How To Download Youtube Video With VLC

Introduction

YouTube is undoubtedly one of the most popular platforms for sharing and watching videos. Whether it’s educational content, entertaining videos, or music videos, YouTube offers a treasure trove of multimedia content. While YouTube provides an option to watch videos online, there may be instances where you want to save a video for offline viewing or to share it with others.

Downloading YouTube videos can be a convenient solution, allowing you to watch your favorite videos without relying on an internet connection. One of the easiest ways to download YouTube videos is by using VLC Media Player, a free and versatile media player that supports various formats. In addition to playing videos, VLC also offers the ability to download videos from YouTube and other websites.

This article will guide you through the process of downloading YouTube videos using VLC Media Player. With just a few simple steps, you’ll be able to have your favorite YouTube videos saved on your device and ready to watch anytime, even without an internet connection.

Before we dive into the steps, you’ll need to ensure that you have VLC Media Player installed on your computer. VLC Media Player is available for Windows, Mac, and Linux operating systems and can be downloaded from the official VLC website.

Now that you have VLC Media Player installed and ready, let’s start with the step-by-step process of downloading YouTube videos using VLC.

Requirements

Before you begin downloading YouTube videos using VLC Media Player, there are a few prerequisites that need to be met. Here’s a list of the requirements:

• A computer or laptop with an internet connection
• VLC Media Player installed on your device
• A web browser
• A YouTube video URL

The first requirement is having a computer or laptop. VLC Media Player is compatible with various operating systems, such as Windows, Mac, and Linux, so make sure you have a device that supports one of these platforms.

Next, you’ll need to ensure that VLC Media Player is installed on your computer. If you haven’t downloaded it yet, visit the official VLC website (videolan.org) and download the appropriate version for your operating system. It’s a free and open-source multimedia player that supports a wide range of audio and video formats.

Additionally, you’ll need a web browser to access YouTube and copy the video URL. Popular browsers like Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, or Microsoft Edge are all suitable for this purpose. If you don’t have a browser installed, you can download one easily from their respective official websites.

Lastly, you’ll need the URL of the YouTube video that you wish to download. Simply go to the YouTube website (youtube.com), search for the video you want, and open it. Copy the URL from the address bar at the top of your browser.

With these requirements in place, you’re now ready to proceed with downloading YouTube videos using VLC Media Player. Let’s move on to the step-by-step process.

Step 1: Download and install VLC player

The first step to downloading YouTube videos using VLC Media Player is to have the software installed on your device. Here’s how you can download and install VLC player:

1. Open your preferred web browser and visit the official VLC website (videolan.org).
2. Once on the website, navigate to the “Download VLC” section. It should automatically detect your operating system and display the appropriate download button.
3. Click on the download button to start the download process.
4. Once the file is downloaded, locate the setup file (e.g., vlc.exe for Windows) and double-click on it to begin the installation.
5. Follow the on-screen instructions to proceed with the installation. You can choose the default settings or customize them according to your preferences.
6. After the installation is complete, launch VLC Media Player to ensure it is working properly.

Now that you have VLC Media Player installed on your device, you’re one step closer to downloading YouTube videos. Proceed to the next step to learn how to copy the URL of the YouTube video you want to download.

Step 2: Copy the URL of the YouTube video

Once you have VLC Media Player installed on your device, the next step is to copy the URL of the YouTube video you want to download. Here’s how you can do it:

1. Open your preferred web browser and go to the YouTube website (youtube.com).
2. Search for the video you want to download and open it.
3. Look at the address bar at the top of your browser. You will see the URL of the YouTube video displayed.
4. Click on the URL to select it, or you can right-click and choose the “Copy” option.

By copying the YouTube video URL, you will have the necessary information to feed into VLC Media Player for the downloading process. Make sure you have the URL copied and ready for the next step.

Now that you have successfully copied the URL, let’s move on to the next step where we’ll open VLC Media Player and navigate to the Media tab.

Step 3: Open VLC player and navigate to the Media tab

With the YouTube video URL copied, it’s time to open VLC Media Player and navigate to the Media tab. This step will allow you to enter the URL and begin the downloading process. Let’s go through the steps:

1. Locate the VLC Media Player icon on your desktop or in your Start menu. Double-click on it to open the player.
2. Once VLC Media Player is open, you will see the interface with various options and menus.
3. At the top of the player, you will find a menu bar. Click on the “Media” tab.
4. A drop-down menu will appear, showing different options related to media playback and streaming.
5. From the drop-down menu, select the “Open Network Stream” option. Alternatively, you can use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+N.

By selecting the “Open Network Stream” option, you are choosing VLC Media Player to play a video from a network source, which in this case is the YouTube video URL you copied in the previous step. Once you have selected the option, you will be prompted to enter the URL.

In the next step, we will paste the YouTube video URL into VLC Media Player and initiate the downloading process. Continue to the next step to learn how to do it.

Step 4: Select Open Network Stream

After opening VLC Media Player and navigating to the Media tab, the next step is to select the “Open Network Stream” option. This will allow you to paste the YouTube video URL and initiate the downloading process. Follow these steps:

1. With VLC Media Player open and the Media tab selected, a drop-down menu will appear.
2. From the drop-down menu, choose the “Open Network Stream” option. You can also use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+N as an alternative method.
3. A new dialog box will open, displaying the “Network” tab. This is where you can paste the YouTube video URL.
4. In the dialog box, you will find a text field labeled “Please enter a network URL.” This is where you need to paste the copied YouTube video URL.
5. To paste the URL, either right-click in the text field and select “Paste,” or use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+V.

Once you have successfully pasted the YouTube video URL into the text field, you’re ready to proceed to the next step. In the following step, we will learn how to play the video using VLC Media Player.

Step 5: Paste the YouTube video URL and click Play

After selecting the “Open Network Stream” option and pasting the YouTube video URL, it’s time to click the Play button in VLC Media Player. This step will initiate the playback of the YouTube video and start the downloading process. Follow these steps:

1. In the “Open Network Stream” dialog box, ensure that the YouTube video URL is correctly pasted in the text field labeled “Please enter a network URL.”
2. Before clicking the Play button, take a moment to review the URL and make sure it is accurate. Double-check for any extra spaces or missing characters.
3. Once you have confirmed the URL, click the Play button located at the bottom right corner of the dialog box. Alternatively, you can simply press the Enter key on your keyboard.

After clicking the Play button, VLC Media Player will start the playback of the YouTube video using the provided URL. This step is essential as it establishes a connection to the YouTube server and prepares VLC to download the video. You may notice a brief loading period while VLC buffers the video.

Now that you have initiated the playback of the YouTube video, proceed to the next step to learn more about finding the video’s actual download link using VLC Media Player’s Codec Information feature.

Step 6: Wait for the video to load, then click Tools tab

After pasting the YouTube video URL and clicking the Play button in VLC Media Player, you will need to wait for the video to load before proceeding to the next step. Once the video is loaded, you can access the Tools tab to continue the downloading process. Follow these steps:

1. After clicking the Play button, give the video a few moments to load. The loading time may vary depending on your internet connection speed and the length of the video.
2. While the video is loading, you can monitor the progress in the playback window of VLC Media Player. You will see the video buffering and the playback progress bar filling up.
3. Once the video is loaded and ready to play, you can proceed to the next step by accessing the Tools tab in VLC Media Player.
4. At the menu bar of VLC Media Player, click on the “Tools” tab. This will reveal a drop-down menu with various options.

By clicking on the Tools tab, you are accessing additional features and functionalities in VLC Media Player. These options are essential for extracting the actual download link of the YouTube video. In the next step, we will explore the Codec Information feature, which will help us retrieve the download link. Continue to the next step to learn more.

Step 7: Select Codec Information

After waiting for the video to load, the next step is to select the “Codec Information” option in VLC Media Player. This feature will provide us with the necessary information to extract the actual download link of the YouTube video. Follow these steps to proceed:

1. Ensure that the YouTube video is fully loaded and playing smoothly in VLC Media Player.
2. On the menu bar of VLC Media Player, click on the “Tools” tab. This will display a drop-down menu with various options.
3. From the drop-down menu, select the “Codec Information” option. Alternatively, you can use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+J.

By selecting the “Codec Information” option, a dialog box will appear, providing you with detailed information about the video being played in VLC Media Player. This includes technical data about the video format, codecs used, and other relevant information.

In the next step, we will extract the actual download link from the Codec Information. This link will allow us to save the YouTube video to our device. Move on to the next step to learn how to retrieve the download link using the Location URL.

Step 8: Copy the Location URL

After selecting the “Codec Information” option in VLC Media Player, the next step is to copy the Location URL. This URL contains the actual download link of the YouTube video that we will use to save it to our device. Follow these steps to proceed:

1. Once you have the “Codec Information” dialog box open in VLC Media Player, you will see a section labeled “Location” or “Location URL.”
2. Click on the text field next to the “Location” label to select the URL. Alternatively, you can manually highlight the entire URL by clicking and dragging your cursor across it.
3. With the URL selected, right-click on it and choose the “Copy” option from the context menu that appears. Alternatively, you can use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+C.

By copying the Location URL, you have successfully retrieved the actual download link of the YouTube video. This URL will allow you to save the video file to your device and watch it even without an internet connection.

In the next step, we will utilize the Location URL to download the YouTube video using a web browser. Move on to the next step to learn how to do it.

Step 9: Open a web browser and paste the Location URL

Once you have copied the Location URL from the Codec Information dialog box in VLC Media Player, the next step is to open a web browser and paste the URL. This will allow you to access the direct download link of the YouTube video and initiate the download. Follow these steps to proceed:

1. Minimize or close VLC Media Player, and open a web browser of your choice (e.g., Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Microsoft Edge, etc.).
2. In the address bar of the web browser, click on it to select it, then right-click and choose the “Paste” option from the context menu. Alternatively, you can use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+V to paste the URL.
3. After pasting the Location URL, press the Enter key on your keyboard, or click on the “Go” or “Enter” button in the browser to load the page.

By pasting the Location URL in the web browser, you are essentially accessing the direct download link of the YouTube video. This link will allow you to save the video file to your device. Note that the appearance of the download page may vary depending on the website or browser you are using.

In the final step, we will learn how to save the YouTube video using the web browser’s download functionality. Continue to the next step for the instructions on saving the video file.

Step 10: Right-click the video and select Save Video As

After pasting the Location URL in the web browser and loading the download page, the final step is to save the YouTube video to your device. This step utilizes the web browser’s download functionality to initiate the downloading process. Follow these steps to proceed:

1. Once the download page loads, you will typically see a video player with the YouTube video displayed.
2. Right-click on the video player area. This will open a context menu with various options.
3. From the context menu, select the “Save Video As” or “Save Video” option. The wording may vary depending on the browser you are using.
4. A file browser or download dialog box will appear, allowing you to choose the download location and customize the file name if desired.
5. Browse to the desired location on your device where you want to save the YouTube video, and provide a suitable name for the file (if needed).
6. Click the “Save” or “OK” button to start the downloading process.

By right-clicking the video player and selecting “Save Video As,” you have successfully initiated the download of the YouTube video. The video file will now be saved to the chosen location on your device.

Once the download is completed, you can open the downloaded video file using a media player of your choice to enjoy it offline whenever you want.

Congratulations! You’ve successfully learned how to download YouTube videos using VLC Media Player and a web browser. With this knowledge, you can now access your favorite videos and enjoy them offline, wherever and whenever you like.

Conclusion

Downloading YouTube videos using VLC Media Player is a convenient and straightforward process. With just a few simple steps, you can save your favorite YouTube videos to your device and enjoy them offline, without the need for an internet connection.

In this guide, we covered all the necessary steps to download YouTube videos using VLC Media Player. We started by downloading and installing VLC Media Player on your device. Then, we walked you through the process of copying the URL of the YouTube video you want to download and opening VLC Media Player to navigate to the Media tab.

After that, we pasted the YouTube video URL and clicked the Play button to initiate the video playback. We then accessed the Tools tab to select the Codec Information option, which allowed us to retrieve the Location URL.

Next, we opened a web browser and pasted the Location URL to access the direct download link of the YouTube video. Finally, we right-clicked the video player and selected the Save Video As option to save the video file to our device.

Now that you’ve learned the steps to download YouTube videos using VLC Media Player, you can enjoy your favorite videos at your convenience, regardless of internet availability.

Remember to respect copyright laws and use the downloaded videos for personal use only. Sharing or distributing copyrighted content without permission is illegal and against YouTube’s terms of service.

So go ahead, download your favorite YouTube videos using VLC Media Player and enjoy uninterrupted viewing anytime, anywhere!