Save YouTube Videos to Your Mac with VLC Player: A Step-by-Step Guide
How to Download YouTube Videos Using VLC Media Player on Mac
Do you want to save a YouTube video to your Mac so you can watch it offline? You might think that you need a special software or extension to do that, but there is a simpler way. You can use VLC media player, a free and open source cross-platform multimedia player that can play almost any type of file, including YouTube videos.
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In this article, we will show you how to download YouTube videos using VLC media player on Mac in five easy steps. You will need VLC media player installed on your Mac, as well as a web browser and an internet connection. Let's get started!
Step 1: Copy the YouTube video URL
The first step is to copy the URL of the YouTube video you want to download. To do that, go to [YouTube](^4^) and find the video you want to download. You can use the search bar at the top to look for the video by keywords or title.
Once you find the video, click on it to start playing it. Then, click on the address bar at the top of your browser to highlight it, and press Command + C on your keyboard to copy it. Alternatively, you can right-click on the address bar and select Copy from the menu.
Step 2: Open VLC and select Open Network Stream
The next step is to open VLC media player on your Mac. You can find it in your Applications folder or launch it from Spotlight. If you don't have VLC media player installed on your Mac, you can download it for free from [here](^1^).
Once you open VLC media player, click on the File menu at the top-left corner of the screen and select Open Network Stream. This will open a pop-up window where you can enter a network URL.
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Step 3: Paste the YouTube video URL and click Play
In the pop-up window, click on the URL box and press Command + V on your keyboard to paste the YouTube video URL that you copied in step 1. Make sure that the entire URL is pasted correctly.
Then, click on the Play button at the bottom-right corner of the window. This will add the YouTube video to your VLC playlist and start analyzing it.
Step 4: View the Codec Information and copy the Location URL
After VLC analyzes the YouTube video, you need to view its codec information. To do that, click on the Window menu at the top of the screen and select Media Information.
This will open a new window that shows various details about the YouTube video, such as its title, duration, resolution, codec, etc. At the bottom of this window, you will see a field called Location that contains a long URL.
This is the actual streaming URL of the YouTube video that you need to copy. To copy it, right-click on it and select Open URL from the menu. This will open a new tab in your browser with this URL.
Step 5: Paste the Location URL into your browser and save the video
The final step is to save the YouTube video as a file on your Mac. To do that, click on the play button on the video and wait for it to load. Then, right-click on the video and select Save Video As from the menu.
This will open a dialog box where you can choose the name and location of the file. You can also change the format of the file if you want, but the default format is MP4, which is compatible with most devices. Click on the Save button to download the video to your Mac.
Conclusion
Congratulations! You have successfully downloaded a YouTube video using VLC media player on Mac. You can now watch the video offline or transfer it to another device. You can also use this method to download other online videos that VLC supports, such as Vimeo, Dailymotion, etc.
However, there are some limitations and drawbacks of using VLC to download YouTube videos. For example, you cannot download videos that are restricted by YouTube, such as age-restricted or private videos. You also cannot choose the quality or resolution of the video, as VLC downloads the default stream. Moreover, this method may not work for some videos due to changes in YouTube's encryption or policies.
Therefore, if you want more control and flexibility over downloading YouTube videos, you may want to use a dedicated software or extension that is designed for this purpose. There are many options available online, but make sure that you use a reliable and safe one that does not contain malware or violate YouTube's terms of service.
FAQs
Q: Is it legal to download YouTube videos using VLC?
A: The legality of downloading YouTube videos depends on your purpose and jurisdiction. Generally speaking, it is not illegal to download YouTube videos for personal use, as long as you do not distribute or monetize them. However, it may violate YouTube's terms of service, which state that you are not allowed to access, reproduce, download, distribute, transmit, broadcast, display, sell, license, alter, modify or otherwise use any part of the Service or any Content except: (a) as expressly authorized by the Service; or (b) with prior written permission from YouTube and, if applicable, the respective rights holders.
Q: How can I download YouTube videos in HD quality using VLC?
A: Unfortunately, you cannot choose the quality or resolution of the YouTube video when you download it using VLC. VLC downloads the default stream that is provided by YouTube, which may not be in HD quality. If you want to download YouTube videos in HD quality, you need to use a different method that allows you to select the quality option.
Q: How can I download YouTube playlists or channels using VLC?
A: VLC does not support downloading multiple YouTube videos at once. You can only download one video at a time using VLC. If you want to download YouTube playlists or channels, you need to use a different method that supports batch downloading.
Q: How can I convert YouTube videos to MP3 using VLC?
A: VLC can also be used to convert YouTube videos to MP3 audio files. To do that, you need to follow the same steps as above until step 4. Then, instead of clicking on Play in step 4, click on the arrow next to it and select Convert from the drop-down menu. This will open a new window where you can choose the destination file name and format. Select MP3 from the Profile list and click on Start to convert the video to MP3.
Q: How can I update VLC media player on Mac?
A: To update VLC media player on Mac, you need to go to [VLC's official website] and download the latest version of the software. Then, open the downloaded file and drag and drop the VLC icon into your Applications folder. This will overwrite the old version of VLC with the new one.