There are many programs and applications that can be used to download videos and content from YouTube, but none work as well as the one we are going to discuss in this post. Both for ease of use and for the quality of the result. We'll see how to download a YouTube video with VLC.
In order not to confuse the reader, we must emphasize the fact that we are talking about the full video download, not just the music or audio track. For that, they already exist other alternatives.
What is VLC and why is it worth installing?
The most practical and useful video player is the one that is cCompatible with all codecs available on the market. Following this premise, we can safely say that VLC is, if not the best, one of the best.
VLC software is available at Two versions: the Microsoft Store and the one available for computers that do not have access to the official Microsoft store. The first, for obvious reasons, is the most recommended: it is not only optimized for touch devices, but also offers absolute compatibility with all types of codecs. In addition, it offers users numerous functions, including downloading a YouTube video with VLC.
We must highlight the aspect of the universality of the VLC app, which makes it possible for us to use it on any device running Windows 10 (mobile version, for Xbox, for PC...). Whatever the size of the device screen, the application automatically adapts to display the content we want to play.
This is just a small sample of the advantages that make VLC such an interesting tool for managing videos.
Download YouTube videos with VLC
Let's see below what you have to do to download a YouTube video with VLC. We explain the process to follow step by step. We divide the task that we must carry out into two phases:
First phase
- To start, it is necessary get video url that we want to go down. To do this you have to open the browser and access the video to play it.
- With the video playing, an address with a bar code that needs to be copied, either by selecting it, right-clicking on it or pressing Control + C.
- Next you have to open VLC.
- In the application, we select the tab "Half" and then click on the option "Open network location." On Windows, it can also be done by pressing Control + N simultaneously.
- In the new window that opens, we go to the tab "Net".
- There in the field «Enter a URL» we have to write the address of the video copied earlier.
After executing these actions, the YouTube video that we viewed before will automatically open in VLC and playback will begin.
Second stage
Now that we have the visualization, let's see what we have to do to download the video. With the video playing in VLC, these are the steps to follow:
- Let's go to the tab "Tools" and click on «Multimedia information».
- Then the window opens «Current media information».
- Then we select the tab "General".
- At this point we have to copy the address shown in the field "Place". This is a temporary address in which the video is hosted, hence its strange appearance (see an example in the image above).
- We return to the browser. There we write the VLC address that we have copied in the address bar and press "Intro".
With this last action the video will start playing in the browser, but no longer from the YouTube website. That gives us the opportunity to right click on it, descdownload it in mp4 format and save it in the location we want. As simple as that.
Other cool features of VLC
In addition to the function of downloading YouTube videos, VLC offers us many other options. Its most common application is to play all kinds of video and audio files on our computer, regardless of their format. Of course, this also means the possibility of managing the functions of fast forward or rewind, forward or backward a few seconds, correcting audio delay in videos or playing at double speed, etc.
Other interesting options are to record our PC screen, play lists of multimedia files, share them with other users... All of this is also possible with VLC. We will also be able to use VLC on our mobile phone as the default media player. In this sense, it is valid on both Android and iPhone.
In short, a lot of functions that make this player a really attractive option for any type of user.