The best free YouTube converters
Download and convert YouTube videos
YouTube is a great resource for viewing videos, but at some point you might want to download them to a computer or mobile device. You might want to watch them offline, burn them to a DVD for archiving, or convert the audio to an MP3 for entertainment while driving.
So what’s the answer? Hunting down a YouTube conversion tool would be a good start, and luckily there are plenty around that won’t cost you a penny – such is the magic of freeware.
It’s important to note that you should only download videos when you have the copyright owner’s permission to do so. YouTube’s terms of service explicitly prohibit unauthorised downloading.
1. aTube Catcher
Download and convert videos to play on your PC, mobile device or console
aTube Catcher is an appropriately named YouTube conversion tool that will catch any video downloads you throw its way before converting them to your chosen format.
It supports AVI, FLV, MOV, WMV, MPG and MP4, in addition to less common formats such as PSP, which is used for Sony’s handheld games console.
The installation process is speedy, and once up and running you’ll be presented with a colourful Windows 10-like grid that clearly presents the available options. From there you can dive straight into aTube Catcher‘s video conversion utility for converting to another file format, or convert the soundtrack to an MP3 for audio playback.
Once you’ve chosen a format, drag in the files you want to convert and right-click ‘Start’ to set them going. You can prioritize certain clips to have them converted first, or simply leave it to work on the queued files from top to bottom.
2. Free YouTube to MP3 Converter
Convert YouTube videos and rip soundtracks to MP3 format
Free YouTube to MP3 Converter is a freeware program that converts videos from YouTube to other popular video formats – including WMV and AVI – in addition to audio ones formats such as MP3. The program lets you queue up multiple files for conversion and features a clean interface that clearly displays what files are waiting to be converted.
It’s a particularly useful tool for musicians who may want to download guitar backing tracks to jam along to, or similarly you could grab a karaoke backing track to burn to a CD ready for that weekend party.
3. Freemake Video Converter
Super-speedy conversion into almost any video format you can name
Freemake Video Converter features an attractive design and supports more file formats than you can shake a USB stick at. You can convert your downloaded video into more than 200 formats – including AVI, MP4, WKV, WMV, DV, RM, QT, TS and MTS – and you can choose to rip and convert audio to MP3 if you just want the soundtrack.
Freemake claims that a few of its features are unique – including integrated CUDA and DXVA technology that apparently converts videos faster while using less CPU resources. It’s certainly one of the fastest on our list, but its speed will ultimately depend on the power of your PC.
4. Free Studio
Tweak clips for perfect playback on your chosen device
Developed by DVDVideoSoft, Free Studio comes with a massive 25 video conversion options that can convert your files automatically once they’ve downloaded for viewing on different devices.
It’s particularly useful because it bundles multiple convertors into a single program, saving you hunting for several solutions when converting to different formats.
It’s a flexible program that allows you to work with HD video file types in addition to high quality MP4 video. It also comes with an advanced screen capture tool that allows you to record a section of the screen, flip it and rotate it before saving the edited output to disk with the option of saving to another device.
5. YTD (YouTube Downloader)
Dropped connection mid-rip? No problem with YTD
YTD (formerly known as YouTube Downloader can download and convert videos from some of the most popular video websites – including Facebook, DailyMotion and College Humor – in addition to YouTube. It features the ability to convert videos into most popular video formats – from MP3 and MP4 to WNV, FLV, MOV, 3GP and AVI.
The program’s makers claim that the latest version is faster and more stable than previous releases.
It also has the handy feature of resuming downloads automatically if your internet connection goes down temporarily.
Have we missed your favorite tool for converting YouTube videos to a different format? Let us know in the comments below.
Source: techradar.com
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This continues to be my reaction when this article is bumped. Of all the pointless listicles TechRadar recycles constantly, this remains the weirdest choice.
The second and last options are the same bloody program. Just one has the shell allowing you to access other programs without looking for them in your applications list.
hey tyvm for the very cool tip/trick!
Thanks.
When I want to download the audio from a YouTube video I just add "dlv" in front of youtube in the URL and then click Audio. Simple and neat trick that doesn't requie any insalling of apps and works on all my devices =)
thank you.
tsk tsk…. why is it your business what any one is perceived to advocate?? Maybe yer too young to remember Radio and TV, where stuff went out over free airwaves and if you could listen to it or record it for later you did so. No need for a presidential law calling for a 16 percent Internet fee hike, lol that the president … now GET THIS, the president, OUR PRESIDENT, the guy who couldnt tell the truth if it was sunny and asked if its raining. Anyhow not that it matters in this modern progressive time, but copyright laws were intended to protect people from loss of MONEY for pirating etc. You know, like the Chinese are allowed to flood our markets with? Well NO ONE does that. MMMkay. All recordings of anything which come over COPPER LINES (not airwaves) but copper lines I HAD to pay for. You cannot USE my copper lines for free. But you do, so if you toss something You made out on a pair of copper wires that I own, you are basically giving me programs for free. Apparently, also we are talkin about stuff you CAN VIEW FOR FREE on youtube. Copyright laws are not for third parties to enforce lol either the COPS or the LAWyERS of "poor musicians" do that. But dont toss your garbage in my yard and then tell me what to do with it. Think basics. God
gave you free will, do you also take that as advocating bestiality, murder, jihad etc?
Again how is any of that your biz? I dont give the kind folks at google or any of their sites money now, so even if I "stole" what comes across my property it is not one thin DIME from the, they choose whether or not to spend the dime to catch a penny. I am glad you did not get sucked in by Herr Messiah, but he still sorta runs the country and signs the bills that cause us ills cus its us who pay the bills for the senate to stay hopped up on pills. 😉 So whoever signs it, its the law. However as I am sure most businesses did not look forward to or fully conceive the idea that they would be COMPELLED by law to ENFORCE their new… internet protection law. This is why MS is hoistin 10 out a year early ans not going to be taking care of this years customers still buying Win8.1. WHO put that crap in their business plan" DO the GOVTS work for them so they have more free time to take more taxes to pass more fascist laws… Somewhere the idea got losst that our govt gets its power THROUGH us, tho Obamaites who dont believe where our rights come from would argue. whatever happened to EFF? Anyhow GOOd LUCK cus what is comin, makes this govt takeover of the net look like a … diversion :0
I'm plenty old enough, he's not my president and that's YouTube's business model. If you don't like it, don't use it. How would you like people stealing the output of your livelihood?
Is this basically advocating copyright theft?