Downloading videos off the internet is surprisingly easy. Here are free ways to grab any video you want.
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Do you want to download videos from the internet? If you see a video you like on Facebook, YouTube, Vimeo, or any of the other leading video sites, you might want to create a copy so you can keep it forever.
Thankfully, downloading videos off the internet is surprisingly easy, and here are the best ways to do it.
1. SaveFrom
SaveFrom is a YouTube downloader, but with a difference. If you are watching something online and you want to save it, just enter "ss" before "YouTube" in the URL. It's a web trick to download the video from the website.
For example, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aS01LwpC23g would become https://www.ssyoutube.com/watch?v=aS01LwpC23g.
The tool also lets you download videos from sites like Vimeo, Yandex, Dailymotion, Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, Live Journal, and more.
Remember, if you are having trouble downloading YouTube videos from outside your country, check out our article explaining how to bypass YouTube's regional filter.
READ MORE: How to Download YouTube Videos For Offline Viewing
2. FastestTube
While there are a number of free YouTube downloaders that download videos in bulk, let’s look at the simplest solution when you only need a couple of videos.
FastestTube is a browser extension that adds a physical download button to YouTube. You can find it in the bottom right-hand corner of a video. It works on Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Opera.
3. DownloadTwitterVideo
DownloadTwitterVideo lets you pull any video off the world's favorite transient social network.
Paste in the URL of the tweet which contains the video you want, then select whether you want to save it as an MP3, MP4, or MP4 HD.
4. Instagram Downloader
Instagram forged its reputation as a photo-sharing service, but with the introduction of Instagram Stories, it has also positioned itself as a video platform. Instagram Downloader lets you download Instagram videos from the social media site.
5. FDown
FDown is a tool for downloading videos off Facebook. It also comes with a Chrome extension, meaning you don't need to leave the social network's homepage if you find something you want to save.
In the past, FDown also served as a private Facebook video downloader. Although the service has been disabled since 2019, there are still alternative methods to download private Facebook videos.
6. Y2Mate
Y2Mate is a dedicated YouTube downloader. Like the other YouTube downloaders, the process is simple. Just grab the URL of the video you want to save, paste it into the web app's URL field, and hit Start to download the video from the website.
You will have the choice of downloading the entire video or just the audio track.
7. Media.io
Medio.io is an online tool by Wondershare. If you watched a YouTube video and would simply like a snippet for personal use, Medio.io makes it easy for you to trim the video first before you download it from the site.
Just copy and paste the video URL to Media.io. Once it loads completely, drag the video down to the editing timeline to trim it. After you’re done, click Export to download the video to your computer.
8. YooDownload
YooDownload is another competitor to the likes of sites such as VideoGrabby. It works with YouTube, Vimeo, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Vid.me, and SoundCloud.
9. ClipConverter
ClipConverter works with almost any website you can think of (subscription streaming services notably excluded). It can even download videos from social networks like MySpace! The developers offer a browser add-on for Chrome, Firefox, and Safari.
10. OnlineVideoConverter
You may have noticed that most video downloaders work with the same set of sites and that many of these web apps are similar. So, let’s introduce you to a different site.
Besides YouTube, OnlineVideoConverter lets you download videos from internet sites such as TeacherTube, VK, CollegeHumor, and more.
11. VLC Media Player
Sometimes it's better to use a desktop app than a web app. They can offer features that web apps cannot replicate. One such app is VLC Media Player, one of the best free media players for Windows.
Clearly, VLC does much more than merely download videos from the internet. The beauty of using VLC is that it's a program many users will already have installed on their machines and negates the need for third-party apps.
12. Video Grabber
Video Grabber has three key features: downloading video, converting video, and recording your screen. Even though it initially looks like a web app, it is actually a desktop program.
13. FLVTO
FLTVO has a web app and a desktop version. The desktop version lets you queue videos to download from multiple internet sources and automatically download new videos as they become available.
14. Freemake
Freemake is a desktop app that lets you download videos from more than 10,000 sites. The list includes YouTube, Facebook, Vimeo, Dailymotion, Twitch, and Veoh. The app is available for both Windows and Mac.
You can use Freemake to save videos, playlists, and channels in HD, MP4, MP3, AVI, 3GP, and FLV formats. However, take note that it does not support the downloading of videos from YouTube Music.
15. Videoder
Videoder is another downloadable app that you can use to download any video from the internet for free. It is available for Android and Windows.
The app supports more than 1,000 sites, including TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Voot, Ozee, 9Anime, and Dailymotion.
16. SnapDownloader
SnapDownloader, which is available for Windows and macOS, allows you to download videos from YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, Vimeo, and more.
If you need to download more than one video, you will need to pay. The app costs $40 for a lifetime license for one machine. Alternatively, you can pay $70 to use it on three machines.
17. AllMyTube
Wondershare makes a whole suite of useful apps, and the company's AllMyTube software is no different.
With 10,000 supported sites, you can download videos for offline viewing from all the major video platforms. This includes YouTube, Vimeo, and Dailymotion, as well as slightly more niche sites such as Viewster and Twitch.
You can download videos for free, but if you need to do bulk downloading, you will have to pay a fee of $20/year.
18. Open Broadcaster Software
We're closing out our list with a pair of screen recorders. These tools let you record whatever is playing on your computer. So, use these free screen recorders for Windows and Mac to easily download videos from the internet when you have exhausted all other possibilities.
OBS is unquestionably the best free screen recorder app on the web. It's available on Windows, Mac, and Linux, and it also includes a powerful editing tool.
19. CamStudio
CamStudio doesn't look as slick as OBS and doesn't boast as many features, but it's simpler to use. Thus, it's perfect for someone who just wants to click Record, let the video runs its course, and simply download the recording later.
Downloading Videos From the Internet? A Word of Warning…
Please remember that all the tools listed in this article are for creating recordings of free online videos for personal use. They should not be used to save and distribute copyrighted material. Doing so could get you in serious trouble with the law.
Downloading videos is also against some sites' terms of service. Your account could be suspended or permanently banned. Keep this in mind when you’re thinking of downloading any video from the internet.
Source: How to Download Any Video From the Internet: 19 Free Methods (makeuseof.com)
