Save Youtube Videos, Short, Transcript and Subtitles in HD quality for free
You can download a YouTube video on your MacBook, iMac or Mac mini without installing any software. Copy the video link, paste it into the download box above in Safari or Chrome, choose a quality, and click Download. The video is saved to your Downloads folder.
The steps below show how to do it from start to finish, where to find your video afterwards, and what to do if something does not work.
Step 1: Copy the YouTube video link
Open the video on YouTube. Click Share below the video and choose Copy, or click the address bar and press Command + C to copy the video URL.
Step 2: Paste the link into SaveLinkTube
Paste the link into the download box at the top of this page with Command + V and click the Download button. Make sure the link points to a single video, not to a channel or playlist page.
Step 3: Choose a quality
SaveLinkTube lists the MP4 qualities available for the video. 1080p works well for most Macs. Choose 4K only if you will watch on a 4K display, and keep in mind that higher qualities create much larger files.
Step 4: Click the quality and allow the download
Click the quality you want. If Safari asks whether to allow downloads from this website, click Allow. Wait until the download finishes.
Step 5: Open the downloaded video
In Safari, click the Downloads button in the toolbar to see the file. You can also open Finder and click Downloads in the sidebar. Double-click the file to play it.
Downloaded videos are saved to your Downloads folder. Open Finder and click Downloads in the sidebar, or open the Downloads stack in the Dock.
To change the location in Safari, open Safari's Settings (Preferences on older versions of macOS), go to General, and choose a new File download location. In Chrome, go to Settings, then Downloads, then Location.
Mac screens are sharp, but 1080p is usually enough for a laptop display and keeps files a manageable size. 4K and 8K files, when a video offers them, are much larger and take longer to download, so check your free disk space first. If a file does not play smoothly, download it again in a lower quality.
Safari does not download the file
Open Safari's Settings, go to Websites, then Downloads, and set this website to Ask or Allow. Then try the download again.
The video opens in the browser instead of downloading
Right-click the download link or button and choose Download Linked File in Safari, or Save Link As in Chrome.
I cannot find the downloaded file
Open Finder and check the Downloads folder, or use the Downloads button in your browser's toolbar.
The video will not play
Try opening it in another player such as VLC, or download it again in 1080p.
The download is slow or stops
Higher qualities create larger files. Keep the browser open, check that you have enough free disk space, and try a lower quality if your connection is slow.
For more fixes, see our troubleshooting guide.
Do I need to install software to download YouTube videos on Mac?
No. SaveLinkTube works in your browser, so there is nothing to install.
Where are downloaded YouTube videos saved on Mac?
In your Downloads folder by default. You can open it from the Finder sidebar or from your browser's downloads list.
Which browser should I use on Mac?
Safari and Chrome both work well. The steps are almost the same in other browsers such as Firefox or Edge.
Can I download in 4K on Mac?
If the original video offers 4K, you can choose it. The files are large, so make sure you have enough free disk space, or choose 1080p.
Can I watch the video without internet?
Yes. Once the file is saved on your Mac, you can watch it offline. Only download videos that you own or have permission to save.
Found a video you want to watch later? Copy its YouTube link, paste it into the box above, and choose an available quality to get started.