Best 6 Ways to Free Download YouTube Videos to Your PC [Safe and Effective]

Part 1: Free Download YouTube Video on PC with Desktop Software

If you're looking for the best and safest way to download YouTube videos to your Windows PC for free, using a dedicated desktop application is the most reliable option. While online tools may seem convenient, they often come with risks such as bundled software, ads, and potentially harmful downloads. Desktop applications, on the other hand, offer a more secure, faster, and feature-rich solution, allowing you to download videos without compromising your computer's safety.

In this part, we’ve handpicked three of the best YouTube video downloaders for Windows PC. These applications are clean, safe, and completely free from bundled software or ads, ensuring a hassle-free experience every time you download your favorite content.

1. Any Video Converter: Free Download YouTube Videos without Limitation

Any Video Converter is one of the top desktop tools for downloading videos, music, playlists, and channels from YouTube. Not only does it allow you to download YouTube content for free, but it also excels as a powerful video converter and music extractor.

With Any Video Converter, you can easily convert downloaded YouTube videos into various video formats such as MP4, MKV, MOV, MPEG, M2TS, 3GP, WMV, and more. It also supports a wide range of audio formats, including MP3, AAC, FLAC, OGG, and WAV, allowing you to extract and save audio from YouTube videos with ease.

You can follow the steps below to free download videos from YouTube to your Windows PC with Any Video Converter.

Step 1: Run Any Video Converter

Download and install the latest version of Any Video Converter from the download button above.

Launch Any Video Converter on your Windows PC and then open the "Video Download" tool.

Step 2: Add URL of YouTube Video, Playlist or Channel

Copy the URL of a YouTube video, playlist, or channel into Any Video converter, then click the "+ Add URL(s)" to paste the ULR into the blank area.

Then click the "Analyze" button to start analyzing the URL(s).

Step 3: Customize the Download Preference

In this step, you can select the desired output format and quality.

Method 1: Manual Configuration

Enable "Manual Configuration" to customize the video track, audio track, and subtitles.

Expand the video track and select the desired one (including container, codec, resolution, FPS, and file size) for download.

Expand the video track and select the one you want to download.

Expand the subtitles option and select the desired one for download.

Method 2: Advanced Options

Click the button to expand "Advanced Settings," where you can choose the output format (MP4, WEBM), audio format (MP3, M4A, OPUS), resolution (360p, 480p, 720p, 1080p, 4K, 8K), and video bitrate (Low, Medium, High).

Do not forget to tick "Force conversion of downloaded video to a specific format", thus ensuring you can download YouTube videos to your selected output format.

Tips: Click the "Save" button to save this preference as a preset, so you can use it for downloading other YouTube videos.

Step 4: Start Downloading YouTube Videos to PC

Click the "Download Now" button to start downloading YouTube videos to your Windows PC.

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2. 4K Video Downloader: Dedicated YouTube Video Downloader for PC

4K Video Downloader is a powerful and dedicated tool for downloading YouTube videos directly to your Windows PC. In addition to its core functionality of downloading videos from YouTube, it offers a range of advanced features to enhance your downloading experience. These include the ability to search for videos using keywords, a built-in browser for seamless YouTube navigation, and options for importing and exporting URLs.

Wanna learn more details about 4K Video Downloader, you can refer to this in-depth review.

Let's start to learn how to download YouTube videos to your Windows PC with 4K Video Downloader.

Step 1: Add URL or Search by Keywords

Run 4K Video Downloader, then copy and paste the video URL to the search bar, or you can search for the video by keywords.

Then click "Go" to browse the video with the built-in browser.

Step 2: Customize the Download Preference

At the top of the main interface, you can easily customize your download preferences by selecting the desired video format, video quality, and file save location.

Step 3: Start to Download YouTube Videos to Your PC

Click the green "Download" button to start downloading YouTube videos to your Windows PC with 4K Video Downloader.

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3. VidiCable: All-in-One YouTube Video Downloader

VidiCable downloads videos from YouTube in MP4 and MKV formats with various output quality, including 4K, HD 1080p, HD 720p, SD 480p, and more, thus you can enjoy the YouTube videos and music on your High-definition television, computer, mobile phone, and tablets. Unlike the traditional YouTube video downloaders, VidiCable YouTube Video Downloader is applied with a built-in YouTube browser that allows users to search for their preferences YouTube videos by entering the name or keywords, without needing to copying and pasting the video links. So it is the most smart YouTube video downloader that supports download YouTube videos in 4K resolution. Plus, it also supports downloading videos from Twiter, TikTok, Amazon Prime, Netflix, Disney+ and more.

You can follow the three steps to free download videos from YouTube on your Windows PC with VidiCable YouTube Video Downloader.

Step 1: Download VidiCable YouTube Video Downloader to PC

Download and install YouTube Video Downloader to PC, then launch this Free YouTube Video Downloader after the install finished.

Step 2: Select YouTube from the Support List

Then select YouTube from the support list. The program supports downloading video from many sites including Twitter, YouTube, Vimeo, TikTok, Dailymotion, Netflix, Amazon Prime, Disney+, Hulu and more.

Step 3: Customize the Output Preference

Click the "Setting" button in the upper-right corner to open the setting window, where you can select the video quality and output folder.

Step 4: Search for the Video

With the built-in YouTube browser, VidiCable allows you to search for videos by entering the name or keyworks in the search bar as you would do on the original platform.

Step 5: Start Downloading Videos from YouTube to PC

Click the "Download" button to download videos from YouTube to your Windows PC. After the downloading is completed, navigate to the "Library" to check the downloaded YouTube videos.

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Part 2: Free Download YouTube Videos on PC via Online Video Downloader

If you prefer not to download desktop software for downloading YouTube videos on your Windows PC, you can use an online video downloader instead. Simply search for one in your browser, and you'll find several options. However, be cautious, some online downloaders may prompt you to install their desktop application, while others might not be safe. We've found a reliable and secure online YouTube video downloader that is 100% functional for your convenience.

4. Keepvid: Free Download YouTube Videos to PC Online

Keepvid is one of the most popular and trusted websites for downloading YouTube videos to your Windows PC for free. The process is straightforward and user-friendly. Simply visit the Keepvid website, copy the URL of the YouTube video you want to download, paste it into the designated tab, and click the 'Download' button. After all these years, Keepvid remains a reliable option for downloading YouTube content. Whether you're looking to save videos for offline viewing or extracting specific clips, Keepvid continues to provide a fast and easy solution for your video downloading needs. Just be sure to stay cautious of any ads or pop-ups while navigating the site.

Step 1: Navigate to Keepvid's official website and paste the URL of the YouTube video you'd like to download.

Step 2: Click "Go" to initiate the search, and the website will automatically find the video on YouTube. Once the search results are displayed, you can choose to download the video in either MP3 (audio) or MP4 (video) format.

*Note*:

The website may redirect you to a third-party page. If this happens, simply close the page and wait for the official website to response.

Sometimes, Keepvid may offer a maximum download quality of 720p. If you're looking to download videos in higher resolutions like 1080p, 4K, or even 8K, we recommend using the desktop version for the best experience.

Step 3: Once the download reaches 100%, click the "Download Now" button to save the YouTube video directly to your Windows PC.

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5. Y2mate: Free Download YouTube as MP4 and MP3 to PC

Y2Mate is a widely used and reliable online YouTube downloader that allows you to easily convert and download YouTube videos into MP3 (audio) or MP4 (video) formats. It offers a simple and fast way to save your favorite content directly to your Windows PC, supporting various resolutions for MP4 downloads.

Step 1: Open Y2mate on your browser and paste the video link that you want to download.

Step 2: After the analysis is complete, select the video/audio format you prefer to download, then click the "Download" button to save the YouTube video to your PC.

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3. Loader.to: Free Download YouTube Videos to 4K

Loader.to is another online video downloader that allows you to download YouTube videos in a wide range of formats, including MP4, WEBM, MP3, M4A, AAC, FLAC, and OGG. Whether you need audio or video, it offers various options to suit your preferences. One of its key features is the ability to download videos in up to 4K quality, ensuring you get high-resolution content for the best viewing experience.

Step 1: Open the website of Loader.to on your browser and paste the URL of a YouTube video you'd like to download.

Step 2: Select the format you prefer from the drop-down list.

Step 3: Click the "Download" button and the download will start automatically.

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Conclusion: Best Free YouTube Video Downloaders for PC

After thorough testing, we've identified the best 6 methods for downloading YouTube videos for free to your Windows PC. Our findings show that while online video downloaders can be convenient, they are not always safe or reliable for YouTube downloads. The desktop version, however, proves to be the most dependable option. It allows you to download YouTube videos in various audio and video formats, ensuring the highest quality along with support for multiple tracks and subtitles. Among the desktop options, Any Video Converter stands out as the top choice, offering unlimited free downloads without restrictions.

Download Any Video Converter now to easily and freely save YouTube videos to your PC in just a few clicks!