2 Easy Ways to Download YouTube Videos to the iPad

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Watch YouTube videos offline on your iPad with this handy guide

Written by Cory Stillman

Last Updated: November 24, 2023 Fact Checked

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Using a Third-Party App

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Using YouTube Premium

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Q&A

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Tips

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Warnings

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This wikiHow guide teaches you how to download a YouTube video for offline viewing on your iPad. If you subscribe to YouTube Premium, downloading videos to watch offline is easy. If you aren't a subscriber, you'll need a workaround. Unfortunately, the workaround, which involves using a third-party downloader, violates YouTube's user agreement, and may also violate local copyright laws—make sure to only download videos you have permission to own.

Things You Should Know

If you do not have YouTube Premium, begin by downloading the Documents by Readdle app from the App Store.
Use the in-app web browser to access https://www.videosolo.com/free-video-downloader/.
Enter the URL of the YouTube video you want to download and tap "Download".

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Using a Third-Party App

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This free app comes with its own web browser and file management tools that make it easy to download videos to your iPad.
After installing Documents, tap Open in the App Store, or tap the Documents icon to launch the app. The first time you open it, you'll have to move through a few welcome screens that ultimately bring you to a screen called My Files. You can stop when you get there.
It's at the bottom of the screen. This opens the built-in web browser.
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Go to https://www.videosolo.com/free-video-downloader/. To do this, tap the "Search any website" field, type https://www.videosolo.com/free-video-downloader/, and tap the go key.
- You can also go to https://www.videosolo.com and select "Online-Downloader" in the top-right corner of the page.
You'll need to enter the URL of the YouTube video you want to download into the VideoSolo downloader. Return to the Home screen and launch the YouTube app to get started.
Tap the video that you want to download onto your iPad. This starts playing the video in the YouTube app.
To do so, tap Share below the video, and then tap Copy Link to save the link to your clipboard.
Documents will still be open to the VideoSolo downloader site. Tap and hold the Paste the link here box, and then tap Paste when it appears.
You'll see the sizes available for download.
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Download the video in the desired size. The higher the number in the "Quality" column, the larger the file, and the better the quality. Tap Download next to the size you want, and then tap Done to start the download.
- Some of the better-quality options may require a paid upgrade. Usually a lower-quality file will still look great on your iPad's large screen.
It's at the bottom-left corner.
This is where you'll find the video you saved.
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Move the video to the Photos app. This makes it easy for you to find the video so you can watch it later. You can move the video to a different folder if you prefer, but you'll definitely want to move it outside of Documents (unless you want to watch it in the Documents app—which you can do!):
- Tap the three dots at the bottom of the video and select Move. A list of locations you can move the video to will appear.
- Tap Photos (or the desired folder).
- Tap Allow Access to All Photos to continue (this will only appear the first time you try to move a file to Photos from Documents).
- Tap Move.
- You can now open the Photos app and tap the video in the Recents folder.

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Using YouTube Premium

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1
Open the YouTube app. It's the icon of a white triangle on a red background.
- You will need to have a paid subscription to YouTube Premium to use this method. If you don't have one, tap the profile photo at the top-right corner of YouTube and select Get YouTube Premium.^{[1]
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You can search for the video or select something from your Library.
It's a downward-facing arrow icon below the video window.
Tap the checkbox to the right of a quality setting (e.g., 720p) in the pop-up window. The higher the quality, the more space the video will take up on your iPad. Once you select a quality, the video will begin to download.
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Watch the video offline. When you're offline, just open the YouTube app, tap the Library tab, and then select the video.
- You can remove the downloaded video at any time by tapping the blue-and-white checkmark icon below the video and selecting Remove.

Community Q&A

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Question

What do I do if I can't get the app from the Canadian iTunes store?

Community Answer

You can check for another similar app.

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Question

Can I do it without installing an app?

Community Answer

Yes, there are various sites available for downloading YouTube videos, either in mp3 or mp4 format.

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Question

Why isn't the app on the AppStore? What other apps could I use?

Community Answer

There should be an app called video downloader. Once you install it click on Files and you can download the videos.

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YouTube Premium is the only legitimate, legal way to download YouTube videos onto your iPad.

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Warnings

At this time, YouTube does not support or promote the downloading of its videos to watch offline at a later date. Keep in mind that third-party video downloader apps and sites could stop working at any time or be removed from App Store without notice or warning.

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