How to save your own YouTube videos

Start with the right question

People search for ways to save YouTube videos for very different reasons. Some own the video and lost the original file. Some want to watch on a flight. Some need footage for a project. The best method depends on which of these describes you, and for each one there is an approach that respects YouTube's rules and the creator's rights. This guide lists them in order, from the most reliable to the most limited.

1. Download your own upload from YouTube Studio

If you uploaded the video, YouTube Studio can give you a copy directly.

1. Sign in to the account that owns the channel and open YouTube Studio.
2. Select Content in the left-hand menu.
3. Hover over the video and open the three-dot Options menu.
4. Choose Download and wait for the file to save.

The file is the version stored by YouTube, which may differ slightly from your original export. Keep your original project files whenever you can, as described in our guide to backing up your own videos.

2. Export everything with Google Takeout

Google Takeout creates an archive of your data from Google services. Open Takeout, choose YouTube and YouTube Music, select the content you want, such as your videos, and request the export. Google prepares the archive and tells you when it is ready to download. This is the best option for a full channel backup before deleting an account or changing channels.

3. Watch offline with YouTube Premium

Premium members can use the Download button under a video in the YouTube mobile app. Downloads stay inside the app and expire if you stop subscribing or do not connect for a period of time. They are meant for personal offline viewing, such as flights and commutes. They are not files you can edit, publish or share. Availability and features vary by country.

4. Find videos you may reuse: Creative Commons

Some creators publish under a Creative Commons licence that allows reuse. On YouTube, search for a topic, open Filters and choose Creative Commons under Features. Before you reuse anything:

• Open the video description and confirm the licence is CC BY.
• Check whether the music or clips inside the video belong to someone else.
• Credit the author as the licence requires: title, author, source and licence.

Our Creative Commons and public-domain guide explains the common licences and how to write a correct credit.

What about third-party downloaders?

YouTube's Terms of Service say you may not download content except through features the service provides or with permission from YouTube and the rights holders. Third-party tools, including ours, are not part of those features. Copyright law and the laws on bypassing technical protections also differ by country. For that reason we recommend the official routes above, and we ask that you use any downloader only for videos you own or have been given permission to save. See our disclaimer and terms of service for the full position.

Quick reference

• Your own video: YouTube Studio download or Google Takeout.
• Offline viewing for yourself: YouTube Premium downloads in the app.
• Reusing footage: Creative Commons videos with the correct credit.
• Anything else: ask the creator for permission first.

If you own a video and only have its link, the downloader on the home page can read public links, but the official copy above will almost always be better quality.