YouTube Shorts Downloader: Vertical MP4, No Watermark
Paste a Shorts link into this YouTube Shorts video downloader and save it as a vertical MP4 with sound, in the best quality the creator uploaded. No watermark is added, nothing to install, and it works the same on iPhone, Android and computers.
Download only videos you made or have permission to use. Tube Snip shows each video's license so you can check before you reuse it.
Understand any video without watching all of it
Each tool runs on the video you fetched. Costs are in credits; guests get a few free runs every day, and every account starts with free credits.
Fixes for the things that annoy you on other downloaders
We tested the popular sites and wrote down what went wrong. Each row below is something Tube Snip handles for you.
| What you need | Tube Snip | Typical downloader |
|---|---|---|
| Paste a bare video IDLike PdQ4n7wXy0s with no link around it | Works | "Something went wrong" |
| Share straight from the YouTube appInstall Tube Snip, then Share → Tube Snip | One tap | Copy, switch apps, paste |
| Sound in HD and 4K filesYouTube stores picture and sound separately in HD | Always merged | Silent files, unlabeled |
| An actual MP3Not an M4A renamed in the menu | MP3 128–320 kbps | M4A / WebA only |
| Just one part of a videoCut by time or by chapter, as MP4, GIF or MP3 | Built in | Download it all, edit later |
| AI transcript, summary and notesOn the same video, in the same window | 10 AI tools | Separate paid sites |
| Whole playlist at once | Pick videos, one queue | One by one |
| Error messages you can read | Says what to fix | Generic, wrong language |
Most people download a video to make something with it
So the next step sits in the same window. Run it on the video you already fetched.
Turn a long video into Shorts
Hook finder spots the best moments, then Snip a clip cuts them as 9:16.
Learn from a video without rewatching
Get the transcript, a timestamped summary, or study notes in seconds.
Ship your own uploads faster
Titles, tags, description and chapters from your own video, ready to paste.
Downloading is free. AI runs on credits.
Every download tool is free for everyone. Pay only when you want AI to read the video for you.
Need more credits? Add a pack any time.
Pack credits never expire and stack on any plan.How many credits each AI tool usesBest quality uses 2×
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Updated
How to download YouTube Shorts in 3 steps
- Copy the Shorts link. In the YouTube app, tap Share on the Short (the arrow on the right), then Copy link. The link looks like youtube.com/shorts/ followed by 11 characters.
- Paste it above. Tube Snip sees it's a Short and lists the vertical qualities, for example 1080×1920, with the file size next to each.
- Tap Download MP4. The Short saves with picture and sound in one file, ready for your gallery.
Every Shorts link works: youtube.com/shorts/ links, youtu.be links, the bare video ID, and Shorts opened as normal watch links.
On Android, skip the copying: install Tube Snip from Chrome's menu (Add to Home screen or Install app). It then appears in the YouTube app's Share menu, and sharing a Short opens it here, ready to save.
What quality can you download a YouTube Short in?
Shorts are vertical, so the quality list shows the short side first: a "1080p" Short is 1080×1920. Tube Snip lists only what the creator uploaded and always joins the sound to the picture.
| Quality | Size | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| 1080p | 1080×1920 | Re-editing, posting your own Short elsewhere, big phone screens |
| 720p | 720×1280 | Watching offline, smaller files |
| 480p and below | 480×854 and less | Saving space or sending over chat |
Higher qualities only appear when the Short was uploaded in them. If 1080p isn't listed, the creator uploaded a smaller file. Shorts can be up to 3 minutes long (YouTube Help), so a 1080p Short is still a small file.
Why is there no watermark?
YouTube doesn't stamp a logo into the Shorts file itself; the logo you see is part of the app around the video. Tube Snip saves the video stream as it was uploaded and adds nothing. If you see a TikTok or CapCut logo in a downloaded Short, that logo was already burned into the video by the person who uploaded it.
Where the Short goes on your phone or computer
iPhone and iPad
Safari saves the MP4 to the Files app, in Downloads. To put it in Photos, open it in Files, tap Share → Save Video. From Photos you can post it to Instagram or WhatsApp like any clip you filmed.
Android
Chrome saves to Downloads, and the Short appears in your gallery app, in Google Photos under Device folders → Download, within a few seconds.
Windows, Mac and Chromebook
The MP4 lands in your Downloads folder. It plays in the Photos app, QuickTime and VLC, and imports straight into CapCut, Premiere or DaVinci Resolve as a 9:16 clip.
Save just the sound, or just one moment
- The song or voice-over from a Short: open the Audio tab and save MP3 at up to 320 kbps.
- One part of a longer video, as a Short: the clip cutter reframes any moment to 9:16, with captions burned in if you want them.
- Find which moments of your long videos would make good Shorts: the Shorts ideas finder points to them with timestamps.
- The cover: the thumbnail downloader saves the Short's thumbnail.
- Regular videos: the YouTube video downloader saves anything from 144p to 4K.
YouTube Shorts downloaders: Tube Snip vs other tools
When we asked Google's AI Overview for the best YouTube Shorts downloader in October 2026, 4K Video Downloader Plus and Publer's free downloader were among the tools it named, and cobalt is often recommended for saving short videos from many apps. Each tool's facts below were checked on its own website on 19 October 2026.
| Tool | What it is | Price | Install | Best for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tube Snip | Web app | Free, 20 downloads an hour; paid plans from $9/month | Nothing | Shorts as MP4 with sound on any phone, plus the sound alone or one moment as a clip | Free use has an hourly limit and labelled ads |
| Publer Shorts Downloader | Web tool from a social media scheduler | Free, no account | Nothing | A quick HD save with no ads and no watermark | Downloads only; no audio-only or clip options on the page |
| cobalt | Open-source web app | Free, no ads | Nothing | Short videos from many apps in one place | Default video quality is 1080p unless you change it in settings |
| 4K Video Downloader Plus | Desktop app for Windows, macOS and Ubuntu | Free Starter version; paid licences from €18.75/year | Desktop install | Saving many Shorts, playlists and channels on one computer | The free Starter version has basic features only |
Pick by situation. On a phone, use a web tool: Tube Snip if you also want the sound or a clip, Publer or cobalt for a plain save. For saving whole channels of Shorts on a computer, 4K Video Downloader Plus.
Why a Shorts download fails, and the fix
| What you see | Why | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| The video saves sideways or with black bars | Another tool forced a 16:9 frame | Download here: Shorts stay vertical |
| No sound in the file | Picture and sound are separate streams in HD | Tube Snip joins them; every MP4 has sound |
| "Video unavailable" | The Short is private, deleted or age-restricted | Only public and unlisted Shorts can be saved |
| The YouTube app has no Copy link | You tapped the wrong menu | Tap Share (arrow) on the Short, then Copy link |
| "You reached 20 downloads this hour" | The free hourly limit | Wait a little, or a paid plan raises it |
Who uses it
- Creators back up their own Shorts before deleting or editing them, and repost them to Reels or TikTok.
- Editors pull a Short they have permission to use into a reaction or compilation.
- Teachers save a 40-second explainer to play in class without ads or Wi-Fi.
- Anyone keeps a recipe, workout or travel tip that might disappear later.
Safe to use, and the rules
Tube Snip runs in your browser: there's no app to install, no extension and no sign-up to download. There are no pop-ups or fake download buttons; free users see clearly labelled ad slots, paid plans see none.
Download your own Shorts, Creative Commons Shorts and Shorts you have permission to use. Reposting someone else's Short as your own breaks YouTube's terms and usually copyright law, wherever you live.
Questions about this tool
How do I download a YouTube Shorts video?
Tap Share on the Short, choose Copy link, paste it here and tap Download MP4. The Short saves as a vertical MP4 with sound.
Do downloaded Shorts have a watermark?
No. Tube Snip adds nothing to the file. A logo inside a Short was burned in by the uploader before it reached YouTube.
How do I download Shorts on iPhone?
Copy the link in the YouTube app, paste it here in Safari and tap Download. The MP4 goes to Files, in Downloads; tap Share, then Save Video to move it to Photos.
What quality can I download Shorts in?
Whatever the creator uploaded, usually up to 1080×1920. Only the qualities that exist for that Short are listed.
Can I download only the audio of a Short?
Yes. Open the Audio tab and save MP3 at 128, 192 or 320 kbps, or M4A, Opus or WAV.
Is the Shorts downloader free?
Yes. Downloading Shorts is free, needs no account and allows up to 20 downloads an hour.
Can I repost a downloaded Short?
Only if it is yours, it is under a Creative Commons license, or the creator gave permission. Reposting other people's Shorts as your own is not allowed.
Is this the same as a YouTube Reels download?
Yes. YouTube calls its short vertical videos Shorts, and many people call them YouTube Reels. Paste the link and download it the same way, as a vertical MP4 with sound.
Before you download
Why do some downloaders give me HD video with no sound?
In HD, YouTube serves picture and sound as two separate streams. Tube Snip downloads both and joins them, so every file in the Video tab plays with audio.
Can I paste just the video ID?
Yes. Paste the 11 characters after v= and it works the same as a full link. Shorts links, youtu.be links, embed links and links with a start time all work too.
How do I share a video from the YouTube app?
Install Tube Snip from your browser menu ("Add to Home screen" or "Install app"). Then in the YouTube app tap Share and pick Tube Snip; the video opens here, ready to download or summarise.
What are credits?
Credits pay for AI work. A transcript costs a few credits and a script blueprint costs more; the table above shows each tool. Downloading never uses credits. Unused monthly credits do not roll over; credit packs never expire.
Is downloading YouTube videos allowed?
Download your own videos and videos you have permission to use. Each result shows the video's license. Creative Commons videos can be reused with credit; standard-license videos need the creator's permission. We remove videos after valid copyright requests.
Which AI models do you use?
We route each tool to the model that does it best, from providers like Anthropic, OpenAI and Google. Best quality uses a stronger model and costs twice the credits.