Shorts Downloader works in your browser on any device. You paste a YouTube link, choose a quality, and the file is saved to your downloads. Here's exactly how, on every platform.
On Windows or Mac
- Open the video on YouTube and copy the address from the browser's address bar, or select Share → Copy under the video.
- Open the video downloader and paste the link with Ctrl + V (⌘ + V on a Mac). Pasting a valid link starts the lookup straight away.
- Choose a quality. 1080p is the best choice for most people. Higher qualities appear only when the video was uploaded in them.
- Select Download. For qualities above 360p the video and audio are joined on the server first, so a long 4K video can take a minute before the download begins.
- Find the file in your Downloads folder, named after the video's title.
On Android
- In the YouTube app, open the video or Short, tap Share and then Copy link.
- Open this site in Chrome (or any browser) and tap the clipboard icon in the link box, or long-press the box and choose Paste.
- Pick a quality and tap Download. The file goes to your Downloads folder and usually appears in your gallery app too.
On iPhone and iPad
- In the YouTube app, tap Share → Copy link.
- Open this site in Safari, paste the link and tap Get Video.
- Tap Download and confirm. Safari saves the file to Files → Downloads.
- To move a video into Photos, open it in the Files app, tap the share button and choose Save Video.
Links that work
Any link to a single YouTube video works. Extra parameters such as ?si= (share tracking) or &t= (start time) are ignored.
| Link type | Example |
|---|---|
| Video | youtube.com/watch?v=VIDEO_ID |
| Shorts | youtube.com/shorts/VIDEO_ID |
| Short link | youtu.be/VIDEO_ID |
| Mobile site | m.youtube.com/watch?v=VIDEO_ID |
| YouTube Music | music.youtube.com/watch?v=VIDEO_ID |
| Live (after it ends) | youtube.com/live/VIDEO_ID |
| Embed | youtube.com/embed/VIDEO_ID |
| Video ID only | dQw4w9WgXcQ (11 characters) |
Playlist and channel links aren't supported. Open a single video from the playlist and copy its link instead.
Troubleshooting
When something goes wrong, the page tells you the exact reason. Here's what each message means.
| Message | What it means | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Doesn't point to a single video | It's a playlist, channel or search link. | Open one video and copy its link. |
| Doesn't exist or has been removed | The video was deleted or the link is mistyped. | Check the link on YouTube. |
| Private, age-restricted or members-only | YouTube only shows it to signed-in or paying viewers. | These videos can't be downloaded here. |
| Not available in the server's region | The uploader limited where it can be watched. | It can't be downloaded here. |
| Too many requests | You or the server hit a temporary limit. | Wait for the countdown, then try again. |
| Download failed | YouTube stopped sending the file part-way. | Select Try again, or pick a lower quality. |
Tips
- Not sure which quality? Choose 1080p. It looks sharp on almost every screen and plays everywhere. Compare qualities and formats.
- Only need the sound? Use the Audio only option, or the audio downloader.
- Downloading a Short? The Shorts downloader explains how to save it to your phone's gallery.
- Check you're allowed to. Read is it legal to download YouTube videos?