YouTube Video Downloader: HD & 4K MP4, Always with Sound
Paste a YouTube link, pick a quality from 144p to 4K and save an MP4 that plays everywhere. Sound is joined into every HD file and the size shows before you start. Free, nothing to install.
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×
- ✓ Cancel any time
- ✓ Unused pack credits never expire
- ✓ Secure checkout
- ✓ Prices in USD, taxes shown at checkout
Updated
How to download a YouTube video in 3 steps
- Copy the link. In the YouTube app tap Share → Copy link. In a browser copy the address bar. A bare video ID (the 11 characters after
v=) works too. - Paste it above and pick a quality. Every quality the video was uploaded in is listed, from 144p up to 4K, with the file size next to it.
- Tap Download. The MP4 saves to your device with picture and sound in one file.
The box takes every kind of YouTube link: watch links, youtu.be short links, Shorts, embeds, live replays, links with a start time and bare IDs. Shorts save as vertical MP4; the YouTube Shorts downloader page has tips just for Shorts.
Where the file 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.
Android
Chrome saves to the Downloads folder. Most gallery apps show it under Downloads right away; if yours doesn't, open the file once from Chrome's downloads list.
Windows, Mac and Chromebook
The file lands in your Downloads folder. Nothing to install: Tube Snip runs in any browser, including Chrome on a Chromebook.
Every quality, always with sound
In HD, YouTube streams the picture and the sound as two separate files. That is why some downloaders hand you a 1080p video with no audio. Tube Snip downloads both and joins them, so every file you save plays with sound, from 144p to 4K.
| Quality | Best for |
|---|---|
| 4K (2160p) | Big screens and editing, when the video was uploaded in 4K |
| 1440p | Sharp playback on large monitors |
| 1080p | The best all-round choice for laptops and TVs |
| 720p | Phones and tablets, with smaller files than 1080p |
| 480p and 360p | Saving space or slow connections |
| 240p and 144p | Talks and lectures where only the sound matters |
The list shows only what the uploader provided: if 4K is missing, the video was not uploaded in 4K.
MP4 or WebM: which one should you pick?
- MP4 (recommended). Tube Snip picks the H.264 video and AAC audio stream at your chosen quality, the combination that plays on every iPhone, Android, Windows PC, Mac, smart TV and video editor. It's also what YouTube itself recommends for uploads.
- WebM. Uses YouTube's VP9 stream. Often a little smaller at the same quality and great for the web, but some editors and older phones can't open it.
- AV1 only when there is no other choice. If YouTube has no H.264 stream at the quality you picked, the file falls back to AV1 or VP9 rather than giving you a lower quality.
If a file you downloaded somewhere else won't play, it is almost always a WebM or AV1 file. Download it again here as MP4.
More than a downloader
The same box does the rest of the job, no second site needed:
- Chapters and subtitles inside the file. Turn them on before you download and the MP4 keeps the video's chapters and English subtitles.
- Just the sound: YouTube to MP3 at 128, 192 or 320 kbps, or M4A, Opus and WAV.
- Just one part: the clip cutter saves any section as MP4, GIF or MP3.
- The subtitle file: SRT, VTT or plain text in any available language.
- The thumbnail: all five sizes, up to 1280×720.
- The words: a transcript with timestamps or an AI summary of long videos.
YouTube video downloaders: Tube Snip vs other tools
When we asked Google's AI Overview for the best YouTube video downloader in October 2026, cobalt and 4K Video Downloader Plus were among the tools it named, and AI assistants also recommend yt-dlp and ClipGrab for this job. 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 | MP4 from 144p to 4K, always with sound, on any phone or computer | Free use has an hourly limit and labelled ads |
| yt-dlp | Open-source command-line program | Free | The program plus ffmpeg | Scripts, whole channels and full control over formats | No buttons: everything is typed as a command |
| 4K Video Downloader Plus | Desktop app for Windows, macOS and Ubuntu | Free Starter version; paid licences from €18.75/year | Desktop install | Playlists and channels in one click, up to 8K | The free Starter version has basic features only |
| cobalt | Open-source web app | Free, no ads | Nothing | Quick saves from many sites, not only YouTube | Default video quality is 1080p unless you change it in settings |
| ClipGrab | Desktop app for Windows, macOS and Linux | Free | Desktop install | A simple desktop downloader that also converts to MP3 | The Windows installer carries third-party offers (a version without them is offered) |
Pick by situation. On a phone, or a computer where you can't install anything, use a web app: Tube Snip, or cobalt if you also save from other sites. For whole playlists on one computer, 4K Video Downloader Plus. For scripts and full control, yt-dlp.
Why a download fails, and the fix
| What you see | Why | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| HD video has no sound (on other sites) | YouTube serves HD picture and sound separately | Download here: both are joined into one MP4 |
| The file won't play | It is WebM or AV1 | Pick MP4: it uses H.264, which plays everywhere |
| 4K or 1080p is not in the list | The video was uploaded in a lower quality | Choose the highest quality shown |
| "Video unavailable" | The video is private, members-only or removed | Only public and unlisted videos can be saved |
| "You reached 20 downloads this hour" | The free hourly limit | Wait a little, or a paid plan raises it |
Who uses it
- Students save lectures and tutorials to study offline on the bus or in the library.
- Teachers play clips in class without relying on school Wi-Fi.
- Creators download their own uploads and footage they have permission to use.
- Travellers fill a phone with videos before a flight. A saved MP4 never expires, unlike in-app downloads.
Is it safe to download YouTube videos, and is it allowed?
Tube Snip runs in your browser: there is nothing to install, no extension and no sign-up to download. There are no pop-ups, redirects or fake download buttons; free users see clearly labelled ad slots, paid plans see none.
Download your own videos, Creative Commons videos and videos you have permission to use. YouTube's terms and copyright law decide the rest, and they depend on your country, so never re-upload someone else's video as your own. For watching offline inside the YouTube app, the official way is YouTube Premium downloads.
Questions about this tool
Is this YouTube video downloader free?
Yes. Downloading videos costs nothing and needs no account. Free use allows up to 20 downloads an hour.
What is the highest quality I can download?
Up to 4K (2160p), when the video was uploaded in 4K. The list only shows the qualities YouTube has for that video.
Will my video have sound?
Yes. In HD, YouTube keeps picture and sound apart; Tube Snip joins them, so every MP4 plays with audio.
Where do downloaded videos go on iPhone?
Safari saves them in the Files app under Downloads. Open the file and tap Share, then Save Video to move it to Photos.
Why won't a downloaded YouTube video play on my phone?
It is usually a WebM or AV1 file. Choose MP4 here: it uses H.264 and AAC, which every phone and computer plays.
Can I download private or members-only videos?
No. Only public and unlisted videos can be saved. Owners can download their own private videos in YouTube Studio.
Does it work with YouTube Shorts?
Yes. Paste a Shorts link and it saves as a vertical MP4, or use the YouTube Shorts downloader page.
Is it legal to download YouTube videos?
Download your own videos, Creative Commons videos and videos you have permission to use. YouTube's terms and copyright law depend on your country, so check before you reuse anything.
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.