How to Use VLC to Download YouTube Videos
YouTube is one of the most popular video-sharing platforms in the world, where you can find millions of videos on various topics, such as music, movies, education, entertainment, and more. However, sometimes you may want to download some YouTube videos for offline viewing, backup, or editing. How can you do that?
One of the possible solutions is to use VLC Media Player, a free and open-source software that can play almost any type of media file. But did you know that VLC can also download YouTube videos? Yes, you heard it right. VLC has a hidden feature that allows you to download YouTube videos with just a few clicks. In this article, we will show you how to use VLC to download YouTube videos on Windows and Mac computers. We will also introduce some of the best VLC alternatives to download YouTube videos in case you encounter any problems or limitations with VLC.
use vlc to download youtube
Introduction
VLC Media Player is a versatile and powerful software that can handle various media formats, such as MP4, MKV, AVI, MP3, FLAC, DVD, CD, and more. It also supports streaming media from online sources, such as YouTube, Facebook, Vimeo, and others. This means that you can use VLC to watch online videos without opening a web browser.
But what if you want to save those online videos for later viewing or other purposes? Well, VLC can also help you with that. You can use VLC to download YouTube videos by using its network streaming feature. This feature allows you to stream media from a network location (such as a URL) and save it as a local file on your computer.
Using VLC to download YouTube videos has some benefits and drawbacks. On the one hand, it is free, easy, fast, and reliable. You don't need to install any additional software or plugins. You can also choose different transcoding profiles to adjust the quality and format of the downloaded video. On the other hand, it is not very user-friendly, flexible, or stable. You may encounter some errors or failures during the downloading process. You may also have trouble downloading some videos that are protected by DRM or have complex URLs. Moreover, you cannot download YouTube playlists or channels with VLC.
How to Download YouTube Videos with VLC on Windows
If you are using a Windows computer, you can follow these steps to download YouTube videos with VLC:
Step 1: Copy the video URL from YouTube
First, you need to find the YouTube video that you want to download and copy its URL from the address bar of your web browser. You can also right-click on the video and select Copy video URL from the menu.
Step 2: Open VLC and select Open Network Stream
Next, you need to open VLC Media Player on your computer and click on Media > Open Network Stream from the menu bar. Alternatively, you can press Ctrl + N on your keyboard to open the same window.
Step 3: Paste the video URL and click Stream
Then, you need to paste the video URL that you copied in the previous step into the Network URL box and click on the Stream button at the bottom.
How to download YouTube videos with VLC media player
VLC YouTube downloader: how to use VLC to download YouTube videos
How to download YouTube videos with VLC on Mac/Windows
VLC download YouTube video: step by step guide
How to use VLC as a video downloader for YouTube and other sites
How to download YouTube videos with VLC [2023 full guide]
How to download YouTube videos with VLC [2023 complete guide]
How to download YouTube videos with VLC and fix possible errors
How to download YouTube videos with VLC by location information
How to download YouTube videos with VLC via streaming the video to a file
How to download YouTube videos with VLC on Android/iOS
How to download YouTube videos with VLC in high quality
How to download YouTube playlist with VLC media player
How to download YouTube subtitles with VLC media player
How to download YouTube audio with VLC media player
How to convert YouTube videos to MP4/MP3 with VLC media player
How to edit YouTube videos with VLC media player
How to stream YouTube videos with VLC media player
How to record YouTube videos with VLC media player
How to play YouTube videos with VLC media player
How to fix VLC YouTube download not working issue
How to fix VLC not playing YouTube videos issue
How to fix VLC unable to open the MRL issue when downloading YouTube videos
How to fix VLC no sound issue when playing YouTube videos
How to fix VLC buffering issue when streaming YouTube videos
Best alternative to download YouTube video with VLC
Best alternative to play YouTube video with VLC
Best alternative to convert YouTube video with VLC
Best alternative to edit YouTube video with VLC
Best alternative to stream YouTube video with VLC
Best alternative to record YouTube video with VLC
Best alternative to rip and download YouTube with VLC
Best alternative to compress and download YouTube with VLC
Best alternative to crop and download YouTube with VLC
Best alternative to merge and download YouTube with VLC
Best alternative to rotate and download YouTube with VLC
Best alternative to add subtitles and download YouTube with VLC
Best alternative to add watermark and download YouTube with VLC
Best alternative to add effects and download YouTube with VLC
Best alternative to speed up and download YouTube with VLC
Best free software to download YouTube videos without using VLC
Best online tool to download YouTube videos without using VLC
Best browser extension to download YouTube videos without using VLC
Best app to download YouTube videos without using VLC
Best website to download YouTube videos without using VLC
Step 4: Choose a destination and a file name for the downloaded video
After that, you will see a new window with several options. Click on Next until you reach the Destination Setup section. Here, you need to click on the Browse button and choose a destination folder and a file name for the downloaded video. Make sure to add a file extension (such as .mp4) to the file name.
Step 5: Select a transcoding profile and click Stream
Next, you need to select a transcoding profile for the downloaded video. You can choose from various options, such as Video - H.264 + MP3 (MP4), Video - VP80 + Vorbis (Webm), or Video - Theora + Vorbis (Ogg). You can also customize the settings by clicking on the wrench icon next to the profile name. Once you have selected a profile, click on Next and then Stream to start the downloading process.
Step 6: Wait for the download to finish and enjoy your video
Finally, you need to wait for the download to finish. You can see the progress of the download in the VLC interface. When the download is complete, you can find the downloaded video in the destination folder that you chose in step 4. You can then play it with VLC or any other media player of your choice.
How to Download YouTube Videos with VLC on Mac
If you are using a Mac computer, you can follow these steps to download YouTube videos with VLC:
Step 1: Copy the video URL from YouTube
First, you need to find the YouTube video that you want to download and copy its URL from the address bar of your web browser. You can also right-click on the video and select Copy video URL from the menu.
Step 2: Open VLC and select File > Open Network
Next, you need to open VLC Media Player on your computer and click on File > Open Network from the menu bar.
Step 3: Paste the video URL and click Open
Then, you need to paste the video URL that you copied in the previous step into the URL box and click on the Open button.
Step 4: Go to Window > Media Information and copy the Location URL
After that, you will see that VLC starts playing the YouTube video. You need to pause it and go to Window > Media Information from the menu bar. This will open a new window with some information about the video. You need to copy the URL that is shown in the Location box at the bottom.
Step 5: Open a web browser and paste the Location URL
Next, you need to open a web browser (such as Safari, Chrome, or Firefox) and paste the Location URL that you copied in the previous step into the address bar. This will open the YouTube video in the browser.
Step 6: Right-click on the video and select Save Video As
Then, you need to right-click on the video and select Save Video As from the menu. This will open a dialog box where you can choose a destination folder and a file name for the downloaded video. Make sure to add a file extension (such as .mp4) to the file name.
Step 7: Choose a destination and a file name for the downloaded video
Finally, you need to click on the Save button to start the downloading process. You can see the progress of the download in the browser. When the download is complete, you can find the downloaded video in the destination folder that you chose in step 6. You can then play it with VLC or any other media player of your choice.
How to Download YouTube Videos with VLC Alternative
As you can see, using VLC to download YouTube videos is not very straightforward or convenient. You may encounter some errors or failures during the downloading process. You may also have trouble downloading some videos that are protected by DRM or have complex URLs. Moreover, you cannot download YouTube playlists or channels with VLC.
Therefore, you may want to use a VLC alternative to download YouTube videos. A VLC alternative is a software that is designed specifically for downloading online videos from various sources, such as YouTube, Facebook, Vimeo, and others. A VLC alternative usually has more features and functions than VLC, such as:
Downloading videos in different resolutions, formats, and qualities
Downloading videos with subtitles, annotations, or metadata
Downloading multiple videos at once or in batches
Downloading entire playlists or channels with one click
Converting downloaded videos to other formats or devices
Editing downloaded videos with built-in tools
Managing downloaded videos with a user-friendly interface
Some of the best VLC alternatives to download YouTube videos are:
NameDescriptionPrice
A simple and powerful software that can download YouTube videos in 4K quality and various formats. It can also download playlists, channels, subtitles, and VR videos.Free for basic features; $15 for premium features
A comprehensive and versatile software that can download YouTube videos in HD quality and over 1000 formats. It can also convert, edit, compress, burn, transfer, and record videos.$29.95 per year; $59.95 for lifetime license
A user-friendly and reliable software that can download YouTube videos in MP4, MP3, HD, and other formats. It can also download playlists, channels, and embedded videos.Free for basic features; $19.95 for premium features
A fast and easy software that can download YouTube videos in various resolutions and formats. It can also convert, edit, and organize downloaded videos.Free for basic features; $29.90 per year for premium features
A simple and lightweight software that can download YouTube videos in MP4, MP3, WMV, OGG, and other formats. It can also convert downloaded videos to other formats or devices.Free; donations accepted
Conclusion
In this article, we have shown you how to use VLC to download YouTube videos on Windows and Mac computers. We have also introduced some of the best VLC alternatives to download YouTube videos in case you encounter any problems or limitations with VLC.
VLC is a great media player that can play almost any type of media file. However, it is not the best tool for downloading YouTube videos. It has some drawbacks and limitations that may affect the quality and efficiency of the downloading process. You may also face some legal or ethical issues when downloading YouTube videos without permission or for commercial use.
Therefore, we recommend you to use a VLC alternative to download YouTube videos. A VLC alternative is a software that is specially designed for downloading online videos from various sources. It has more features and functions than VLC, such as downloading videos in different resolutions, formats, and qualities, downloading playlists or channels, converting, editing, or managing downloaded videos, and more. You can choose from various VLC alternatives that suit your needs and preferences.
We hope this article has helped you learn how to use VLC to download YouTube videos and how to find the best VLC alternatives to download YouTube videos. If you have any questions or suggestions, please feel free to leave a comment below. Thank you for reading!
FAQs
Here are some of the frequently asked questions about using VLC to download YouTube videos:
Q1: Is it legal to download YouTube videos with VLC?
A1: The answer to this question depends on the terms and conditions of YouTube and the laws of your country. Generally speaking, it is not illegal to download YouTube videos with VLC for personal use or fair use. However, it may be illegal to download YouTube videos with VLC for commercial use or without the permission of the video owner or YouTube. Therefore, we advise you to be careful and respectful when downloading YouTube videos with VLC.
Q2: How can I download YouTube playlists or channels with VLC?
A2: Unfortunately, you cannot download YouTube playlists or channels with VLC. VLC can only download one video at a time by using its network streaming feature. If you want to download YouTube playlists or channels with VLC, you will have to copy and paste each video URL individually, which is very tedious and time-consuming. Therefore, we suggest you to use a VLC alternative to download YouTube playlists or channels with one click.
Q3: How can I convert YouTube videos to MP3 or other formats with VLC?
A3: You can convert YouTube videos to MP3 or other formats with VLC by using its transcoding feature. When you are downloading a YouTube video with VLC, you can choose a transcoding profile that matches the format that you want. For example, if you want to convert a YouTube video to MP3, you can choose Audio - MP3 as the transcoding profile. However, this method may not work for some videos that have complex URLs or are protected by DRM. In that case, you can use a VLC alternative to convert YouTube videos to MP3 or other formats easily and quickly.
Q4: How can I fix VLC downloading errors or failures?
A4: Sometimes, you may encounter some errors or failures when downloading YouTube videos with VLC. This may be due to various reasons, such as network issues, outdated VLC version, incompatible transcoding profile, corrupted video file, or YouTube restrictions. To fix these errors or failures, you can try some of the following solutions:
Check your internet connection and make sure it is stable and fast.
Update your VLC Media Player to the latest version and make sure it is compatible with your operating system.
Choose a different transcoding profile that matches the video format and quality.
Delete the downloaded video file and try again.
Use a different video URL or a different video source.
Use a VPN service or a proxy server to bypass YouTube restrictions.
Use a VLC alternative to download YouTube videos without errors or failures.
Q5: How can I improve the quality of the downloaded YouTube videos with VLC?
A5: You can improve the quality of the downloaded YouTube videos with VLC by choosing a higher resolution and a higher bitrate for the transcoding profile. For example, if you want to download a YouTube video in HD quality, you can choose Video - H.264 + MP3 (MP4) as the transcoding profile and set the resolution to 1280x720 and the bitrate to 5000 kb/s. However, this may also increase the file size and the downloading time of the video. Therefore, you need to balance between the quality and the efficiency of the downloading process. 44f88ac181