How to download YouTube videos for offline watching

A long flight. A village with weak signal. A train through the mountains. Mobile data that runs out by the 20th of the month. These are the moments when you wish your videos were already on your phone.

This guide is about planning for that. It covers how much space you need, which quality to pick, and how to download YouTube videos for offline watching before you lose the internet.

If you only want the basic steps for each device, read how to download YouTube videos on any device. This article goes one step further.

Step 1: Check your free space

Before you download, see how much room you have.

• Android: Settings, then Storage.
• iPhone: Settings, General, then iPhone Storage.
• Windows: open This PC and look under the drive.
• Mac: Apple menu, About This Mac, then Storage.

Step 2: Work out how much you need

Here are rough sizes for one hour of video. Real sizes change from video to video, so treat these as a guide.

Quality	About 1 hour	Good for
360p	250 to 400 MB	Small phones, long trips with little space
720p	0.6 to 1.2 GB	Most phones and tablets
1080p	1.2 to 2.5 GB	Laptops and big tablets
Audio only (MP3, 128 kbps)	About 58 MB	Lectures and talks you only listen to

Example: a 10-hour flight with 6 hours of 720p video needs around 4 to 7 GB. The same 6 hours as 360p fits in about 2 GB.

Step 3: Choose the right quality for the screen

A phone screen is small. On most phones, 720p looks almost the same as 1080p but takes half the space. Save 1080p for laptops and TVs. Choose 360p for kids' cartoons on an old tablet; the picture is simple and the files stay tiny.

Step 4: Download while you are on Wi-Fi

1. Copy the YouTube video link (Share, Copy link).
2. Open our YouTube video downloader.
3. Paste the link and tap the globe.
4. Pick the quality you planned.
5. Tap Download Now.

Do this at home or at the office on Wi-Fi, a day before you leave. Big files over mobile data can use up your plan fast.

Step 5: Put the videos in one place

Make a folder called Offline or Trip and move the files there. On iPhone, keep them in the Files app or save them to an album in Photos. On Android, use a folder in the Files app. Then you are not scrolling through hundreds of photos in a dark plane cabin.

Step 6: Test before you leave

Turn on airplane mode and open two or three videos. If they play, you are ready. This takes one minute and saves a lot of trouble later.

Ideas for offline watching

Situation	What to save	Tip
Students before exams	Course lectures and explainer videos	Save as MP3 too, to revise on a walk
Parents on a trip	Educational cartoons and stories	360p is enough and saves space
Cooks	Recipe videos	Watch in the kitchen without a signal
Learners of a new skill	Repair guides, sewing, coding tutorials	Pause and replay as often as you need
Commuters	Talks, documentaries, Shorts	The Shorts downloader handles short clips

Save battery while watching

• Turn the screen brightness down a little.
• Use airplane mode when you do not need signal. Searching for a network drains battery.
• Use a normal video player app. It often uses less power than an app that is also loading ads and comments.
• For talks, listen to the MP3 version with the screen off.

What about YouTube Premium downloads?

YouTube Premium lets you save videos inside the app. Those downloads only play in YouTube and need you to go online about once a month to stay active. If you will be offline longer than that, or you want to watch in another app, a normal MP4 file is more reliable. The YouTube Help Center lists the current rules for Premium downloads.

Download only what you are allowed to

YouTube's Terms of Service allow downloads when YouTube offers a button or the owner gives permission. Your own uploads, freely licensed lessons and videos where the creator says you may save them are fine. Keep them for your own viewing.

Quick summary

Check your free space, plan about 1 GB per hour at 720p, download on Wi-Fi the day before, put everything in one folder, and test in airplane mode. Use 360p for kids and MP3 for lectures to fit much more on your phone.