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Learning how to download YouTube videos can come in handy for price plans with low data allowances, even better for low signal areas which limit stream quality. No one likes buffering, but it’s there for a reason. However, there are legalities to keep in mind before you download YouTube videos on Android.
Google’s terms of service for YouTube are quite black and white on the matter: “You may access Content for your information and personal use solely as intended through the provided functionality of the Service and as permitted under these Terms of Service. You shall not download any Content unless you see a ‘download’ or similar link displayed by YouTube on the Service for that Content.”
With that being said, and you’re not trying to duplicate or distribute copyrighted content, everything else on YouTube falls under the Creative Commons Licence. A CCL allows for personal download and viewership without distribution.
How To Download YouTube videos on Android
For this tutorial, we’ll be showing you how to download ‘TubeMate’, an app that allows you to download content on YouTube. We’ll be using a Google Pixel 5, which you can find here, that runs Android 12. Find our guide on getting Android 12 here.
Download TubeMate
Click this link to navigate to the TubeMate download page and click the green download button. Your browser will probably warn you that .APKs can be harmful, which is true, but TubeMate is quite safe. Ok through this pop-up and download.
Allow Unknown Sources
Android will once again try and stop you from installing the TubeMate.APK because it isn’t signed off from Google Play. Follow the motions to enable the install then open up the app.
Find Your Video
From here, you’ll notice the app mimics the old-school YouTube browser aesthetic. Search for your video, then click the download icon on the bottom left. Select your video quality, or audio if you’d but prefer an audio file, and select the download button once again.
Enjoy Your Downloaded Video
This video (or audio) file will now be saved to your device. For example, we found it in the Google Photos app, allowing us to view the video is crystal clear clarity. Please note, TubeMate will most likely ask you to download a couple of apps to help with audio and subtitles from the Google Play store. Don’t worry, these are all quite safe.
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