Learn how to download videos on YouTube to watch offline                             Downloading YouTube videos is a native feature available to paid service plan users. The function allows you to watch this content without spending the data or having to be …

Downloading YouTube videos is a native feature available to users of paid service plans. The function allows you to watch these contents without spending data or having to be connected to the internet. Who on YouTube Premium subscriber, however, has alternatives.

The lighter version of the platform, YouTube Go, offers the option to change the quality of the streaming. Thus, you can save your mobile data. Already the traditional app also allows you to change the resolution in order to reduce consumption.

How to download videos on YouTube and watch offline

To download YouTube videos natively, you will need to subscribe to YouTube Premium. Movies are available in the Library for 48 hours after downloading and can be viewed even without internet access.

To keep them in the device after this time, I need to connect to a Wi-Fi or 3G / 4G network. The app needs to check for possible changes and availability.

1. Open the YouTube app as you normally do and access the video you want to download;

2. Tap on the Download, displayed just below the video;

Download videos on YouTube

3 Choose the quality you want to download the video with: High (720p), Average (360p) or Low (144p). Next to each of them is specified the amount of data that the download requires. Confirm selection at OK;

  • To avoid mobile data consumption, it is ideal to perform the process connected to a Wi-Fi network.

4 Wait for the download to complete. Once it is finished, the cone turns into a blue arrow;

5 To watch the video offline, go to the tab Library and tap Saved. The downloaded videos will be available in this folder.

Download YouTube video

Is it worth subscribing to YouTube Premium? Here's how to test for free!

Watching videos on YouTube Go and saving mobile data

To perform the procedure below, you need to download and install the YouTube Go app on your Android smartphone. It is important to remember that the less bandwidth you use to watch a movie, the lower the display quality should be.

The difference with reducing the quality of display in the traditional YouTube app is that you know exactly how much data is consumed by watched video.

1. Open YouTube Go and access the video you want to watch;

2. Before the content starts to run, the following message will appear on the screen: Choose the quality of streaming. You can choose from:

  • Data saving (less data consumption)
  • Standard quality
  • High quality (higher data consumption)

Download YouTube video

3 Confirm your selection at To watch. Soon, video playback will start.

Is it possible to save data in the traditional YouTube app?

Yes, you can, but without the precision offered by YouTube Go. To do this, open the video you want to watch and tap the three dots icon at the top of the right screen. In the menu that opens, go to Quality.

The options displayed vary according to the quality in which the video was recorded or made available on the platform. In general, they range from 144p to 1080p.

It's hard to tell how much each movie spends. According to specialized website Whistle out, YouTube videos have the following estimated time-consuming consumption:

144p 240p 360p 480p 720p 1080p

Data Consumption Per Minute

1.3MB 3.3MB 5MB 8.3MB 25MB 50MB

Data consumption per hour

80MB 200MB 300MB 500MB 1.5GB 3GB

See also how to change video quality on Netflix and watch in HD.

How do you know how much data YouTube is consuming?

Mobile operating systems often offer users ways to check the amount of data consumed by each installed app.

On Android, just go to Set up Network and Internet Using app data. Then drag the screen to see how much internet has spent on each app in the last month.

Download YouTube Video

On iOS, follow the path Cellular Adjustments or Mobile Data Adjustments. Then scroll down and check how much each application has consumed bandwidth.

Did you like the tip? Also see how to turn on YouTube night mode and make the background black. Plus, check out how to lock a channel and hide unwanted videos.

Taysa Coelho

Journalist graduated from UFRJ, writes about technology for seven years. Carioca currently lives in Portugal, the country he adopted. In her free time, she enjoys going to the beach, reading, watching movies, and doing series marathons. Instagram is her favorite social network, but WhatsApp saves her from missing those who stayed in Brazil.