This wikiHow teaches you how to download videos from most websites for free. Currently, there is no versatile option that will allow you to download videos from any site through just one platform. However, by trying a few options, you can download almost any video from any website.
Step
Method 1 of 6: Using an Online Downloader Service
Step 1. Visit the video streaming website via a web browser
These sites include: YouTube, Dailymotion, Facebook, or other sites that offer video streaming services.
This method does not apply to paid video streaming services like Netflix, Hulu, or Disney Hotstar
Step 2. Find and play the video you want to download
Use the search bar on the website to search for videos by title, creator, or content. Once found, click on the video to play it.
Step 3. Copy the video URL
On some websites such as YouTube and Daily Motion, you can right-click the URL in your browser's address bar and select “ Copy On other websites like Facebook, you need to follow these steps to copy the video URL:
- Click the button " Share ” below the video window.
- Click " Copy Link ”, “ Copy URL, or a similar option.
Step 4. Visit the video downloader website
There are various websites that allow you to download videos from sites like YouTube, Facebook, and the like. However, some sites offer better features or functionality than others. Also, some sites don't always support all types of videos. Video downloading websites are also relatively frequently blocked and replaced for legal reasons. Use Google to search for "video download websites" and find active video download websites. Some sites that are still active include:
- https://ddownloader.com/
- https://catchvideo.net/
- https://keepv.id/
- https://catch.tube/
Step 5. Click the video link field
Most video download websites feature a URL field at the top of the page where you can enter a video link. Click the column at the top of the page to display the text cursor.
Step 6. Press Ctrl+V on Windows or Command+V on Mac to paste the URL.
You can see the previously copied address in the text field.
Step 7. Click the button to capture or extract the video
The button is usually to the right of the URL field. Look for the button labeled “ Download ”, “ Go ”, “ Catch ”, “ Catch Videos ”, or something like that. The video from the link you entered will be processed immediately.
If the video can't be processed, make sure you copy the full URL. If it still doesn't work, try another download site
Step 8. Click Download next to the desired video quality and format options
You may see a variety of download options. Some websites offer downloads in MP4, WebM, and MP3 (audio only) formats. In addition to different formats, sites may also offer different quality options such as “1080p”, “720p”, “480p”, or “360p”. Click the option next to the video format and quality you want. The video will either be downloaded directly to your computer's downloads storage folder or played in your browser first. Proceed to the next step if the video is playing in the browser.
Step 9. Click
To display the menu, click the three-dot icon in the lower-right corner of the video playback window/page.
Step 10. Click Download
The video will be downloaded to the “Downloads” folder on your computer.
By default, you can find the downloaded video files in the “Downloads” folder
Method 2 of 6: Using 4K Video Downloader
Step 1. Download 4K Video Downloader
4K Video Downloader is a free app that allows you to download videos from websites like YouTube, Dailymotion, Facebook, and so on. However, you can't download movies from subscription sites like Netflix, Hulu, or Disney Hotstar with this app. Follow these steps to download and install 4K Video Downloader:
-
Windows:
- Visit https://www.4kdownload.com/products/product-videodownloader via a web browser.
- Click " Get 4K Video Downloader ”.
- Open the installation file in a web browser or in the “Downloads” folder.
- Click " Next ”.
- Check the box "I agree to the terms in the License Agreement".
- Click " Next ”.
- Click " Browse ” to select the installation location or directory (optional).
- Click " Next ”.
- Click " Install ”.
- Click " Yes ”.
- Click " Finish ”.
-
Macs:
- Visit https://www.4kdownload.com/products/product-videodownloader via a web browser.
- Click " Get 4K Video Downloader ”.
- Open the installation file in a web browser or in the “Downloads” folder.
- Drag the 4K Video Downloader app icon to the “Applications” folder.
Step 2. Visit the video streaming website through a browser
You can visit YouTube, Dailymotion, Facebook or other sites that offer video streaming features.
Step 3. Find and play the video you want to download
Use the search bar on the website to search for videos by title, creator, or content. Once found, click on the video to play it.
Step 4. Copy the video URL
On some websites such as YouTube and Daily Motion, you can right-click the URL in your browser's address bar and select “ Copy On other websites like Facebook, you need to follow these steps to copy the video URL:
- Click the button " Share ” below the video window.
- Click " Copy Link ”, “ Copy URL, or a similar option.
Step 5. Open 4K Video Downloader
This application is marked by a green icon with a cloud image. Click the icon to open 4K Video Downloader. You can find it in the Windows “Start” menu or in the “Applications” folder on Mac computers.
Step 6. Click Smart Mode
The “Smart Mode” menu will open and you can select the format, quality, and language for the video to be downloaded.
Step 7. Choose a format
Use the first drop-down menu to select a format. 4K Video Downloader supports MP4, FLV, MKV, and 3GP formats, as well as audio formats such as MP3, M4A, and OGG.
Step 8. Choose a quality
4K Video Download supports a variety of screen resolution formats, from 240p to 4K UHD. The app also supports frame rates of up to 60 frames per second (“fps”) for “720p”, “1080p” and “4K” resolutions. Select "Best Quality" to download the best quality available.
Step 9. Choose a language
Use the last two drop-down menus to specify the language and subtitle of the video.
Step 10. Click Ok
The selected settings will be saved.
Step 11. Click Paste Link
It's a green icon in the upper-right corner of the window. The video link will automatically be pasted into 4K Video Downloader and the video will be downloaded immediately.
When the video is finished downloading, you can find the file in the “Videos” folder
Method 3 of 6: Using OBS Studio
Step 1. Recognize the limitations of the screen recording procedure
This procedure is a workaround for downloading protected videos (eg shows from Netflix). OSB Studio will also record cursor movements and pop-up windows that appear, as well as buffering that may occur during the video playback process. You also need to subscribe to the relevant content streaming service to access the desired videos.
In addition, keep in mind that recording videos from paid streaming services is a violation of the terms of use of the service provider concerned. This procedure may also be considered illegal in your country
Step 2. Download and install Mozilla Firefox
Most video streaming services such as Netflix and Hulu apply copyright protection to their content. When trying to capture or record the screen on these services, you may see a black page or window while watching the recorded video. To get around this, you need to use Firefox as your browser while streaming videos. Follow these steps to download and install Firefox:
- Visit
- Click " Download Firefox ”.
- Open the installation file in your browser or in the “Downloads” folder.
- Click " Yes ” (on Mac computers, drag the Firefox icon to the “Applications” folder).
Step 3. Download and install OBS Studio
OBS Studio is a free recording and streaming application. This app is available for Windows, Mac, and Linux. Follow these steps to download and install OBS:
-
Windows:
- Visit https://obsproject.com
- Click " Windows ”.
- Open the installation file in a web browser or in the “Downloads” folder.
- Click " Next ”.
- Choose " I Agree ”.
- Choose " Next ”.
- Uncheck the plug-in box if you want.
- Choose " Install ”.
- Click Finish when prompted.
-
Macs:
- Visit https://obsproject.com
- Click " MacOS 10.13+ ”.
- Drag the OBS application icon to the “Applications” folder.
- Open the installation file in a web browser or in the “Downloads” folder.
Step 4. Open Firefox
The browser is marked by an orange and purple icon that looks like a fox in the shape of a fire. Click this icon in the Windows “Start” menu, Dock, desktop, or “Applications” folder.
Step 5. Visit the video streaming website and log in to the account
Enter the address of a streaming site such as Netflix, Hulu, or a similar service in your browser. After that, log in to the account using the connected username and password.
Step 6. Open OBS Studio
OBS is marked by a round black icon with three wheels inside. Click the icon in the Windows “Start” menu or Mac computer's “Applications” folder to open OBS.
Step 7. Click OK if prompted
With this option, you agree to the terms of use. After that, you will be taken to the main OBS Studio window.
Step 8. Select Yes in the "Auto-Configuration Wizard" window
A new window will be opened after that. To complete the tutorial or setup wizard:
- Check the box " Optimize just for recording ".
- Choose " Next ”.
- Choose " Next ”.
- Choose " Apply Settings " If you want to define your own settings, select " No ”.
Step 9. Open the protected video
Access a site like Netflix or Hulu and sign in to your account using your login information.
You can also use this technique to record live video from YouTube, Facebook, or Twitch during a broadcast
Step 10. Click + on OBS
It's at the bottom of the OBS window in the "Sources" pane.
Step 11. Click Window Capture
This option is at the bottom of the list of capture/recording sources.
Step 12. Type in the source name
You can name it after the app/service the video was recorded on to make file recognition easier. The name you enter doesn't really matter.
Step 13. Select "Firefox" as the selected window
Use the drop-down menu next to the "Window" option to select Firefox. Your browser will be displayed along with the websites you open. Select Firefox to use as recording source/view.
Step 14. Click Start Recording in OBS
The selected source will be recorded immediately.
Step 15. Play video in Firefox
Once you have a streaming content recorder app, click the play button on the video to start playback. OBS will record the entire video while the video is playing.
It is recommended that you do a short test recording to make sure everything is working properly before shooting a full movie or television show
Step 16. Open the video in full screen mode
Click the " fullscreen " icon at the bottom of the video window. Sometimes, you can also use the “F11” key to open the video in full screen mode.
Step 17. Click Stop Recording in the OBS window after the video ends
The recording process will be stopped and the video will be saved.
You can access the video by clicking on the menu “ File " and choose " Show Recordings ” in the drop-down menu. By default, you can find recorded videos in the “Videos” folder.
Method 4 of 6: Using Game Bar on Windows
Step 1. Recognize the limitations of the screen recording procedure
This procedure is a workaround for downloading protected videos (eg shows from Netflix). Game Bar will also record the movement of the cursor and pop-up windows that appear, as well as buffering that may occur during the video playback process. You also need to subscribe to the relevant content streaming service to access the desired videos.
In addition, keep in mind that recording videos from paid streaming services is a violation of the terms of use of the service provider concerned. This procedure may also be considered illegal in your country
Step 2. Download and install Mozilla Firefox
Most video streaming services such as Netflix and Hulu apply copyright protection to their content. When trying to capture or record the screen on these services, you may see a black page or window while watching the recorded video. To get around this, you need to use Firefox as your browser while streaming videos. Follow these steps to download and install Firefox:
- Visit
- Click " Download Firefox ”.
- Open the installation file in your browser or in the “Downloads” folder.
- Click " Yes ”.
Step 3. Open Firefox
The browser is marked by an orange and purple icon that looks like a fox-shaped fire. Click the Firefox icon on the “Start” menu to open the browser.
Step 4. Visit the video streaming website and log in to the account
Enter the address of a streaming site such as Netflix, Hulu, or a similar service in your browser. After that, log in to the account using the connected username and password.
Step 5. Press Win+G
The Windows default Game Bar will be displayed. You can use this bar to record screenshots.
Step 6. Click the widget menu
This menu is indicated by a four-line icon with four dots next to it. You can see it at the top of the game bar.
Step 7. Click Capture
The recorder/screen capture control buttons will be displayed.
Step 8. Click the “Record” button
This button has a circle and is displayed on the recorder control panel. After that, the screen recording process will start. You can see the timer and stop button on a separate panel on the right side.
Step 9. Play the video
Use the web interface in Firefox to access and click the video you want to watch. Click the play button on the video to play it. The Game Bar will record a video while the video is playing.
Make sure that no windows or other distractions appear on the screen while the video is playing. The Game Bar will also record other open windows, as well as mouse cursor movements and sounds from other applications
Step 10. Click the "Stop" button
It's a red button next to the panel containing the timer. The recorded video will be saved. Based on the default settings, you can find video captures / recordings in the " Capture " subfolder in the " Videos " folder.
- If you don't see the "Stop" button on the side of the screen, press "Win" + “G" to bring up the Game Bar again. Click the record button on the capture bar to load the stop button (“Stop”).
- To make sure everything goes well, it's recommended that you do a short test videotape. If everything is in order, you can record a full-length movie or television show.
Method 5 of 6: Using Quicktime on Mac
Step 1. Recognize the limitations on the screen recording procedure
This procedure is a workaround for downloading protected videos (eg shows from Netflix). QuickTime also records mouse cursor movements, pop-up windows that appear, or buffering glitches that occur during video playback. You will also need to install additional audio plug-ins to record computer audio during the screen recording process on Mac computers.
Step 2. Download the IShowU Audio Capture plug-in or add-on
Usually, when using QuickTime to record the screen on a Mac computer, the audio from the computer will not be recorded as well. IShowU is a free audio recorder add-on that allows you to capture audio from your computer. Follow these steps to download and install IShowU Audio Capture.
- Visit
- Click " Catalina - Go Here ” if you are using MacOS Catalina or Mojave. Click " Download Installer ” for earlier versions of MacOS.
- Open the installation file with the extension ".dmg" in the “Downloads” folder or in your web browser.
- Double click the “IShowU Audio Capture.pkg” file.
- Click " Ok ”.
- Click " Continue ”.
- Click " Continue ”.
- Click " Install ”.
- Enter the computer password.
- Click " Install Software ”.
- Choose " Restart " or " Close ”.
Step 3. Configure the audio output device
To capture audio output from a computer, you need to configure an audio device that pulls audio from the Mac and directs it to speakers and IShowU Audio Capture. Follow these steps to configure:
- Click the magnifying glass icon in the upper-right corner of the screen.
- Type " MIDI audio setup ” and press the “button Enter ”.
- Click the plus sign (“+”) icon at the bottom of the “Audio Devices” menu.
- Click " Create Multip-Output Device ”.
- Check the "Built-in Audio" and "IShowU Audio Capture" options.
- Double-click "Multi-Output Device" and rename it to "Screen Capture".
Step 4. Set the "Screen Capture" device as the computer's primary audio output device
In order to use the “Screen Capture” audio device you just created, you need to set it as the primary audio device in the System Preferences program. Follow these steps to set “Screen Capture” as the primary audio output device:
- Click the Apple icon in the top-right corner of the screen.
- Click " System Preferences ”.
- Choose " Sound ”.
- Click the tab " Output ”.
- Click " Screen Capture ”.
Step 5. Open the protected video
Access a site like Netflix or Hulu and sign in to your account using your login information, then select the video you want to record.
Step 6. Open Spotlight
Select the magnifying glass icon displayed on the top right side of the screen.
Step 7. Type quicktime into the Spotlight search field
The computer will search for the QuickTime application afterwards.
Step 8. Select QuickTime
This option is the top search result in the list of Spotlight search results. QuickTime will open after that.
Step 9. Click File
This menu is displayed on the upper left side of the screen. A drop-down menu will open.
Step 10. Select New Screen Recording
This option is displayed above the drop-down menu File ”.
Step 11. Select Options
This option appears next to the " Record " button, at the bottom of the screen.
If you're using an older version of MacOS, click the arrow icon next to the record button on the playback control panel
Step 12. Select "IShowU Audio Capture"
The IShowU Audio Capture tool that allows you to capture audio while recording the screen with QuickTime is selected.
Step 13. Click the “Record” button
It's on the left side of the bar at the bottom of the screen. The video displayed on the screen will be recorded immediately.
If you are using an earlier version of MacOS, click the red circle button on the playback control panel
Step 14. Visit the paid streaming service website in a web browser
You can access Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, or any other service you want.
It is recommended that you do a screen recording test first before recording the entire movie. If the video shows a black screen or there is a problem with the video streaming process, it's a good idea to use Firefox as your browser
Step 15. Mark the videos you want to record
Click and drag the cursor from the top left side of the video playback window to the bottom right.
Step 16. Select the play button
The video will play soon.
Make sure that no windows or other distractions appear on the screen while the video is playing. QuickTime will also record any open windows, as well as mouse cursor movements and sounds that come out of other applications
Step 17. End the recording when the video is finished
Click the menu " File " and select " Stop Recording ” in the drop-down menu. Alternatively, right-click the QuickTime icon in the Dock and select “ Stop Recording " The video will be saved and the preview will be shown.
Step 18. Save the recorded video
Follow these steps to save the video file after it's finished recording:
- Click " File ” on the menu bar.
- Choose " Save ”.
- Type the name of the video in the "Export as" field.
- Click " Save ”.
Method 6 of 6: Downloading Videos from Streaming Apps
Step 1. Open the streaming app
Paid video streaming services like Netflix and Amazon Prime Video have apps that you can download from digital stores on the electronic device you use. Most apps like this will allow you to download videos for offline playback. Accessible digital stores include the Microsoft Store on Windows, the App Store on iPhone, iPad, and Mac computers, or the Google Play Store on Android phones and tablets.
You need to subscribe to a streaming service in order to access and download videos in the respective application. Sign in to your account using your username and password if you haven't already. You can only view videos that have already been downloaded through the same app. Videos that have already been downloaded may have a time limit before they expire. In addition, videos that are no longer available in the application cannot be played
Step 2. Find the video you want to download
You can use the search feature to search for the video you want to download. Click or tap the video insert once you find the content you want.
Step 3. Click or touch the download icon
Usually, this icon looks like an arrow pointing downwards over a horizontal line. The icon may appear below the movie title or next to a television show episode.
Step 4. Click or tap Downloads
In this segment, you can access all the videos that have been downloaded. These segments are in different positions, depending on the application being used. A segment icon may appear at the bottom of the screen on a smartphone, or a left menu in a desktop application. You may need to tap the three-line icon (☰) in the upper-right corner, or the human icon in the lower-right corner of the screen.
