YouTube VLC Download: How to Use VLC to Download YouTube Videos in 2024?

Have you heard somewhere that you can download YouTube videos with your VLC media player? You have heard it right. But how to download YouTube videos with VLC is not clear for many users. That is why I am writing this post to tell you everything about YouTube VLC downloads.

The VLC media player is an open-source media player that is free to download. It is compatible with several leading platforms, including Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, and Windows Phone. Along with the well-known features of the media player, there are a bunch of hidden and advanced functions that many users are unaware of. One such advanced feature is the YouTube video downloading facility.

In this article, you will learn how to download YouTube videos with VLC in two ways. You will also learn what to do if VLC is not being able to download YouTube videos. And lastly, I will mention the best online tools to convert and download YouTube videos to your mobile device or PC.

You Can Do YouTube VLC Download in 2 Ways

First thing first, downloading videos from YouTube is a breach of YouTube’s Terms of Service. The company can sue you!

So, how to download YouTube videos with VLC? Let me answer this question in two parts. In the first part, I will describe the method where VLC uses the video information extracted from YouTube. Subsequently, I will go to the second method, where you have to stream the video to a file. Still confused? Just read the following steps to understand what I am talking about.

1st Method: Download YouTube Video Using The Extracted File Info

This method is very simple. Just follow these easy steps:

1. Go to YouTube on your browser and open a video you want to download.

2. Copy the link from the address bar of the browser.

3. Now open the VLC media player and go to the Media tab at the top and select Open Network Stream from the drop-down menu.

4. On the next screen, paste the YouTube link in the box under Please enter a network URL.

5. Click on the Play button at the bottom.

6. While the video is playing, go to the Tools tab and then to Codec Information.

7. You have to copy the information from the box named Location on the bottom.

8. Go to your browser again and paste the information in the address bar. Hit Enter.

9. When the video appears, right-click on it and choose the “Save video as” option and save the video to your device.

That is how you can get VLC media player to download YouTube videos.

2nd Method: Download YouTube Video by Streaming The Video to a File

Did you know there is a stream feature on the VLC media player software? Let me show you how to use this feature to download YouTube videos.

1. Copy the YouTube video link from the address bar of your browser.

2. Open the VLC media player.

3. From Media, go to Open Network Stream.

4. Under Please enter a network URL, paste the YouTube URL.

5. At the bottom, you will see the Play button. Besides, it will be a downward arrow button. Tap on that button, and from the pop-up menu, select Stream.

6. You should be taken to the Stream Output window. Click on Next from the bottom.

7. Set the destination as a file in the Destination Setup window. Now click on Add and then Next.

8. On the next window, select the Browse button to select a destination to download the video. Don’t forget to give it a name. And, hit Next.

9. On the Transcoding Options window, select the file format you want to download the video in. Hit Next.

10. Select Stream.

After VLC finishes streaming the video to a file, you will find the video in the location you set earlier.

Use Alternative YouTube Downloaders, When VLC Cannot Download YouTube Videos

There are several YouTube downloaders on the web. But not all of them are reliable, and they don’t work every time. I have listed two good YouTube video downloaders for you.

1. Keepvid

I have been using Keepvid for a very long time now. I didn’t know about YouTube VLC download up until a few months back. So, Keepvid was my go-to place to download YouTube videos. And, even today, when VLC doesn’t work, I head to Keepvid and get my video downloaded.

You can download YouTube videos through Keepvid without installing anything. It is an online YouTube downloader. All you have to do is copy a YouTube link and paste it into the box that says Search video by typing or paste video link & hit GO on the KeepVid website.

Here is how to use Keepvid:

1. Open the Keepvid website.

2. Copy the YouTube link of the video you want to download.

3. Paste the link in the box on the Keepvid homepage.

4. Download the video in one of the formats available to download on Keepvid.

2. Any Video Converter

Any Video Converter is a paid YouTube video converter and downloader. It provides excellent file format support and has an in-built video editor. Any Video Converter is available for both Windows and Mac. You can download the application here.

The process of downloading YouTube videos on Any Video Converter is very simple. Just copying and pasting YouTube URLs will give you download links.

To learn about YouTube VLC download, head to the fourth paragraph of this article.

VLC Download YouTube: Here’s How You Do It

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=keqSrdtWt0k

Wrapping Up

I hope now you are clear about YouTube VLC download. I have shown you how to download youtube videos with VLC in two different ways. If both methods fail, head to one of the alternative options I have mentioned. You should be sorted. With this, I will sign off. See you again soon, Ciao!

Frequently Asked Questions