How to Download YouTube Videos on Ubuntu
YouTube is one of the most popular video-sharing platforms in the world. You can watch millions of videos on various topics, from entertainment to education. But sometimes, you may want to download YouTube videos on your Ubuntu system for offline viewing or other purposes. How can you do that?
ubuntu download youtube video
Why Download YouTube Videos?
There are many reasons why you may want to download YouTube videos on Ubuntu. Some of them are: You want to watch them offline when you don't have an internet connection or a reliable one.
You want to save them for future reference or personal use.
You want to edit them or use them in your own projects.
You want to avoid ads or other distractions on YouTube.
Whatever your reason is, downloading YouTube videos on Ubuntu is not as easy as clicking a button. YouTube does not provide an official way to download videos from its platform, except for some limited cases. This is because YouTube wants to protect the rights of the content creators and prevent piracy. However, there are some unofficial ways to download YouTube videos on Ubuntu using third-party tools or scripts. How to Download YouTube Videos on Ubuntu
In this article, we will show you three easy ways to download YouTube videos on Ubuntu and other Linux distributions. These are: Using a browser extension
Using a GUI application
Using a command line tool
We will explain each method in detail and compare their pros and cons. Let's get started! Method 1: Using a Browser Extension
A browser extension is a small software program that adds functionality to your web browser. There are many browser extensions that can help you download YouTube videos on Ubuntu with just a few clicks. One of them is Video DownloadHelper. Video DownloadHelper is a popular browser extension that works well with Firefox and Chrome to let you download YouTube videos and other online videos from various websites. It is not an open-source project, but it is free to use for personal use.
ubuntu download youtube video using youtube-dl
ubuntu download youtube video with firefox add-on
ubuntu download youtube video in mp4 format
ubuntu download youtube video and audio separately
ubuntu download youtube video playlist
ubuntu download youtube video subtitles
ubuntu download youtube video command line
ubuntu download youtube video gui
ubuntu download youtube video online
ubuntu download youtube video as mp3
ubuntu download youtube video 4k
ubuntu download youtube video ffmpeg
ubuntu download youtube video python
ubuntu download youtube video pip
ubuntu download youtube video curl
ubuntu download youtube video terminal
ubuntu download youtube video script
ubuntu download youtube video quality
ubuntu download youtube video resolution
ubuntu download youtube video converter
ubuntu download youtube video editor
ubuntu download youtube video vlc
ubuntu download youtube video chrome
ubuntu download youtube video opera
ubuntu download youtube video brave
ubuntu download youtube video tor browser
ubuntu download youtube video proxy
ubuntu download youtube video vpn
ubuntu download youtube video private mode
ubuntu download youtube video incognito mode
ubuntu download youtube video without ads
ubuntu download youtube video without software
ubuntu download youtube video without internet
ubuntu download youtube video without registration
ubuntu download youtube video without watermark
ubuntu download youtube video fast and easy
ubuntu download youtube video free and safe
ubuntu download youtube video legal and ethical
ubuntu download youtube video educational and informative
ubuntu download youtube video fun and entertaining To install Video DownloadHelper on Firefox, follow these steps:
Go to [this page](^1^) and click on Add to Firefox.
A pop-up window will appear asking for your permission. Click on Add.
You will see a new icon in [assistant](#search_web("Video DownloadHelper Firefox")) "web_search_results": ["title": "Video DownloadHelper Get this Extension for ? Firefox (en-US)", "snippet": "Download Video DownloadHelper for Firefox. The easy way to download and convert Web videos from hundreds of YouTube-like sites.", "url": "[1]( [assistant](#search_web("Video DownloadHelper Chrome")) "web_search_results": ["title": "Video DownloadHelper - Chrome Web Store", "snippet": "Download videos from the Web. This is a Chrome port of the very popular Video DownloadHelper Firefox add-on. It allows downloading videos from many sites.", "url": "[2]( [assistant](#message) the top-right corner of your browser. This is the Video DownloadHelper icon.
Now, go to YouTube and open the video you want to download. You will see that the Video DownloadHelper icon becomes colorful and animated. This means that it has detected a video on the page.
Click on the Video DownloadHelper icon and you will see a list of available formats and resolutions for the video. Choose the one you prefer and click on Download.
The video will be downloaded to your default download folder. You can change this in the Video DownloadHelper settings if you want.
To install Video DownloadHelper on Chrome, follow these steps:
Go to [this page] and click on Add to Chrome.
A pop-up window will appear asking for your permission. Click on Add extension.
You will see a new icon in the top-right corner of your browser. This is the Video DownloadHelper icon.
The rest of the steps are similar to Firefox. Just go to YouTube, open the video you want to download, click on the Video DownloadHelper icon, and choose the format and resolution you want.
The advantages of using a browser extension like Video DownloadHelper are:
It is easy to use and does not require any installation or configuration on your Ubuntu system.
It works with many websites, not just YouTube.
It supports various formats and resolutions, including HD and 4K videos.
The disadvantages of using a browser extension like Video DownloadHelper are:
It may not work with some videos that are protected by DRM or encryption.
It may slow down your browser performance or cause compatibility issues with other extensions.
It may violate YouTube's terms of service or the content creators' rights.
Method 2: Using a GUI Application
A GUI application is a software program that has a graphical user interface (GUI) that allows you to interact with it using buttons, menus, icons, and other visual elements. There are many GUI applications that can help you download YouTube videos on Ubuntu with ease. One of them is 4K Video Downloader.
4K Video Downloader is a powerful and user-friendly application that lets you download YouTube videos and playlists in various formats and resolutions, including HD and 4K videos. It also supports subtitles, annotations, and 3D videos. It is not an open-source project, but it is free to use for personal use.
To install 4K Video Downloader on Ubuntu, follow these steps:
Go to [this page] and download the .deb file for your Ubuntu version.
Open the .deb file with the Software Install app and click on Install.
Enter your password if prompted and wait for the installation to complete.
You will see a new icon in your applications menu. This is the 4K Video Downloader icon.
Now, go to YouTube and copy the URL of the video or playlist you want to download.
Open the 4K Video Downloader app and click on Paste Link.
The app will analyze the link and show you a pop-up window with various options. You can choose the format, resolution, quality, subtitles, and destination folder for the video or playlist. You can also click on Smart Mode to apply the same settings for all future downloads.
Click on Download and wait for the video or playlist to be downloaded to your chosen folder.
The advantages of using a GUI application like 4K Video Downloader are:
It is easy to use and has a simple and intuitive interface.
It supports many features and options, such as downloading playlists, subtitles, annotations, and 3D videos.
It can download videos faster than browser extensions by using multiple connections.
The disadvantages of using a GUI application like 4K Video Downloader are:
It may not work with some videos that are protected by DRM or encryption.
It may consume more system resources than browser extensions or command line tools.
It may violate YouTube's terms of service or the content creators' rights.
Method 3: Using a Command Line Tool
A command line tool is a software program that can be executed from a terminal or a shell. It usually has no graphical user interface, but instead relies on text commands and arguments. There are many command line tools that can help you download YouTube videos on Ubuntu with flexibility and efficiency. One of them is youtube-dl.
youtube-dl is a free and open source download manager for video and audio from YouTube and over 1,000 other video hosting websites. It is written in Python and released under the Unlicense software license. It supports various features and options, such as downloading playlists, channels, subtitles, annotations, thumbnails, metadata, and live streams. It also allows you to extract audio from video, convert video to audio, or download only audio. It can also handle authentication, rate limiting, proxying, and more.
To install youtube-dl on Ubuntu, follow these steps:
Open a terminal and type the following command: sudo apt install youtube-dl
Enter your password if prompted and wait for the installation to complete.
Now, go to YouTube and copy the URL of the video or playlist you want to download.
Open a terminal and type the following command: youtube-dl URL
The video or playlist will be downloaded to your current working directory. You can change this by using the -o option and specifying a different path or filename.
The advantages of using a command line tool like youtube-dl are:
It is powerful and versatile and has many features and options to customize your downloads.
It is fast and reliable and can resume interrupted downloads.
It is open source and free and can be modified or redistributed as you like.
The disadvantages of using a command line tool like youtube-dl are:
It may not be user-friendly or intuitive for some users who are not familiar with the command line interface.
It may not work with some videos that are protected by DRM or encryption.
It may violate YouTube's terms of service or the content creators' rights.
Comparison of the Methods
Now that we have seen three different ways to download YouTube videos on Ubuntu, let's compare them and see which one is the best for you. Here is a table that summarizes the main features and drawbacks of each method:
Method
Features
Drawbacks
Browser Extension
- Easy to use- Works with many websites- Supports various formats and resolutions
- May not work with DRM or encrypted videos- May slow down browser performance or cause compatibility issues- May violate YouTube's terms of service or content creators' rights
GUI Application
- Easy to use- Supports many features and options- Can download videos faster than browser extensions
- May not work with DRM or encrypted videos- May consume more system resources than browser extensions or command line tools- May violate YouTube's terms of service or content creators' rights
Command Line Tool
- Powerful and versatile- Fast and reliable- Open source and free
- May not be user-friendly or intuitive for some users- May not work with DRM or encrypted videos- May violate YouTube's terms of service or content creators' rights
As you can see, each method has its own advantages and disadvantages. The best method for you depends on your personal preferences, needs, and skills. You can try them all and see which one suits you best. Or you can use a combination of them for different situations.
Conclusion
In this article, we have shown you how to download YouTube videos on Ubuntu using three different methods: a browser extension, a GUI application, and a command line tool. We have explained each method in detail and compared their pros and cons. We hope that this article has helped you learn how to download YouTube videos on Ubuntu easily and effectively.
FAQs
Here are some frequently asked questions about downloading YouTube videos on Ubuntu:
Q: Is it legal to download YouTube videos on Ubuntu?
A: The legality of downloading YouTube videos on Ubuntu depends on the source, the content, and the purpose of the download. Generally speaking, it is not legal to download YouTube videos that are protected by copyright or other intellectual property rights without the permission of the owner. It is also not legal to download YouTube videos that are for commercial use or distribution without the consent of YouTube or the content creators. However, it may be legal to download YouTube videos that are in the public domain or that are licensed under a Creative Commons license, as long as you follow the terms and conditions of the license. It may also be legal to download YouTube videos for personal use or fair use, such as for education, research, criticism, or parody, depending on the circumstances and the jurisdiction. However, these exceptions are not absolute and may vary from case to case. Therefore, it is advisable to consult a lawyer or an expert before downloading YouTube videos on Ubuntu to avoid any legal issues.
Q: How can I download YouTube videos on Ubuntu without installing any software?
A: If you don't want to install any software on your Ubuntu system to download YouTube videos, you can use some online services or websites that allow you to download YouTube videos by simply pasting the URL of the video. Some examples of these online services or websites are:
[SaveFrom.net]: A popular and easy-to-use website that lets you download YouTube videos in various formats and resolutions. You can also download videos from other websites, such as Facebook, Instagram, Vimeo, and more.
[y2mate.com]: A fast and reliable website that lets you download YouTube videos and audio in various formats and qualities. You can also convert YouTube videos to MP3, MP4, or other formats.
[Online Video Converter]: A versatile and powerful website that lets you download and convert YouTube videos to various formats and devices. You can also edit the video settings, such as the start and end time, the resolution, the frame rate, and more.
The advantages of using online services or websites to download YouTube videos on Ubuntu are:
They are convenient and do not require any installation or configuration on your Ubuntu system.
They work with any web browser and any operating system.
They support many features and options, such as downloading audio only, converting formats, editing settings, and more.
The disadvantages of using online services or websites to download YouTube videos on Ubuntu are:
They may not work with some videos that are protected by DRM or encryption.
They may have some limitations on the size, length, or number of videos you can download.
They may have some ads or pop-ups that may annoy you or harm your system.
They may violate YouTube's terms of service or the content creators' rights.
Q: How can I download YouTube videos on Ubuntu with subtitles?
A: If you want to download YouTube videos on Ubuntu with subtitles, you can use some of the methods we have mentioned above that support this feature. For example:
If you use Video DownloadHelper as a browser extension, you can choose to download subtitles along with the video by clicking on the Subtitles tab in the pop-up window and selecting the language you want.
If you use 4K Video Downloader as a GUI application, you can choose to download subtitles along with the video by clicking on the Subtitles button in the pop-up window and selecting the language you want.
If you use youtube-dl as a command line tool, you can choose to download subtitles along with the video by using the --write-sub option and specifying the language code you want. For example: youtube-dl --write-sub --sub-lang en URL
Q: How can I download YouTube videos on Ubuntu in 4K resolution?
A: If you want to download YouTube videos on Ubuntu in 4K resolution, you can use some of the methods we have mentioned above that support this feature. For example:
If you use Video DownloadHelper as a browser extension, you can choose to download 4K videos by selecting the 2160p option in the pop-up window.
If you use 4K Video Downloader as a GUI application, you can choose to download 4K videos by selecting the 4K option in the pop-up window.
If you use youtube-dl as a command line tool, you can choose to download 4K videos by using the -f option and specifying the format code for 4K. For example: youtube-dl -f 313 URL
Q: How can I download YouTube playlists or channels on Ubuntu?
A: If you want to download YouTube playlists or channels on Ubuntu, you can use some of the methods we have mentioned above that support this feature. For example:
If you use Video Download Helper as a browser extension, you can choose to download playlists or channels by clicking on the Playlist or Channel tab in the pop-up window and selecting the videos you want.
If you use 4K Video Downloader as a GUI application, you can choose to download playlists or channels by pasting the URL of the playlist or channel and clicking on Download Playlist or Download Channel.
If you use youtube-dl as a command line tool, you can choose to download playlists or channels by using the -i option and pasting the URL of the playlist or channel. For example: youtube-dl -i URL
44f88ac181