Converting YouTube videos to MP4 format is a popular way to save them for offline playback or to use as a resource in another video project.
Fortunately, there are many ways to accomplish this task, and we’ll show you the best ones.
To begin, let’s take a look at some of the reasons why you might want to convert YouTube videos to MP4 format.
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5 Reasons to Convert YouTube Videos to MP4
1. MP4 is a universal format that can be played on any device.
2. MP4 files are smaller than other video formats, so they take up less storage space.
3. MP4 files can be edited with most video editing software.
4. You can watch the downloaded videos later without an internet connection.
5. You can put MP4 videos on a USB drive or other storage device and take them with you.
These are some of the why you might want to convert YouTube videos to MP4, let’s move on to how you can actually do it.
Top 6 Ways to Convert YouTube Videos to MP4 2022
Following are the six best ways to convert YouTube videos to MP4 format.
1. Use a Web-Based Converter
The first and most obvious way to convert YouTube videos to MP4 is to use a web-based converter. These services are easy to use and usually free. Just enter the URL of the YouTube video you want to convert, select MP4 as the output format, and click a button to start the conversion.
Many web-based converters can be used to download YouTube videos and convert them to MP4 format.
Here I will share our 3 picks of the best converter website list:
- Y2mate
- VidPaw
- Flvto
Y2mate.com is a popular online video downloader and converter that can be used to download videos from YouTube and convert them to MP4 format. It’s free to use and doesn’t require any registration. And most importantly, it’s super fast.
To download a video from YouTube using y2mate.com, follow the procedure.
Step 1: Go to the y2mate.com website. Enter the URL of the YouTube video you want to download. Here I’m looking for a video tutorial on converting image to text. So I paste the URL of a specific video.
Step 2: As you’ll paste the URL, various download options will be displayed below in different qualities. From there, you can select the MP4 format and the quality of the file you wish to download.
Step 3: Once you click on the desired format, it’ll start downloading automatically. That’s it!
The same procedure applies to the other sites as well. So, you can use any web-based converter to download YouTube videos and convert them to MP4 format.
The Flvto.bid is very similar to y2mate.com so either you can choose any of them.
But, VidPaw.com is quite different from others. It’s not only a youtube video download it also offers various other related services. Under the Product section, you can find tools like RecordAnyVid and different media players. They also have software that can be downloaded on both android and iOS devices.
In short, it’s an all-in-one solution for any type of multimedia requirement.
You can also explore various other downloaders and converters such as ClipConverter, savefrom.net, ytb.rip, etc.
2. Using a Desktop converter
The next way to convert YouTube videos to MP4 is by using a desktop converter. These are programs that you install on your computer and use to download and convert YouTube videos.
Compared to web-based converters, desktop converters have several advantages. They’re usually faster, can download videos of higher quality, and can be used offline.
Additionally, many desktop converters have additional features like the ability to download videos from other sites, record your screen, and more.
Here are our 3 picks of the best desktop converter for Windows and Mac:
- Any Video Converter Free (Windows)
- Freemake Video Converter (Windows)
- iFunia Free Video Downloader for Mac (Mac)
You can also try VidPaw for desktop as it offers both windows and mac versions for download.
3. Using Veed.io
The third way to convert YouTube videos to MP4 is by using Veed.io, an online video editor that can be used to download and edit videos.
Veed.io is basically an online video editing tool that has all the features that video editing software like Adobe premier pro, final cut pro, or Sony Vegas Pro offers.
With this site, you can not only just download and convert the video, but you can also make a high-quality professional video that includes effects, filters, subtitles, and anything you name it.
They also have templates for educational, explainer, and training videos. This can be really helpful if you are looking to make some how-to videos or product review videos.
Long story short Veed.io is an all-in-one solution for any of your video needs, whether it’s downloading, converting, or editing.
Even if you are looking for the best screen recording software, you can use veed.io.
And to convert YouTube videos to mp4, veed.io offers the simplest solution.
Go to the website > From the menu, hover on Tool and select Video Converter.
From that, you can upload the video from your computer or directly paste the YouTube URL. Once you have done that, simply click on the Convert button and it’ll start converting to MP4.
The best part is that it doesn’t even require you to sign up for an account; you can simply use it as a guest. However, you can create an account if you want to keep track of your work or want to use some of the premium features.
4. Convert YouTube video to mp4 with VLC Media Player
This is one method that a lot of people don’t know about. VLC Media Player can actually be used as a converter to convert videos from one format to another.
Not just YouTube videos, you can use VLC Media Player to convert any video file on your computer to any other popular video format, including MP4, AVI, FLV, WMV, etc.
Here’s how to use VLC Media Player to convert YouTube videos to MP4:
1: Download and install VLC Media Player from its official website.
2. Launch the VLC Media Player on your computer.
3: Go to Media > Convert / Save. Alternatively, you can press the Ctrl + R shortcut key to open the Convert / Save window.
4: In the Open Media window, click on the Add button. Here you can add the video that you want to convert.
While doing some research, I found another way where you have to update youtube.luac script. I would not recommend doing that because we are not sure about the script and it might cause some problems with your VLC Media Player.
If you are still willing to do it, then below is the video where you can find the updated youtube.luac script and also the instructions on how to update it.
5. Using Mobile App
Nowadays, tons of mobile apps can be used to convert video. But we would only focus on one app that is available for both iOS and Android.
The app is called SnapDownloader, and it’s available for both windows and mac as well.
SnapDownloader is basically a video downloader that can be used to download videos from sites including YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, etc.
To download your desired video, all you need to do is copy the video address from YouTube and paste it into the app once you have done that, simply select MP4 from the list of available formats and hit on the download button.
The app will start downloading the video in MP4 format.
Read also – SkyTube: The Best Open Source Youtube Alternative
6. Using chrome extensions
The very last method in this guide is using the chrome extension.
There are many extensions that can be used to convert the video. Personally, I don’t use them for youtube videos I think a web-based solution like VEED.io or Y2mate.com is better.
But Download Helper and Internet download manager are two of the most popular extension that can be used to download videos from YouTube.
Conclusion
YouTube is one of the most popular video-sharing platforms, with billions of videos being watched daily. If you are looking to download or convert any YouTube video to MP4, then this guide is for you.
In this guide, we have shared 6 different methods that can be used to convert YouTube videos to MP4.
We have also shared a step-by-step guide on how to use VLC Media Player to convert YouTube videos to MP4.
So go ahead and check out the guide and let us know which method you are using to convert YouTube videos to MP4.
FAQ’s
Can I convert a YouTube video to MP4 format without downloading it first?
Yes, you can! In fact, this is one of the main advantages of using a converter. You don’t have to download the video first, which means you can save time and space on your device.
Is it legal to convert YouTube videos to MP4?
Yes, it is legal to convert YouTube videos to MP4 format. However, it is important to note that you should only convert videos for personal use. If you plan to distribute the video, you will need to get permission from the copyright holder first.
Can I convert a YouTube video to MP4 format on my phone?
Yes, you can convert YouTube videos to MP4 format on your phone. There are a number of converter apps available for both iPhone and Android devices.
How long does it take to convert a YouTube video to MP4 format?
The time it takes to convert a YouTube video to MP4 format will depend on the length of the video and the speed of your internet connection. In general, it should only take a few minutes to convert a short video.