps
- 01
Copy the video link
On a computer, copy the address from the browser bar. In the YouTube app, tap Share under the video (on a Short, the arrow on the right), then Copy link.
- 02
Paste it on SocialDownload
Paste the link in the field at the top of this page. youtube.com, youtu.be and Shorts links are recognized, and the title, length and available qualities appear.
- 03
Tick what you want and download
Choose the video quality, the audio format, the transcript language and format, or the thumbnail. Everything you tick for this link counts as one download.
Good to know
- For a talk or a podcast you only want to listen to, choose M4A rather than MP3: it is the original stream, so nothing is lost.
- Automatic captions exist in many languages but can contain recognition errors. When the uploader wrote their own captions, prefer those.
- For a whole playlist or every video of a channel, use the desktop app: paste the playlist or channel link and pick the videos you want.
- Age restricted videos may need a signed in session, so they can fail on the website; the desktop app can use your own browser session. Private videos are not accessible.
Questions about YouTube
Can I download YouTube Shorts?
Yes. Copy the Short's link from the share menu and paste it here. Shorts are saved as vertical MP4 videos, and their audio and thumbnail are available as separate files.
How do I download a YouTube video in 4K?
4K is offered when the uploader published the video in 4K. On the website it uses a credit (one credit per link), since the free download goes up to 720p. The desktop app also downloads in 4K.
Can I get the transcript of a YouTube video without the video?
Yes. Tick only Transcript, pick the language and the format (text with or without timestamps, SRT, VTT, DOCX or PDF). The video needs captions, written by the uploader or generated by YouTube.
Is this YouTube downloader free?
Your first download each day is free, without an account, up to 720p. For more downloads or higher qualities, buy a credit pack (20, 40 or 60 links) or get the lifetime desktop app for 47.99 EUR.