This wikiHow teaches you how to download YouTube videos for offline viewing on iPad. If you subscribe to the YouTube Premium service, it's easy to download videos for offline viewing. If you do not subscribe to the service, you will need to find another way. Unfortunately, these other solutions-involving third-party download programs-violate YouTube's user consent and applicable copyright laws in your country/region. Therefore, make sure you only download videos that you are allowed to have.
Step
Method 1 of 2: Downloading Without a YouTube Premium Account
Step 1. Download the Documents app (developed by Readdle) from the App Store
This free app comes with its own web browser and file management tools, making it easy for you to download videos to your iPad.
Step 2. Open Docs and skip the opening pages
After the application is installed, touch “ Open ” in the App Store window or select its icon to launch the application. The first time you open it, you will need to go through several opening pages which will eventually lead you to a page called “My Files”. You can stop once you reach that page.
Step 3. Touch the compass icon
It's at the bottom of the screen. The app's default web browser will be displayed after that.
Step 4. Visit
To access it, tap the “Search any website” field, type in www.videosolo.com, and tap the “ go ”.
Step 5. Visit the Online Video Downloader page
- If you see a menu icon with three horizontal lines in the upper-left corner of the screen, tap the icon, select “ Video Downloader, and touch " Online Video Downloader ”.
- Otherwise, touch " Online Video Downloader ” in the top right corner of the page.
Step 6. Open the YouTube app on the iPad
Once Docs shows the right site, you need to enter the URL of the YouTube video you want to download. Return to the iPad home screen and launch the YouTube app.
Step 7. Select the video
Touch the video you want to download to iPad. The video will play in the YouTube app.
Step 8. Copy the video link
To copy it, touch “ Share ” under the video window, then select “ Copy Link ” to save the link to the device clipboard.
Step 9. Go back to the Documents app and paste the copied URL into the provided field
Docs will still show the VideoSolo download site. Touch and hold the column “ Paste the link here, then select Paste ” when the option is displayed.
Step 10. Touch Download to see the download options
You can see several video sizes available for download.
Step 11. Download the video with the desired resolution
The larger the number in the "Quality" column, the larger the file size and the higher the quality. Touch the link “ Download ” next to the resolution or size you want, then select “ Done ” to start the download.
You may need to upgrade your account to a paid service to access some of the better quality options. Usually, smaller quality files can still display clearly and nicely on your iPad's clear screen
Step 12. Touch the square icon to return to the “My Files” page
It's in the lower-left corner of the screen.
Step 13. Touch the Downloads folder
In this folder, you can find saved or downloaded videos.
Step 14. Move the video to the Photos app
That way, videos can be found more easily the next time you want to watch them. You can move the video to a different folder if you want, but of course you'll need to get it out of the Documents directory or app (unless you want to watch it through the Docs app which of course does!):
- Touch the three dots icon at the bottom of the video and select “ Move " A list of directories to which the video is moved will be displayed.
- Touch " Photos ” (or any other desired folder).
- Touch " Allow Access to All Photos ” to continue (this option is only shown the first time you try to move files to the Photos app from Documents).
- Touch " Move ”.
- You can now open the Photos app and tap on the desired video from the “Recents” folder.
Method 2 of 2: Using YouTube Premium Services
Step 1. Open the YouTube app
The icon looks like a white triangle on a red background.
You must have subscribed to the paid service YouTube Premium in order to follow this method. If not, tap your profile photo in the top right corner of the YouTube screen and select “ Get YouTube Premium ”.
Step 2. Find the video you want to download
You can search for the desired video or select the content available in the library.
Step 3. Touch the Download icon
This down arrow icon is below the video window.
Step 4. Select the video quality
Touch the checkbox to the right of the quality setting (e.g. “ 720p ”) in the pop-up window. The higher the video quality, the more storage space will be used on the iPad. Once you select the quality, the video will be downloaded immediately.
Step 5. Watch the video offline
When the device is outside the network, just open the YouTube app, touch the tab “ Library, and select a video.
