How to Download YouTube Videos on Windows in 2026
Still Works — Free & Fast

5 min read

YouTube still doesn't let you download videos to your PC in 2026 — not without a workaround. YouTube Premium's offline mode is mobile-only. If you want to save a video to your Windows computer, you need a third-party downloader. The good news: there are tools that still work reliably in 2026, and the best one is free.

The Best YouTube Downloader for Windows in 2026: AppGrabbit

AppGrabbit is a free Windows desktop app powered by yt-dlp — the most actively maintained video downloader engine available. It supports YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and more, with up to 4K quality on every plan. The free plan covers 5 credits a month (1 per video), refilled on the 1st; Pro removes the cap.

Step-by-Step: How to Download YouTube Videos with AppGrabbit

1. 1
   Download and install AppGrabbit

   Go to appgrabbit.com and click "Download free — Windows". Run the AppGrabbitSetup.exe file and follow the installer. It takes about 30 seconds.

2. 2
   Open AppGrabbit and paste your YouTube URL

   Launch AppGrabbit. Go to YouTube, copy the video URL from your browser, and paste it into the AppGrabbit input field (or click Paste). The preview loads on its own: title, thumbnail and the qualities that video actually has.

3. 3
   Choose your format

   Select Video + Audio for an MP4 file, or Audio only to download as MP3. You can also choose Video only if you need it without audio.

4. 4
   Choose quality

   Pick from the qualities that video actually has, up to 4K at 60 fps. Quality doesn't depend on your plan: the free plan downloads the same 4K as Pro. The best one is selected by default.

5. 5
   Download

   Click Download. The progress shows next to the form and in the Queue tab, by phase and with a real percentage. The file lands in your downloads folder with the video's title. Done.

How to Download YouTube Videos as MP3 on Windows

In step 3 above, select Audio only instead of Video + Audio. AppGrabbit will extract the audio track and save it as an MP3 file to your PC. This works for music videos, podcasts uploaded to YouTube, or any video where you only need the audio.

Using the Browser Extension for One-Click Downloads

AppGrabbit includes a free extension for Chrome, Edge and Brave that adds a Grab button directly on the video page. Instead of copy-pasting URLs, you click Grab and the video goes to the app's queue. It's optional: the app works the same without it.

1. Download the extension ZIP (version 1.4.0) and unzip it into a folder you won't delete
2. Open chrome://extensions (or edge://extensions), turn on Developer mode and click Load unpacked with that folder
3. Click the extension icon and Connect with AppGrabbit: the app opens for a moment and hands over its key
4. Open any video and click Grab — with AppGrabbit open, it downloads with your default format and quality

Does yt-dlp Still Work in 2026?

Yes. yt-dlp is actively maintained and continues to work in 2026 despite YouTube's ongoing attempts to block scrapers. The yt-dlp team regularly pushes updates to fix any breakages, usually within hours of a YouTube change. AppGrabbit uses yt-dlp under the hood, so when yt-dlp updates, AppGrabbit updates too.

Why Not Just Use a Website Like SaveFrom or SSYouTube?

Is It Safe to Download YouTube Videos?

AppGrabbit is safe — it doesn't require an account, doesn't collect any data about what you download, and every release publishes its SHA-256 so you can verify the installer yourself. The files are saved locally on your PC. As for legality: downloading YouTube videos for personal offline use is a gray area that varies by country. It violates YouTube's Terms of Service but is generally not legally pursued for personal use.